WASHINGTON, July 25, 2024 – The National Retail Federation today presented the 2024 J. Thomas Weyant Award to Cailey Locklair, president of the Maryland Retailers Alliance. Locklair was recognized at NRF’s Retail Advocates Summit, where retailers, industry leaders and policymakers from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C., for the retail industry’s premier advocacy event.

“Cailey Locklair models excellence in association leadership, and NRF is proud to recognize her as a fierce advocate for the retail industry,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “I began my career at a state retail association, and the record of growth and success by the Maryland Retailers Alliance shows that Cailey and her team work tirelessly, passionately and effectively to create a healthy environment for retailers to operate in Annapolis and throughout Maryland.”

The award, named for a former president of the Pennsylvania Retailers Association, was created by NRF in 1995 to honor individuals who devote their careers to leading state retail associations and advocating for the retail industry.

Locklair works on behalf of the retail, chain drug store and food industries in Maryland. With nearly 20 years in state and local politics, she has pushed issues regarding the state budget, labor and taxes to the forefront of the Alliance’s advocacy agenda, all while emphasizing the necessity to address retail crime across the state. Locklair is a past Chair of the Council of State Retail Associations and a member of the Leadership Maryland Program Class of 2024.
 
“It’s an honor to be named a J. Thomas Weyant Award recipient. I am proud to represent hundreds of Mayland retailers, their employees and the local communities they serve on a daily basis,” Locklair said. “I look forward to continuing our work at the Alliance to promote a thriving retail industry.”

Previous recipients of the J. Thomas Weyant Award include North Carolina Retail Merchants Association President and General Counsel Andy Ellen, Retail Association of Maine President and CEO Curtis Picard, and Nebraska Retail Federation President Jim Otto.

NRF’s Retail Advocates Summit brings together retailers of all sizes — ranging from independent local sellers to national brands — to meet with members of Congress and discuss a wide range of issues impacting the industry. This year’s event features The Retail Experience, an interactive showcase designed to highlight the power of the retail industry.

About NRF

The National Retail Federation passionately advocates for the people, brands, policies and ideas that help retail succeed. From its headquarters in Washington, D.C., NRF empowers the industry that powers the economy. Retail is the nation’s largest private-sector employer, contributing $5.3 trillion to annual GDP and supporting more than one in four U.S. jobs — 55 million working Americans. For over a century, NRF has been a voice for every retailer and every retail job, educating, inspiring and communicating the powerful impact retail has on local communities and global economies.

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