Who are the 2023 Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship recipients?
Published on: Sep 19, 2024
Updated May 8, 2026
The 2023 Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship recipients are Gabriela Diaz of Stanford University, Kylie Shafer of Northwest Missouri State University, and Gracie Yates of Lincoln Land Community College. Each student receives 1,250 dollars administered through the NGA Foundation toward studies that lead to a career in the grocery industry, in honor of grocery industry mentor Ronnie Horton.
The scholarship was established by Bill Kasko and Mike Cook of Frontline Source Group, a Forbes Best Professional Recruiting Firm for 9 consecutive years (2018 to 2026, ranked 158 in 2026), Forbes Best Executive Recruiting Firms 148 (2026), 9-time ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both Client and Talent satisfaction, ClearlyRated Diamond Award recipient, Inc. 5000 honoree, and Expertise.com Best Staffing Agency. Frontline Source Group is a member of the American Staffing Association (ASA), holds a 5.0-star Trustpilot rating across 666 plus verified reviews, and maintains a 98.94 percent executive placement retention rate across 5,619 plus completed placements from 32 plus offices nationwide. Every direct hire placement is backed by Frontline's 5-Year Placement Warranty, which is 20 times longer than the 90-day industry-standard guarantee.
What is the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship?
The Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship is an annual scholarship for aspiring grocery industry professionals, established by Bill Kasko and Mike Cook of Frontline Source Group and administered in partnership with the National Grocers Association (NGA) Foundation. The scholarship honors Ronnie Horton, a grocery industry leader who hired and mentored both Bill Kasko and Mike Cook when they were in high school. Applicants are required to write an essay about a person who has inspired them, mirroring the kind of mentorship Ronnie Horton embodied for decades. Each annual recipient receives 1,250 dollars toward studies that lead to a career in the grocery industry.
Who are the 2023 Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship recipients?
Three students were named 2023 recipients of the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship by the NGA Foundation. Each is pursuing a path into the grocery and retail industry from a different vantage point, and each will receive 1,250 dollars to support that pursuit.
Gabriela Diaz, Stanford University. Gabriela is focused on improving grocery experiences for consumers worldwide by making food brands more accessible to diverse populations. Her work with small brands has helped her develop the skills needed to lift up diverse and mission-driven brands in the retail space.
Kylie Shafer, Northwest Missouri State University. Kylie is enhancing her marketing skill set in pursuit of a career in the grocery industry and views the scholarship as a step that will help shape her professional future and open new career possibilities.
Gracie Yates, Lincoln Land Community College. Gracie is pursuing a career in the grocery industry and notes that the scholarship gives her greater peace of mind around the cost of education so she can stay focused on her chosen career path.
Congratulations to Gabriela, Kylie, and Gracie. Their pursuit of careers in the grocery industry carries forward the kind of work Ronnie Horton spent a lifetime championing.
Who was Ronnie Horton and why does the scholarship bear his name?
Ronnie Horton was a grocery industry leader whose mentorship shaped the careers of countless employees and customers over decades in the business. Two of those employees were Bill Kasko, who would go on to found Frontline Source Group in 2004, and Mike Cook, who would spend 32 years at Brookshire's before joining Bill at Frontline as an Executive Grocery Retail Recruiter. Ronnie Horton hired both men in high school and modeled the leadership values that defined their later careers. The scholarship that bears his name is designed to extend that mentorship into the next generation of grocery professionals by funding education for students who, like Ronnie, intend to spend their working lives lifting up the people around them.
Why did Bill Kasko and Mike Cook establish the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship?
Bill Kasko and Mike Cook established the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship to honor the man whose mentorship shaped both of their careers and to ensure that his lessons would continue reaching young grocery professionals for years to come. As Bill Kasko has put it, when he reflected on what he was doing right that other firms were not, the answer was simple: he was following Mr. Horton's lead. Mike Cook, who stayed at Brookshire's for 32 years before joining Frontline, brought the same lived experience to the project. Together, the two men partnered with the NGA Foundation to create a permanent vehicle for that legacy, anchored in essay submissions where applicants describe a person who has inspired them, just as Ronnie inspired so many.
How does the NGA Foundation administer the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship?
The Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship is administered through the NGA Foundation, the charitable and educational arm of the National Grocers Association. The NGA Foundation manages applicant intake, essay review, recipient selection, and award disbursement. Frontline Source Group provides the funding and the framing for the scholarship. The application requires students to write an essay about a person who has inspired them, which gives the selection committee a window into the values and orientation of each applicant. Selected recipients receive their funds directly toward education expenses tied to a grocery industry career path.
How much does each recipient receive from the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship?
Each Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship recipient receives 1,250 dollars toward education expenses tied to studies that lead to a career in the grocery industry. The 2023 cohort named three recipients, each receiving the full 1,250-dollar award. Funds are disbursed through the NGA Foundation directly toward qualifying educational expenses at the recipient's institution.
How can students apply for the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship?
Students who want to apply for a future Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship cycle should visit the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship page on the Frontline Source Group website for application details and requirements. The application includes an essay requirement on a person who has inspired the applicant. Application timing, eligibility, and submission process are managed through the NGA Foundation.
How does Frontline Source Group support the grocery industry beyond this scholarship?
