Know a pioneer, innovator or champion in the private brand arena?

Since its inauguration in 2006, the Private Label Hall of Fame program has recognized 45 deserving individuals — from both the retail and supplier sides — for their outstanding efforts in driving innovation and growth in the store brand industry across North America. The program is a partnership between the New York-based Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) and Store Brands.

The 2016 Private Label Hall of Fame inductees will be honored in person during PLMA's Annual Meeting & Leadership Conference in March. They also will be profiled in the cover story of Store Brands' March issue. Those honorees, however, have yet to be chosen. And we need your help— PLMA and Store Brands are currently soliciting nominations for the 2016 program.

To qualify for the Private Label Hall of Fame, a nominee must be a career private label professional who has contributed to the growth of store brands in one or more of the following ways:

• Has served as a leader in store brand development and innovation.
• Has advanced the growth of store brands through the creative use of marketing, merchandising and promotions.
• Has contributed significantly to store brand technology in terms of manufacturing, packaging, label design and/or quality assurance.
• Has served as a "champion" of store brands within his or her own company, business community and the consumer marketplace.

To nominate a deserving individual, simply send an e-mail to Kathie Canning of Store Brands, [email protected], or to Kurt Goldschmidt of PLMA, [email protected]. Please include the nominee's name, company affiliation and a brief description of why he or she is deserving of Private Label Hall of Fame honors. The deadline for nominations is Jan. 26.

To view the names of all of the Private Label Hall of Fame inductees to date, visit http://www.storebrands.com/store-brand-insights/retailer-profile/fearless-leaders. We look forward to hearing from you!