ShopRite, Coborn’s Market, and Giant Food Students Complete Retail Management Certificate Program

Promoting and Advancing Petroleum Marketing, Retail Grocery, and Convenience Stores in West Virginia

Driving Local Business and Community Growth Across West Virginia

Our Purpose and Commitment

OMEGA is a West Virginia-based organization dedicated to supporting and advancing the business interests of the state’s petroleum marketing, retail grocery, and convenience store industries.

As a network of over 225 locally owned businesses, OMEGA actively promotes cooperation, advocates for favorable legislation, and provides education and resources to its members. With over 50,000 employees, OMEGA members significantly contribute to the state’s economy, generating more than 10% of all state taxes and supporting local communities through scholarships, charitable donations, and civic involvement.

OMEGA is committed to fostering industry growth while serving West Virginians with essential services like fuel, food, and convenience.

who frontpage

member frontpage

Join a Community that Champions, Connects, and Elevates!

Your Essential Connection in West Virginia

OMEGA offers three types of membership: Convenience Store Members, Petroleum Marketer Members, and Grocer Members, all of which play a vital role in providing fuel, food, and essentials across West Virginia. As a liaison with state and national agencies, OMEGA works closely with organizations like NACS, PMAA, FMI, and the N.G.A. to advocate on behalf of its members.

We keep members informed through newsletters, legislative updates, an online resource hub, and educational seminars. Additional member benefits include access to the Encova Workers’ Compensation Discount Program and participation in our annual Trade Expo and fundraising efforts for children’s charities. OMEGA is here to support, advocate, and enhance the success of our industry members.

It’s graduation season, that time of the year when you watch your children and their friends wear the regalia, show some school spirit, eat cake and advance in their journey. It’s a season of transition. Since partnering with the Western Association of Food Chains (WAFC) in 2016, FMI is pleased to join with FMI member companies ShopRite (Wakefern), Giant Food, and Coborn’s who are celebrating with their first graduates from the Retail Management Certificate Program (RMCP).

By: Cynthia Brazzel, Director, Member Relations and Advocacy for the Western Region, Food Marketing Institute <img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/blog-images/books-with-graduation-cap-and-diploma.tmb-large-350-.jpg?sfvrsn=edc8486e_1" data-displaymode="Thumbnail" alt="books-with-graduation-cap-and-diploma" title="books-with-graduation-cap-and-diploma" style="float: right; margin: 10px;" /> It’s graduation season, that time of the year when you watch your children and their friends wear the regalia, show some school spirit, eat cake and advance in their journey. It’s a season of transition. Since partnering with the Western Association of Food Chains (WAFC) in 2016, FMI is pleased to join with FMI member companies ShopRite (Wakefern), Giant Food, and Coborn’s who are celebrating with their first graduates from the <a href="https://www.fmi.org/events-education/certificates-and-development/retail-management-certificate">Retail Management Certificate Program</a> (RMCP).   This marks an important step in these employees’ food retail careers as they have earned <a href="https://www.fmi.org/events-education/certificates-and-development/retail-management-certificate">the Retail Management (RMC) Certificate</a>, a community college academic program specifically tailored to develop the core competencies in business, marketing, management, technology, organizational behavior, communications, and finance necessary to be a successful grocery leader. The RMC Certificate is nationally recognized throughout the industry as a key credential for managerial success. Together, WAFC and FMI have partnered to help scale the RMCP nationally. The commitment by both organizations to provide education and leadership opportunities to our respective members is critical to the foundation of our industry’s workforce. Now with the FMI partnership, the RMCP has been scaled to many more states across the country. Besides ShopRite (Wakefern), Giant Food, and Coborn’s Market’s involvement, five additional FMI member companies are engaged in the program including Dorothy Lane Market, Kroger Nashville division, Shoppers, Lowe’s Markets, and Meijer. The RMC program offers a pathway for food industry employees to advance their careers and enables the employers to retain top talent as well as develop potential talent. WAFC has shepherded this successful competency-based academic program for the last 19 years and now boasts almost 2,700 graduates who are leaders in the industry. FMI is pleased to contribute to this number with some of the fruit from the national expansion of the program.  Among past graduates, 59 percent report a career boost, either through promotion or increased responsibilities, upon completing this program. The average age of students is 37, highlighting the fact that these incumbent workers are already successful and valued employees in the grocery industry. Many complete the program 100 percent online, while others prefer to attend traditional classes offered at about 150 community colleges nationwide. The success of the program is grounded in the commitment by employers to select the right employees and underwrite tuition expenses in advance, relieving the employee of the burden of one more expense. Congratulations to these FMI member companies who have supported and encouraged their employees to earn the Retail Management Certificate. We celebrate with you! FMI is committed to helping our members cultivate leaders who are equipped to handle the complex food retail world. For more information on how to connect your employees to this outstanding program, please visit <a href="http://www.retailmanagementcertificate.com/">www.retailmanagementcertificate.com</a>  or contact Cynthia Brazzel, Director of Member Relations & Advocacy, at 202-220-0627 (<a href="mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.</a>).

Read full article on FMI

Menus

Some of the main menus of the template are now set via the template parameters saving you having to set up menu modules for each menu. From this section you can choose what menus you would like connected with these pre assigned menu areas of the template.

Copyright Information

Enter the copyright information that will appear in the footer area of your template.

Supporting West Virginia Communities

OMEGA members play a vital role in West Virginia, supporting communities through substantial tax contributions and a wide-reaching presence across the state. With over 55% of the population living in border counties, our members are dedicated to serving both local and regional needs. Beyond business, we’re proud to give back, having contributed over $3.1 million to children’s charities since 2003, reflecting our commitment to making a positive difference.