A retail management company based in Clinton was recently recognized by the Washington Food Industry Association as its Retailer of the Year.

The Myers Group, which operates the Goose Community Grocer in the Bayview area of South Whidbey, received the award earlier this week. It came as a surprise for Tyler Myers, the company’s owner, president and CEO.

“There’s a lot of worthy independent retailers in the state … to get honored in that way was a surprise and it was very nice,” he said.

Tyler’s father, Kent Myers, began the company in 1978 with the opening of Casey’s, which is now the Goose.

“At 15 years old I started bagging groceries at that store,” Tyler said.

The company grew from a small family business of 25 employees to more than 600, according to the Myers Group website. The company owns and manages supermarkets all over the state, as well as some in Alaska.

Tyler Myers acknowledged that the Goose is unique; Goosefoot Community Fund owns the store, but the Myers Group provides management services.

“I don’t know of another situation like the Goose,” he said. “The community is very fortunate, in my opinion, to have Goosefoot and the Goose on the South End.”

Tammie Hetrick, president and CEO of the Washington Food Industry Association, presented the award on May 13.

“Tyler Myers is an amazing businessman and is the chair of our Education Foundation,” Hetrick said. “He is committed to advancing the opportunities of his employees and cares about the communities he serves.”

The award is special, she added, because he was nominated by his peers in the industry.