Ed Frankowski brings more than 50 years of experience in the home delivery industry. He currently serves as Director of Carrier Management at Costco Logistics, where he partners with leading home delivery carriers nationwide to ensure reliable, high-quality service for Costco members.

Ed began his career at Leaseway Transportation, a national transportation and home delivery provider, where he spent 16 years advancing from Supervisor to District Manager. In this role, he oversaw delivery operations and teams for four major Midwest retailers: Sears Roebuck & Co., Carson Pirie Scott, JCPenney, and Montgomery Ward. During this time, he also served as a trustee for the Chicago Truck Drivers Union Health and Severance Plans.

Following his tenure at Leaseway, Ed joined Sears Logistics Services, where he played a pivotal role in developing and launching Sears’ in-house home delivery operation. Under his leadership, the program scaled to manage 35% of all Sears home deliveries. He additionally led the management and negotiation of contracts with external home delivery carriers, helping to optimize service quality and operational efficiency.

CITY Furniture stands at the forefront of retail innovation. Through forward-thinking technology, operational agility, and a seamless integration of retail and last-mile delivery, CITY Furniture continues to redefine the customer experience. Your team’s ability to anticipate evolving consumer expectations, streamline fulfillment, and scale innovation across showrooms, logistics infrastructure, and delivery operations reflects a rare combination of vision and execution, positioning City Furniture as a true industry leader and a model for the future of modern retail. Accepting the award for CITY Furniture, CEO Andrew Koenig.

Mattress Firm continues to set the standard for what it means to lead with purpose. From championing sleep wellness advocacy and impactful charitable partnerships to mattress donation programs, support for vulnerable children and families, and employee-driven volunteer initiatives, their commitment goes far beyond retail.

Their dedication to improving quality of life, embracing social responsibility, and creating programs with measurable, lasting impact is exactly what this award represents, and why they stand out as a true industry leader. Accepting the award for Mattress Firm, Mary Jane Fanizzi, Vice President of Logistics.

The Last Mile Retail Awards Retail Executive of the Year Award represents the highest level of individual achievement in last-mile retail leadership, recognizing an executive whose vision, strategic leadership, and operational excellence have driven meaningful organizational impact while advancing the industry as a whole.

This year’s honoree, Ivan Kucher, Vice President Delivery Operations at Bob’s Discount Furniture, is recognized for his leadership in elevating last-mile delivery as a strategic advantage within a highly competitive retail landscape. Through a disciplined, customer-first approach, Ivan has helped scale efficient, reliable, and service-driven delivery operations that enhance the end-to-end customer experience while empowering teams across the organization.

Under his leadership, Bob’s Discount Furniture has continued to raise the bar in last-mile execution, balancing speed, consistency, and quality at scale, while embracing innovation and best practices that influence the broader retail ecosystem. Ivan’s impact reflects the critical role strong leadership plays in shaping the future of last-mile retail.

Costco Wholesale exemplifies the standard this award was created to honor. Guided by a disciplined, member-first approach, Costco consistently delivers exceptional customer experiences across every touchpoint, from in-store and digital engagement to last-mile fulfillment. Through the seamless alignment of people, process, and technology, the company achieves operational excellence at scale while maintaining trust, value, and reliability. This commitment has earned Costco extraordinary customer loyalty and long-term brand confidence, setting a benchmark for excellence across the retail industry.