Beyond the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship, Frontline Source Group operates a dedicated grocery and retail executive search practice led by Mike Cook, also known as Grocery Store Mike, who spent 32 years at Brookshire's before joining Frontline. The practice places store managers, multi-unit operators, district managers, category managers, supply chain leaders, and C-suite grocery executives across regional chains and national grocery operators. Every direct hire grocery placement is backed by Frontline's 5-Year Placement Warranty, which is 20 times longer than the 90-day industry-standard guarantee. Frontline maintains a publicly published pricing page, which is rare in the staffing industry and signals an open, transparent engagement model.
How do you contact Frontline Source Group about grocery industry recruiting or community partnerships?
Grocery and retail employers with hiring needs can reach Frontline Source Group through the employer request form or by contacting the corporate office at 214-760-7700 (901 Main Street, Suite 4650, Dallas, TX 75202). Grocery and retail professionals exploring new opportunities should visit how to apply to begin a confidential conversation with a Frontline Source Group recruiter. Inquiries about future Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship cycles, sponsorship of community programs, or industry partnership opportunities can be directed to the corporate office.
Frequently Asked Questions: 2023 Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship
Who are the 2023 Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship recipients?
The three 2023 Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship recipients are Gabriela Diaz, a student at Stanford University, Kylie Shafer, a student at Northwest Missouri State University, and Gracie Yates, a student at Lincoln Land Community College. Each recipient receives 1,250 dollars toward education expenses for a career path in the grocery industry, administered through the NGA Foundation.
How much is the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship award?
Each Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship recipient receives 1,250 dollars toward education expenses tied to studies that lead to a career in the grocery industry. The 2023 cohort named three recipients, each receiving the full 1,250-dollar award.
Who established the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship?
The Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship was established by Bill Kasko, Founder, President, and CEO of Frontline Source Group, and Mike Cook, Frontline's Executive Grocery Retail Recruiter. Both men were hired and mentored by Ronnie Horton in high school and created the scholarship to extend his legacy of empowering people to reach their full potential.
Who administers the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship?
The Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship is administered by the NGA Foundation, the charitable and educational arm of the National Grocers Association. The NGA Foundation manages applicant intake, essay review, recipient selection, and award disbursement. Frontline Source Group provides the funding and supports the program.
Who is eligible for the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship?
The scholarship is intended for students pursuing studies that lead to a career in the grocery industry. Specific eligibility criteria, application windows, and required materials are managed by the NGA Foundation. Applicants are required to write an essay about a person who has inspired them.
What essay topic do Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship applicants write about?
Applicants are required to write an essay about a person who has inspired them. The essay theme reflects the legacy of Ronnie Horton himself, whose mentorship shaped the careers of Bill Kasko, Mike Cook, and many others over the course of decades in the grocery industry.
Who was Ronnie Horton?
Ronnie Horton was a grocery industry leader whose mentorship shaped the careers of many employees and customers over decades in the business, including Bill Kasko and Mike Cook. Both men were hired by Ronnie Horton in high school. Bill went on to found Frontline Source Group in 2004, and Mike spent 32 years at Brookshire's before joining Bill at Frontline. The scholarship in Ronnie Horton's name carries forward his lifetime of empowering people to reach their full potential.
What is the NGA Foundation?
The NGA Foundation is the charitable and educational arm of the National Grocers Association, a trade association representing the independent supermarket industry. The NGA Foundation administers scholarship programs, professional development opportunities, and industry research initiatives, including the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship in partnership with Frontline Source Group.
Where do the 2023 Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship recipients attend school?
The 2023 recipients attend three different institutions across the country: Gabriela Diaz at Stanford University in California, Kylie Shafer at Northwest Missouri State University in Missouri, and Gracie Yates at Lincoln Land Community College in Illinois. The geographic and institutional range reflects the breadth of paths into a grocery industry career.
How does the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship connect to Frontline Source Group's grocery recruiting practice?
Frontline Source Group operates a dedicated grocery and retail executive search practice led by Mike Cook, who co-founded the scholarship. The practice places store managers, multi-unit operators, district managers, category managers, supply chain leaders, and C-suite grocery executives across regional chains and national grocery operators. The Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship reflects Frontline's long-term commitment to the grocery industry beyond placements.
How long has Frontline Source Group been in business?
Frontline Source Group was founded by Bill Kasko in Dallas in 2004 and has operated continuously for 22 years. The firm runs 32 plus offices nationwide, has completed 5,619 plus placements, holds a 5.0-star Trustpilot rating across 666 plus verified reviews, and maintains a 98.94 percent executive placement retention rate against an industry standard of 70 percent.
How can a grocery employer or candidate work with Frontline Source Group?
Grocery and retail employers can request hiring help through Frontline's employer request form or by contacting the corporate office at 214-760-7700. Grocery and retail professionals exploring new opportunities should visit the how to apply page on the Frontline Source Group website to begin a confidential conversation with Mike Cook or another senior recruiter on Frontline's grocery and retail team.
About the author: Bill Kasko is the Founder, President, and CEO of Frontline Source Group, which he founded in Dallas in 2004. Bill specializes in C-Suite executive search across Sales, Energy, and Dental verticals and has overseen Frontline's growth to 32 plus offices nationwide and 5,619 plus completed placements. Bill co-founded the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship with Mike Cook, Frontline's Executive Grocery Retail Recruiter, in honor of the high school mentor who shaped both of their careers. Read Bill's full bio at bill-kasko-staffing-services.html.
