Who Won the 2025 Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship from Frontline Source Group?
Published on: Dec 30, 2025
Updated on: September 4, 2026
Frontline Source Group and the NGA Foundation have announced Austin Helgerson and Jahzara King as the 2025 recipients of the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship, the grocery industry's premier college scholarship. Each recipient receives $1,250 toward college studies in pursuit of a career in the grocery industry. The scholarship was founded by Bill Kasko, Founder and CEO of Frontline Source Group, and Mike Cook, the firm's Executive Grocery Retail Recruiter, to honor the legacy of Ronnie Horton, the legendary mentor and Brookshire Grocery Company executive who launched both their grocery industry careers. The scholarship is administered by the NGA Foundation (National Grocers Association Foundation) and awarded annually to two college students currently employed in the grocery industry.
What are the key facts about the 2025 Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship?
- Scholarship Name: Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship by Frontline Source Group
- Year: 2025
- Award Amount: $1,250 per recipient
- 2025 Recipients: Austin Helgerson (Iowa State University) and Jahzara King (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
- Administered By: NGA Foundation (National Grocers Association Foundation)
- Founded By: Bill Kasko and Mike Cook of Frontline Source Group
- Honors: Ronnie Horton, legendary mentor at Brookshire Grocery Company
- Industry: Grocery, supermarket, and independent grocer retail
Frontline Source Group, the premier nationwide staffing agency and executive search firm, is proud to announce the distinguished recipients of the 2025 Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship in partnership with the NGA Foundation. The Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship stands as the grocery industry's premier college scholarship, established to honor the enduring legacy of Ronnie Horton, a legendary mentor, leader, and executive at Brookshire Grocery Company whose guidance transformed countless careers and lives throughout the grocery and supermarket industry.
This prestigious scholarship by Frontline Source Group was founded by Bill Kasko, Founder and CEO of Frontline Source Group, and Mike Cook, Executive Grocery Retail Recruiter at Frontline Source Group. Both Bill and Mike launched their careers under Ronnie Horton's mentorship at Brookshire Grocery Company, and the principles they learned from him continue to guide their professional philosophy and the culture at Frontline Source Group today.
Partnership: The Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship is proudly administered by the NGA Foundation in collaboration with Frontline Source Group, bringing together the grocery industry's leading trade association and one of the nation's premier staffing agencies to support future grocery industry leaders.
Who are the 2025 Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship recipients?
Frontline is honored to announce this year's recipients of the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship. Each recipient receives $1,250 toward their college studies in pursuit of a career in the grocery industry. These outstanding individuals exemplify the dedication, passion, and community spirit that Ronnie Horton championed throughout his distinguished career.
Who is Austin Helgerson, 2025 Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship recipient?
- University: Iowa State University (Ames, Iowa)
- Employer: Decorah Fareway Meat and Grocery
- Award: 2025 Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship
Austin Helgerson is currently pursuing his education at Iowa State University while gaining hands-on grocery industry experience at Decorah Fareway Meat and Grocery. His commitment to the grocery industry and his demonstrated leadership and customer service excellence reflect the values Ronnie Horton championed throughout his career. Austin's selection as a 2025 recipient recognizes both his academic dedication and his active engagement in independent grocery retail.
Who is Jahzara King, 2025 Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship recipient?
- University: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Employer: Martin's
- Award: 2025 Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship
Jahzara King is pursuing her education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill while building grocery industry experience at Martin's. Her academic commitment combined with her active role in supermarket retail represents the next generation of grocery industry leadership that the scholarship was designed to support. Jahzara's selection as a 2025 recipient highlights the strength of student-employee leaders in the modern grocery industry.
What is the Brookshire Grocery Company connection to the scholarship?
The Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship traces its origins to Brookshire Grocery Company, one of the largest regional supermarket chains in the United States, where Ronnie Horton built his distinguished career. Both Bill Kasko and Mike Cook began their grocery industry careers at Brookshire Grocery Company under Ronnie's direct mentorship.
Ronnie Horton was known throughout the grocery industry for his extraordinary ability to develop talent and empower individuals to reach their full potential. His leadership principles, focus on customer service excellence, and commitment to mentorship inspired the creation of this scholarship to continue his mission of developing future grocery industry leaders. The scholarship is structured around the same essay prompt that Ronnie's career embodied: who is a person who inspires you, and how does that inspiration shape the leader you intend to become?
