Supermarket executive Sam Cingari dies at 92

Sam Cingari, an executive of the Cingari Family ShopRite of Southwestern Connecticut grocery chain, passed away on March 8 at the age of 92.

Salvatore A. Cingari Jr. was born in Stamford on Oct. 15, 1930, the youngest of six children of Italian immigrant parents. He received a degree in accounting at Bryant College in Smithfield, Rhode Island, and initially worked for an accounting firm before joining his father and two of his brothers in the family”™s Grade A Market in Stamford.

Over the years, the Cingari family expanded their presence in the regional food retailing sector, with Sam Cingari serving as the company”™s chief financial officer. In 1991 the Cingari stores became members of the Wakefern/ShopRite cooperative. Today, the family owns and operates a dozen ShopRite locations in Connecticut ”“ the newest addition to the chain was the acquisition of a ShopRite in Bristol that was announced earlier this week.

Outside of the chain, Cingari was active in local nonprofits. He served as chairman of the board of the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County and was a board member for St. John’s Towers, the low-income housing for the City of Stamford. He also served on the board of the Connecticut Grand Opera and Orchestra. Among the honors he received for his charitable work were the St. Augustine Medal of Service by the Most Reverend William E. Lori of the Diocese of Bridgeport and the Knight of the Order of Saint Sylvester Pope, was awarded to him by the Most Reverend Bishop J. Caggiano of the Diocese of Bridgeport at the behest of Pope Francis.