 Jennifer Hamelin joined the association in 1992 as a data entry clerk for MEMO. She held several positions in MEMO including Administrative Assistant to Tanya Butler, president of MEMO Financial Services, Inc., before becoming a compliance analyst where she monitored money order clearings and filed Suspicious Activity Reports with the IRS. She left the association in January 2010 to focus on her growing family and returned to PFMA as an Administrative Assistant in 2011.
Jennifer has an excellent customer service background and handles multiple tasks delegated by different associates in the Government Relations department as well as accounting. She handles PFMA membership inquiries and transactions as well as the administration of the Thomas R. and Laura Ridge Scholarship program. Jennifer is a notary and has been a member of PAN since 2000.  Michael Howells joined PFMA in 2020 as Association Services Manager. In 2021, he was promoted to Director of Research and Association Services. He assists PFMA members with questions on legislative and regulatory issues; serves as a liaison to communicate emergency planning issues; manages the association’s committees, and provide government relations coverage in the monthly newsletter and weekly e-newsletter communications. In addition, he assists with the planning and educational programming for the PFMA Annual Conference, Fall Legislative Conference and webinars.
Originally from the United Kingdom, Michael moved to the United States during his school years. He attended Gettysburg College, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, and has remained in Central Pennsylvania ever since. Prior to joining PFMA he was employed for more than a decade at Pennsylvania Legislative Services, a legislative tracking and media organization in Harrisburg, where he covered the state’s legislative and executive branches. Michael is a published author, holds memberships to various local and statewide organizations, and is a Library of Congress “By the People” project volunteer.  Liz Kemmery joined PFMA staff in 2020 as Director of Communications. She joins the association after 14 years in higher education, most recently working as director of creative services at Shippensburg University.
Previously, she worked as assistant director of publications at La Salle University in Philadelphia and spent several years as a local newspaper reporter in south-central Pennsylvania. Kemmery also has freelanced as a creative writer and editor for small businesses and publications nationwide. She is responsible for the association’s overall communications efforts, including its print, digital and online communications. She produces the association’s monthly magazine, Spectrum, hosts PFMA's Shelf Confidence podcast and manages the association's social media sites: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. Kemmery attends industry events and store openings, produces several yearly reports, manages the website and serves on the conference planning committees. A central Pennsylvania native, Kemmery earned a master’s degree in professional and business communication from La Salle University and bachelor’s degrees in communication/journalism and art from Shippensburg University. In 2021, she became a Certified Digital Marketing Professional through the Digital Marketing Institute and American Marketing Association. She is a member of the Digital Marketing Institute and American Marketing Association. Kemmery serves on the parent's organization at Saint Patrick School in Carlisle and joined the Shippensburg University Alumni Association in 2022.  Autumn Thomas is the President of Pennsylvania Coupon Redemption Services (PCRS), the retail coupon clearinghouse subsidiary of the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association (PFMA). She is also the Executive Director of the Scanning Certification Program (SCP), a PFMA affiliate that promotes retail price integrity.
Over Autumn’s 30+ year tenure with PFMA she’s held various positions including COO, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for MEMO Financial Services, PFMA’s alternative financial services business, President of the Responsible Tobacco Sale Certification Program, General Manager of Coupon Operations and PCRS Account Manager. A member of the PFMA senior management team, Autumn sits on the PCRS Board of Directors and the SCP Board of Advisors. She also served on the ProLogic Retailer Board of Advisors and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Weights and Measurements Standards Advisory Board. Other affiliations have included the Association of Coupon Professionals, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Responsible Retailing Forum and the Pennsylvania Association of Weights and Measures. Autumn received an MBA in marketing from the Pennsylvania State University and a BS degree in Economics from Allegheny College.  Alex Baloga became PFMA President and CEO on July 1, 2017. After joining PFMA in 2013 as director of government relations, he was promoted to director of government and public relations in 2014 and to vice president of external relations in 2015. Baloga leads PFMA's day-to-day operations and helps implement its strategic vision, working with the board of directors, of which he is a member. He leads PFMA’s government relations efforts at the local, state and federal levels. He also manages PFMA’s federal, state and Philadelphia Food PACs along with PFMA’s Legislative, Pharmacy and WIC Stakeholder’s committees.
He serves on the Classification and Ratings Committee for the Pennsylvania Compensation Rating Bureau. He is a board member on the Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Fund. He joined the Pennsylvania Department of Health's newly formed Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Advisory Group in 2022. He sits on the Food Industry Association Executives (FIAE) Board of Directors, the Pennsylvania Dairymen's Association Board of Directors and the NACS Legislative Committee. In addition, he represents PFMA members on the Pennsylvania Lottery Sales Advisory Council. Baloga previously served as deputy finance director for Robert P. Casey’s re-election campaign for U.S. Senator, where he directed the fund raising activities in central Pennsylvania. He has extensive contacts from his experience as an associate lobbyist for Greenlee Partners, LLC, a premier government relations firm with offices in Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. In addition, he worked in U.S. Senator Bob Casey’s Government office as a regional field manager, serving as the senator’s liaison to government, community and constituent groups in central Pennsylvania; monitoring local issues and developments, and representing Senator Casey at civic meetings and community events. Baloga has earned recognition for his work in the food retail industry on several 40 under 40 lists, including Central Penn Business Journal, City & State PA and The Griffin Report. He recently was recognized in City & State PA’s 2022 PA Agriculture Power 100. He also earned the 2018 Excellent in Government Affairs Award from the Grocery Manufacturers Association. Baloga earned his bachelor’s degree in History with a specialty in Political Science from West Virginia University. |
The Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association
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