Stephanie Becker: On the Go, from DC Fly-ins to Mission Trips

What happens when you combine legal expertise with a passion for understanding the grocery business from every angle? Stephanie Becker, Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Associated Wholesale Grocers Incorporated (AWG), reveals how her journey from real estate law to grocery leadership unfolded through curiosity and persistence."I just started asking questions and kept walking into meetings," Stephanie shares, explaining how she evolved from handling real estate transactions to becoming AWG's General Counsel in 2018. Her candid conversation with host Kristen Popp explores how AWG leverages its $12 billion balance sheet to secure favorable lease terms for independent retailers, creating a competitive advantage in the marketplace.Beyond the boardroom, Stephanie passionately advocates for independent grocers through congressional fly-ins, where she helps lawmakers understand how policies directly affect grocery operations and ultimately impact consumers at checkout. From the Credit Card Competition Act to SNAP program changes, these advocacy efforts illuminate how Washington decisions ripple through neighborhood stores. Stephanie's perspective is further enriched by her experiences on mission trips to Nicaragua, Honduras, and India, where she witnessed communities thriving despite limited resources.For those aspiring to grow in the grocery industry, Stephanie offers refreshingly simple advice: find several mentors, ask questions, and then ask more questions. Because in an industry where "everyone needs to eat," the opportunities for impact are limitless. Subscribe to Grocery From Your Seat to continue exploring the remarkable stories of women shaping the independent grocery industry.Did you love the show - Text and tell us why.Support the showSign up for women leadership opportunities in the independent grocery industryJoin WGAJoin NGAF: https://www.facebook.com/NationalGrocersAssnL: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-grocers-association/Grocery From Her Seat, Insights for Independent Grocers has been selected as one of the Top 35 Independent Women Podcasts on the web.https://podcast.feedspot.com/independent_women_podcasts/Host: Kristin PoppProduction: Rachael Melot, SWA.Marketing