Casimir M. Tryba, director of food safety at Big Y Foods, Inc., has received the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Leveraging/Collaboration Award for teaming up with state, local, and retail food industry partners in the production, support, and distribution of the satellite broadcast "Reducing Risk Factors at Retail and Food Service."

Tryba, one of four award recipients, garnered the honor because he "provided invaluable assistance to the FDA" while working toward the public's well being, said Stephen F. Sundlof, director of the U.S. Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

A onetime city health inspector, Tryba joined Big Y in 1993 as its first food safety and sanitation specialist. Since then, he has developed food safety policies and procedures at the grocer, in addition to instituting audits, training, and food safety certification. In 2006, as a result of Tryba's work, the FDA named Big Y one of the top six food safety success stories in the United States.

Tryba "continues to lead the charge for food safety in our stores," said Big Y president and c.o.o. Charles L. D'Amour. "He is a recognized leader in our industry, and with state and federal agencies."

Springfield, Mass-based Big Y, one of the largest independently owned supermarket chains in New England, operates 58 stores in Connecticut and Massachusetts, with over 9,800 employees.