[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 139 (Wednesday, September 14, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1267]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                CONGRATULATING BOB MARIANO ON RETIREMENT

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                          HON. PETER J. ROSKAM

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 14, 2016

  Mr. ROSKAM. Mr. Speaker, today I wish to honor an innovator, 
entrepreneur, and business leader from the 6th District of Illinois. 
Bob Mariano has dedicated the last 49 years of his life to the grocery 
industry and on September 1st, he retired. After an iconic run as a 
leader in grocery retailing in Chicagoland, Bob has earned his rest and 
relaxation.
   Bob started his career in the grocery industry in 1967. At the ripe 
age of 17, he worked as a part-time deli clerk at Dominick's Finer 
Foods. He rose through the ranks, holding various roles including 
Senior Vice President, before being named President and CEO of 
Dominick's in 1995. Bob led Dominick's through an initial public 
offering in 1996 and its eventual sale in 1998.
   In 2010, equipped with years of expertise, Bob started a new 
venture--he opened his own grocery store. The first Mariano's opened in 
2010 in Arlington Heights, bringing a new model of affordable, upscale 
groceries with a focus on in-store restaurants, sushi offerings, and 
other freshly prepared amenities. Since then Mariano's has had a 
mercurial rise, adding another 36 stores in just six short years. None 
of that would have been possible without Bob's expertise and vision. It 
is no surprise that other leaders in the grocery field praise his work. 
Chairman and CEO of the Kroger Co., Rodney McMullen, which recently 
bought Mariano's, stated, ``Bob is an innovator and his legacy in the 
grocery industry will be celebrated for many years to come. More 
importantly, Bob is a great friend to all of us here''.
   Mr. Speaker and Distinguished Colleagues please join me in 
congratulating Bob Mariano on an accomplished career and wish him all 
the best in his future endeavors.

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