For 43 Frito-Lay employees, a career-long dream became a reality last week, as they were among 224 employees inducted into PepsiCo’s legendary “Ring of Honor” – our parent company’s top honor for its sales force from around the world.
Only one-quarter of 1 percent of PepsiCo’s global sales force earns this prestigious award each year – which, in a company known for its outstanding sales team, truly makes them the “best of the best.” Former PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Roger Enrico created the Ring of Honor in 1999, and each June, the winners gather in New York for business sessions, best practice sharing, site seeing and a celebration of their achievements, culminating in a formal awards dinner and ceremony where PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi personally congratulates each inductee.
These employees are on the “frontlines” everyday, delivering our snacks to directly to stores, stocking store shelves, working with store managers to help meet their shoppers' needs and more. Many of them go above-and-beyond the call of duty, from withstanding blizzards so they don’t miss a day of replenishing retailers' shelves, to volunteering to mentor new employees, to working long hours and weekends in the days leading up to the Super Bowl, Labor Day other especially busy times for snack sales.
So for these “everyday heroes” and their spouses to be flown to New York for three days and honored with everything from a red-carpet welcome at PepsiCo’s world headquarters to a personal congratulations from PepsiCo’s CEO is truly well deserved. Some of the comments from this year’s winners during the induction ceremony capture just how special the moment is for them: “Winning the ring of honor means everything. It’s a very proud moment,” one of them said. “It’s an experience of a lifetime” another said. And still another added, "It's like winning the Super Bowl."
I think Indra captured the sentiments of all of us at Frito-Lay and PepsiCo when she told them, “You have a very special place in our hearts because you are the pride and joy of PepsiCo.” Congratulations – and thank you – to all the winners. - Katherine
Andrea Tackett (left), a Frito-Lay sales representative with our “Motown Central” sales zone in Michigan, receives congratulations for being inducted into this year's Ring of Honor from PepsiCo co-founder Donald M Kendall (center) and Mohit Saxenna, a sales leader with PepsiCo’s India Beverages business.
Comments