Congressman John Kline (R-Minn.) has been presented with the Spirit of America Award by the National Grocers Association (NGA). The award is one of NGA’s top honors with more than 550 recipients over the past 30 years since NGA’s founding. It was presented to Kline this morning during a board of directors meeting at NGA’s Fall Conference on behalf of his outstanding advocacy and commitment to small businesses.
“Congressman Kline has been dedicated to making sure that community focused grocery retailers and wholesalers serve as a keystone in our free enterprise system,” said NGA President and CEO Peter J. Larkin, who presented the award. “Our industry is grateful for his commitment to federal fiscal responsibility that ensures a level playing field for employees and employers.”
Kline has a distinguished record serving the public that consists of 10 years in the United States House of Representatives, including two years as chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee, and serving our nation as a colonel in the United States Marine Corps.
During Kline’s successful career in the Marine Corps, he served as a helicopter pilot and earned the responsibility of flying Marine One, the president’s personal helicopter. He also served as a personal military aide to residents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan and was responsible for carrying the president’s “football.” Kline and his wife, Vicky, live in Lakeville, Minn. He is especially proud of his two children and four grandchildren.
The NGA Spirit of America Award, established in 1982, honors key industry and community figures that have provided leadership in the areas of community services and government relations on behalf of a free and independent food distribution system. NGA has given this award to more than 550 individuals, including presidents George H. W. Bush and Gerald Ford, as well as other distinguished individuals serving in the grocery industry and the public interest.
