2024 U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends: Finding Value | May 14, 2024

As CEO, Laurie drives the vision, strategy, operations and results-oriented culture for the company's associates as The Hartman Group furthers its offerings of tactical thinking, consumer and market intelligence, cultural competency and innovative intellectual capital to a global marketplace.

 A nationally recognized authority on consumer behavior and culture, Laurie received her MBA in Marketing and Environmental Management from the University of Washington and her BA in Political Science from Cornell University.

Leslie G. Sarasin is the President and CEO of FMI – The Food Industry Association. Under her leadership, FMI has become a member-centered organization, helping food retailing venues find innovative ways to feed families and enrich lives. Before joining FMI 16 years ago, Sarasin was the president and CEO of the American Frozen Food Institute. She holds a JD from the University of San Diego and a BA in economics from Smith College. 

 Sarasin is admitted to practice law in California and the District of Columbia. She serves on the Boards of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Partnership for a Healthier America, and the Congressional Hunger Center. She is also involved with the National Association of Manufacturers and the International Women’s Forum of Washington, D.C. and serves on the Business Advisory Council of Western Kentucky University’s Gordon Ford School of Business. 

 Sarasin has been recognized multiple times as a Progressive Grocer “Top Women in Grocery” and among Mass Market Retailer’s “Most Influential Women.” She received the Hospitality Good Scout Award in 2019 and was named “Association CEO of the Year” by CEO Update in 2021. 

Steve Markenson leads FMI’s research & insights practice. Markenson is a market research executive with 30 years of progressive experience in his field – from research assistant to president of a full-service national market research firm – and his diverse experience includes research design, information/data collection and analysis and strategic planning. 

In his role at FMI, Markenson oversees the research & insights practice at FMI, specifically the study design, survey fielding and efforts with outside knowledge partners and FMI subject matter experts. He leads the discovery process on the latest industry trends and operational insights that champion FMI as a credible voice of the food retail industry.