After 32 years of service, Robert Heath is retiring from the Associated Grocers of New England Board of Directors. “ Bob was nominated to the board in 1977,” says board chairman Thomas Bradbury. “He became chairman of the board in 1990, continuing in that capacity until 2006. During those years, AG New England enjoyed its most dynamic growth and accomplishment. Bob took an active role, providing wisdom, guidance and inspiration that helped lead the way to some significant milestones.”
Heath has owned and operated a community market whose roots date to 1945 when his father opened a small general store. At the age of 12, Heath started working part-time in the family store and had already learned the lessons of the retail food business by the time he left for college. Upon graduation from the University of New Hampshire in 1963 with a degree in business, he joined the family enterprise full-time. When he took the reins of the company, EM Heath and Sons comprised a community supermarket and hardware store in Centre Harbor, New Hampshire, as well as a shopping plaza in a neighboring town.
“As Bob retires from the Board of Directors of AG New England,” adds Bradbury, “I’d like to offer a word of thanks and appreciation on behalf of all AG New England retailers. It has been an absolute privilege and pleasure to work with Bob for these many years. Bob Heath has made a difference. He has represented the membership of the cooperative well and his dedication has always been to the success of Independent Retail Grocers.”
Associated Grocers of New England is owned entirely by Independent Retail Grocers as members of a cooperative and is the largest retailer-owned, wholesale grocery distribution center in New England. Headquartered in New Hampshire, AG New England serves independent retail food stores in Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and the Upstate New York/Albany area.