Nerissa Johnson, manager of the Food Lion in Columbia, is one of four store managers being considered by the grocery chain as Store Manager of the Year.

“Nerissa oversees more than 40 associates,” Benny Smith, Community Relations Manager for the Food Lion chain, stated Feb. 2. “She has nearly 27 years of experience with Food Lion and has done many extraordinary things over the past year leading her associates and making sure her customers are a first priority.”

Johnson is a Tyrrell County native. She grew up in Doris’ Store in Gum Neck, which her parents, Buddy and Annie Lee Brickhouse, operated until their retirement last year.

Johnson was one of six Food Lion leaders presented with Progressive Grocer magazine’s 2017 Top Women in Grocery Award last November in Chicago.

Progressive Grocer’s Top Women in Grocery recognizes grocery retail leaders who demonstrate excellence in leadership daily throughout the industry, their stores and the communities where they proudly live and work, the magazine’s website asserts.

Food Lion, based in Salisbury since 1957, has more than 1,000 stores in 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states and employs more than 63,000 associates.

Through Food Lion Feeds, the company has committed to provide 500 million meals to individuals and families in need by the end of 2020.

Food Lion is a company of Delhaize America, a U.S. division of Zaandam-based Royal Ahold Delhaize Group.