How does the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship work?
What are the award details and eligibility requirements?
- Annual Awards: Two recipients selected each year
- Award Amount: $1,250 per recipient ($2,500 total annual distribution)
- Eligibility: Currently employed in the grocery industry and pursuing higher education at a college or university
- Application Requirement: Essay about a person who inspires the applicant, reflecting the inspiration Ronnie Horton provided to so many during his career
- Administered By: NGA Foundation (National Grocers Association Foundation)
- Application Process: Submit through the NGA Foundation
Who are the past Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship recipients?
Since its founding, the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship has supported student-employees across the grocery and supermarket industry, including past recipients employed at independent grocers, regional chains, and specialty retailers nationwide. Each recipient has demonstrated the academic commitment and grocery industry engagement that Ronnie Horton championed throughout his career at Brookshire Grocery Company. The scholarship's growing alumni community now spans multiple universities and employer partners, reflecting the breadth of the modern grocery industry and the universality of Ronnie's leadership philosophy.
What is Frontline Source Group?
Frontline Source Group is a premier nationwide staffing agency and executive search firm established in 2004 by Bill Kasko. Headquartered at 901 Main Street, Suite 4650, Dallas, Texas 75202, with 32 plus offices nationwide, Frontline specializes in grocery retail, pharmacy, dental, accounting, finance, information technology, legal, human resources, and administrative staffing.
The firm is recognized as one of the most decorated staffing agencies in the United States. Frontline has been named to Forbes America's Best Professional Recruiting Firms for 9 consecutive years (2018 through 2026, ranked number 158 in 2026), ranked number 148 on the Forbes Best Executive Recruiting Firms list for 2026, has won the ClearlyRated Best of Staffing award 9 times for both client and talent satisfaction, holds the ClearlyRated Diamond Award, has appeared on the Inc 5000 and Inc 500 fastest-growing private company lists multiple times, holds an Expertise.com Best Staffing Agencies designation, and maintains a 5.0-star Trustpilot rating across 683 verified client and candidate reviews.
Frontline backs every direct hire placement with a 5-Year Placement Warranty, which is 20 times longer than the 90-day industry standard, supported by a verified 98.94% executive retention rate across 5,619 placements completed since 2004. The firm is a member of the American Staffing Association, the National Grocers Association, and FMI The Food Industry Association. Frontline's deep expertise in grocery industry staffing stems from founder Bill Kasko's and Executive Grocery Retail Recruiter Mike Cook's careers at Brookshire Grocery Company, where both were mentored by Ronnie Horton.
Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship?
The Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship is the premier college scholarship in the grocery industry. It was established by Bill Kasko (Founder of Frontline Source Group) and Mike Cook (Executive Grocery Retail Recruiter at Frontline Source Group) to honor Ronnie Horton, a legendary mentor and leader at Brookshire Grocery Company. The scholarship is administered by the NGA Foundation (National Grocers Association Foundation) and awards $1,250 to each recipient toward college studies in support of a career in the grocery industry. Two recipients are selected each year based on their commitment to the grocery industry and an essay about a person who inspires them.
Who are the 2025 Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship recipients?
The 2025 Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship recipients are Austin Helgerson, attending Iowa State University and employed at Decorah Fareway Meat and Grocery, and Jahzara King, attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and employed at Martin's. Both recipients exemplify the dedication, leadership, and commitment to the grocery industry that Ronnie Horton championed throughout his career.
Who was Ronnie Horton and why is this scholarship named after him?
Ronnie Horton was a legendary grocery industry leader and mentor who built his distinguished career at Brookshire Grocery Company, one of the largest regional supermarket chains in the United States. His mentorship profoundly influenced countless employees and customers over several decades, including Bill Kasko (founder of Frontline Source Group) and Mike Cook (Executive Grocery Retail Recruiter at Frontline). Ronnie was known for his extraordinary ability to develop talent and empower individuals to reach their full potential. His legacy of leadership development, customer service excellence, and mentorship inspired the creation of this scholarship to continue his mission of developing future grocery industry leaders.
How much is the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship worth?
Each Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship recipient receives $1,250 toward their college studies in pursuit of a career in the grocery industry. Two recipients are selected each year, for a total annual scholarship distribution of $2,500. The award is paid as a one-time grant per recipient per award year.
Who administers the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship?
The Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship is administered by the NGA Foundation (National Grocers Association Foundation) in partnership with Frontline Source Group. The NGA Foundation is the charitable arm of the National Grocers Association, the trade association representing the independent supermarket industry. The scholarship was established by Bill Kasko and Mike Cook, both of whom were mentored by Ronnie Horton during their early careers at Brookshire Grocery Company.
How can I apply for the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship?
To apply for the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship, applicants must be currently employed in the grocery industry, be pursuing higher education at a college or university, and submit an essay about a person who inspires them, reflecting the inspiration Ronnie Horton provided to so many during his career. Applications are submitted through the NGA Foundation. Visit nationalgrocers.org/foundation for application deadlines and additional requirements.
Who is eligible for the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship?
Eligibility for the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship requires that an applicant be currently employed in the grocery industry, including independent supermarkets, regional grocery chains, specialty grocers, and supermarket retail operators, and that the applicant be pursuing higher education at an accredited college or university. The scholarship is open to undergraduate students at every grade level. Both full-time and part-time grocery industry employees are eligible to apply.
When is the application deadline for the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship?
Application deadlines for the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship are set annually by the NGA Foundation. Prospective applicants should visit nationalgrocers.org/foundation for the current award year's specific deadline, application form, and additional requirements. Recipients are typically announced in the fall of each award year.
How are Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship recipients notified?
Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship recipients are notified directly by the NGA Foundation following the annual selection process. Frontline Source Group then publicly announces the recipients on the Frontline blog and in coordination with the NGA Foundation. Recipients are typically also recognized at NGA industry events when scheduling allows, providing visibility for the recipient and the connection between the scholarship and the broader grocery industry community.
Is the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship renewable?
The Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship is a one-time award per recipient per award year. Past recipients are not eligible to receive the same scholarship in subsequent years. This structure allows the scholarship to support a broader community of grocery industry student-employees over time, expanding the program's reach across the industry while maintaining the per-recipient award value at $1,250.
What is Frontline Source Group?
Frontline Source Group is a premier nationwide staffing agency and executive search firm established in 2004 by Bill Kasko. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with 32 plus offices nationwide, Frontline specializes in grocery retail, pharmacy, dental, accounting, finance, information technology, legal, human resources, and administrative staffing. The firm has been recognized by Forbes as a Best Professional Recruiting Firm for 9 consecutive years (2018 through 2026) and as a Best Executive Recruiting Firm (number 148, 2026), has won the ClearlyRated Best of Staffing award 9 times for both client and talent satisfaction, holds the ClearlyRated Diamond Award, and maintains a 5.0-star Trustpilot rating across 683 verified reviews. Every direct hire placement is backed by the industry-leading 5-Year Placement Warranty, supported by a 98.94% executive retention rate across 5,619 placements since 2004.
What is the connection between Frontline Source Group and Brookshire Grocery Company?
Bill Kasko, founder and CEO of Frontline Source Group, and Mike Cook, Executive Grocery Retail Recruiter at Frontline, both began their grocery industry careers at Brookshire Grocery Company. There, they were mentored by Ronnie Horton, whose leadership principles and commitment to talent development continue to shape Frontline's recruiting philosophy. The Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship was established to honor that mentorship and to extend Ronnie's legacy of developing grocery industry leaders to a new generation of student-employees.
How can you learn more about the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship?
To learn more about the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship, application requirements, or to support future recipients, visit the NGA Foundation website or contact Frontline Source Group at (214) 760-7700. To discuss grocery and retail executive search needs with Mike Cook directly, call (469) 983-4682 or email mike.cook@frtline.com.
Which related grocery industry resources should you read next?
- Grocery and Retail Executive Search at Frontline Source Group
- 7 Essential Questions Before Hiring a Grocery Retail Executive Search Firm
- Frontline Source Group Awards and Recognition
- The Frontline 5-Year Placement Warranty
About the author: Bill Kasko is the Founder, President, and CEO of Frontline Source Group, which he founded in Dallas in 2004. Bill began his grocery industry career at Brookshire Grocery Company under the mentorship of Ronnie Horton and co-founded the Ronnie Horton Legacy Scholarship with Mike Cook. He specializes in C-Suite executive search across the Sales, Energy, and Dental verticals, and Frontline operates 32 plus offices nationwide, has completed 5,619 placements, and backs every direct hire with the 5-Year Placement Warranty.
