The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) awarded Alex Baloga, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association (PFMA), with the 2018 GMA Excellence in Government Affairs award at the Food Industry Association Executives annual meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico Nov. 13.
The award honors a state association executive who advances public policy initiatives in his local or state jurisdictions to benefit both retailers and consumer product manufacturers.
“At PFMA, we serve as the voice representing thousands of businesses and individuals working in the food and beverage industry in Pennsylvania and neighboring states,” Baloga said. “We work hard every day to promote the industry and drive positive legislative change for our members statewide and in Philadelphia, which currently includes an ongoing effort to repeal a sugar-sweetened beverage tax that’s crippling businesses.”
Baloga has been a member of PFMA since 2013. His first role was as director of government affairs. He became vice president of external relations in 2015 and president and CEO in 2017.
As president and CEO, he is in charge of PFMA’s legislative, pharmacy and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children stakeholder’s committees; PFMA’s state, local and federal government relations efforts; and Philadelphia Food political action committees.