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Peter J. Larkin
President and CEO
National Grocers Association
(Welcome to NGATV)
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Congress Passes Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act
N.G.A. Releases a Special Report on Implementation of New Debit and Credit Interchange Reforms
N.G.A.'s President and CEO, Peter Larkin met with Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) to thank him for his sponsorship and leadership to reform unfair credit and debit card interchange fees and anticompetitive rules. Retail grocers and other merchants won a major victory with the inclusion of Senator Durbin's amendment as part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which President Obama signed into law on July 21. The legislation is a victory for merchants as it includes language to provide merchants and consumers relief from debit interchange fees as well as reform of a number of merchant operating rules. To read N.G.A.’s press release on the passage of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, click HERE (.pdf 500 kb)
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Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Peter Larkin
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N.G.A. Special Report – Implementation of New Debit and Credit Interchange Reforms
This N.G.A. member Special Report provides a guide for retailers to reference as new provisions take effect. Specific questions regarding implementing these changes with your front end systems should be directed to your register dealer or third-party processer. Click here to download a copy.(.pdf 50 kb)
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NEW!!! N.G.A.'s Center for Family-Owned Business
Invest in Success by Perpetuating Family Business through Professional Management
October 26-28, 2010 · Baton Rouge, LA
In today's unsettling economy, business owners are facing issues that will no doubt  have effects on their companies. When the company is a family owned business, the dimensions are unique to that family and their interpersonal relationships. Developed in partnership with the Louisiana State University, N.G.A.'s Center for Family-Owned Business is a three day program with an emphasis on business planning, succession/organizational planning and estate and financial planning. Click here to learn more.
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Online Training Opportunities
The National Grocers Association and Online Training Technologies (OTT) have formed new strategic partnership to create a means for N.G.A. members to obtain specialized on-line compliance and job skills development programs. OTT offers on-line training for store owners, managers, and store employees to improve business operations, customer service, product knowledge, sales techniques, merchandising skills and market competitiveness. OTT provides the highest quality and the most cost-effective online training available. To learn more about OTT, click here. To read the N.G.A. Press Release, click here (.pdf 49 kb).
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N.G.A. and Pan-Oston Bring Technology to Independent Grocers via the Utopia Across America Tour
N.G.A. and Pan-Oston are proud to have a fleet of Innovation Centers traveling around the county visiting independent grocers to provide a unique hands-on opportunity to learn about the latest in front-end technology. These Innovation Centers will be making stops at the corporate offices and stores of independent grocers across the United States. In addition to the front-end technology featured in the tour, Pan-Oston is debuting two never-before-offered tools: the Self-Checkout Cost Savings Calculator, which provides independent grocers with a means to evaluate self-checkout cost savings based on their particular operating objectives; and the Front-End Optimizer, an aid to determine the most cost-efficient and productive check out solution based on sales, staffing, wages and customer service.
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EMPLOYMENT & LABOR LAW UPDATES
The Federal HIRE Act
President Obama has signed into law the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act, which is focused on accelerating the hiring of unemployed workers. The HIRE Act has many provisions that impact employers, including a payroll tax exemption, and increased tax credits for employers that meet certain eligibility requirements. Click here to learn more.
EEOC and DOL to Use Large Budget Increases to Enforce Discrimination and Wage/Hour Violations
The federal government has significantly increased funding to at least two of its primary enforcers of these laws: the Equal Opportunity Commission (“EEOC” or “Commission”) and the Department of Labor (“DOL”). With their increased budgets, the leaders of these federal agencies have vowed that enforcement of existing employment laws and regulations will be their number one priority for 2010. Click here to learn more. (.pdf 77 kb)
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Valuable N.G.A. Benefit: Special N.G.A. Electronic Payment Processing Program
N.G.A and First Data have a valuable payment services program with unprecedented discounts, innovative technology and improved payment products and services for N.G.A. members. First Data is the world's largest provider of merchant processing services as wells as a number of other pro grams such as Prepaid Reloadable Card Programs; TeleCheck® Internet and Telephone Acceptance services; and Payroll Solutions. Also, take some time to learn more about Tokenization and Encryption. They are for all intents and purposes the technologies for meeting regulatory guidelines requiring the protection of sensitive data. Click here to learn more.
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Action Alert
Use of Internet Counterfeit Coupons on the Rise
N.G.A. has recently had a number of retailers and wholesalers contact the  organization seeing an increase in counterfeit coupons. N.G.A. would like to share a new easy-to-read poster designed to assist your store personnel in recognizing legitimate Internet coupons. The poster provides tips for cashiers to look for certain elements within the coupons such as no free/high-value offers, obvious alternations, unusually long expiration periods, and other features and design elements.
Click here to download the Poster (.pdf 2 mb).
See Action Alert (.pdf 21 kb)
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N.G.A.’s Mission Statement
To ensure independent, community-focused retailers and wholesalers the opportunity to succeed and better serve the consumer through its policies, advocacy, programs and services.
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N.G.A.’s Statement of Philosophy
To promote diversity in the marketplace through a vibrant independent sector, and thereby increase consumer choice in price, variety, quality, service and value.
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