[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 48 (Thursday, April 27, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E663]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING ROBERT B. WEGMAN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BRIAN HIGGINS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 27, 2006

  Mr.  HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Robert B. Wegman, 
Chairman of Wegmans Food Markets, Inc, and a well known business leader 
and philanthropist who passed away Thursday, April 20, 2006 at the age 
of 87.
  After 3 years of service in the United States Marine Corps, Wegman 
became a store manager at his family business in 1947. He took over the 
business after his uncle's death in 1950. Born at a time when people 
bought fruits and vegetables from pushcart peddlers, Robert Wegman was 
a pioneer in the supermarket industry. He not only spearheaded the 
concept of one-stop-shopping by adding in-store cafes, federal credit 
unions, pharmacies, photo labs, dry cleaning services, video 
departments and childcare centers to Wegmans Markets, he built a 
successful business based on the simple idea that it was essential to 
treat customers and employees right.
  Anyone who has shopped at Wegmans knows that these stores are not 
your average supermarket chain. This is in large part due to fact that 
Robert Wegman valued quality more than a quick profit. In explaining 
his goals, he said ``I have never pursued growth for growth's sake--all 
we really want from our efforts are the finest food stores anywhere, 
operated profitably.'' Combined with a desire to expand the choices and 
quality of goods available to consumers, Wegman revolutionized the 
industry and turned shopping into an experience rather than a chore. 
When a shopper enters a Wegmans they not only find high quality 
products at low prices, but they enter an environment with all of the 
charm of a European market and all of the convenience that one expects 
of a local supermarket. Under his leadership, Wegmans received the 
Golden Shopping Cart Award for Best Supermarket, was named the ``Most 
Family-Friendly Supermarket in America'' by Child magazine and has been 
awarded the prestigious Black Pearl Award for advancing food safety and 
quality.
  In addition to his business savvy, Robert Wegman knew the importance 
of taking care of his employees. The 70 Wegmans Markets that stretch 
from New York to Virginia employ more than 35,000 people and offer 
programs like the Wegmans Scholarship Program, which has awarded $56 
million to 18,000 employees since 1983. As a result of Robert Wegmans 
efforts, Wegmans has been named one of the ``100 Best Companies to Work 
For'' by Fortune Magazine for nine consecutive years starting in 1998. 
In 2005, Wegmans achieved the honor of being ranked number 1 on the 
list.
  Outside of his life as a businessman, Robert Wegman was also a 
philanthropist. He has donated millions of dollars to charity, 
including $25 million to the Rochester Roman Catholic Diocese to 
educate inner-city students, $10 million to the Aquinas Institute, $5 
million to St. John Fisher College for the Wegmans School of Pharmacy 
and $8 million to the University's School of Nursing.
  Robert Wegman is survived by his wife, Peggy; sister, Cecilia Wright; 
brother, Jim Wegman; children, Danny Wegman, Gail Tobin, Joan Goldberg, 
and Marie Kenton; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

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