Bob Kwait, Richard Braddock receive Good Scout award

NEW YORK — Industry veteran Bob Kwait, chairman and COO of Bob Kwait Consulting Group, and FreshDirect chairman and CEO Richard Braddock were honored Wednesday during the 2010 Consumer Products "Good Scout" Award Luncheon in New York.

The annual luncheon, presented by the Greater New York Councils of Boy Scouts of America, was held at Hilton New York.

As the 2010 recipients of the Good Scout award, Kwait and Braddock were recognized for their exemplification of the ideals of the Boy Scouts of America as expressed in the Scout Oath and Law. Recipients are chosen for their community service, as evidenced by their leadership to many organizations, as well as the respect and esteem in which their colleagues hold them.

Kwait has more than 50 years in the consumer packaged goods industry. He has helped pioneer the development of private-label brands in the retail pharmacy industry and has developed store brands in sun care, vitamins, diagnostics, infant products, feminine hygiene, adult incontinence and over-the-counter cold remedies.

Kwait started his career at Gray Drug Stores in 1958. In 1974, he joined CVS/pharmacy and served as the director of purchasing. In 1979, he returned to Gray Drug Stores as EVP marketing and assisted with the acquisition of Drug Fair. In 1981, Robert J. Kwait & Associates was formed.

Braddock began his business career in 1965, spending a number of years in product management at General Foods. In 1973, he joined Citicorp, was elected to the board of directors in 1985 and was elected president and COO of Citicorp and its principal subsidiary, Citibank N.A., in January 1990. Braddock resigned from Citicorp in 1992. His professional experience also includes serving as CEO of Medco Containment Services until its acquisition by Merck, as chairman of True North Communications and as chairman and CEO of Priceline.com. In March 2008, he became chairman and CEO of FreshDirect.