2023 Ray Foley Memorial Scholarship Winners Announced

The Convenience Distribution Association (CDA) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2023 CDA Distributors Education Foundation (DEF) Ray Foley Memorial Scholarships. The scholarship was established in June 1983 to honor the late National Candy Wholesalers Association (NCWA) executive vice president, Ray Foley. Applicants must work for a CDA distributor member company or be a spouse or child of a CDA distributor member.

After a rigorous and anonymous selection process, the judging panel has chosen four exceptional students who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievements, leadership skills and community involvement. The scholarship winners are Jaden Bales, Allie Dotson, Jacob Fuqua and Lydia Quade. Each recipient will receive $5,000 in financial aid to pursue their academic goals and aspirations.


Bales

Jaden Bales is the son of Rosa Bales, operations assistant at Core-Mark International, Inc. – Oregon Division, based in Portland, OR.

Jaden is a dedicated student at the University of Oregon studying both Business and Music. Throughout his education tenure, he has been actively involved in a variety of volunteer opportunities, such as supporting school fundraisers, playing live music for the elderly and serving at his church. He is continuing his education at the University of Oregon, double majoring in Business and Music.


Dotson

Allie Dotson is the daughter of Alan Dotson, facilities manager at Core-Mark International, Inc. – Kentucky Division, based in Leitchfield, KY.

Allie graduated with high honors and distinction from Grayson County High School. Her passion for helping others is evident through extensive volunteer work, including holiday volunteering at the local nursing home, participating in city park cleanups and supporting safe spots at the local country fair. Allie plans to continue her education at the Elizabethtown Community and Technical College to pursue an associate degree in education, with the goal of transferring to Western Kentucky University to double major in Physical Education and Family Consumer Sciences.


Fuqua

Jacob Fuqua is the son of Irwin Fuqua, district sales representative at Cash-Wa Distributing Co., Inc., based in Kearney, NE.

Jacob's dedication to making a positive contribution to society is reflected in his volunteer work with Hot Meals USA and The Good Life Dog Rescue. Through these organizations, he has been able to give back to his community and help those in need. He also is involved in activities such as the Cornhusker Marching Band and Husker Motorsports, demonstrating his passion for music and automotive engineering. Jacob is motivated to become the first in his family to earn a college degree. He will continue his education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln majoring in Mechanical Engineering.


Quade

Lydia Quade is the daughter of Angela Quade, warehouse associate at Chambers & Owen, Inc., based in Janesville, WI.

During her time at Parker High School, Lydia's academic talent, hard work and commitment to extracurricular activities were evident through her dedication to several varsity sport teams, national honor societies and the student leadership council. Lydia’s volunteer experience includes serving as a tour leader for elementary school students in local forest trails. She will continue her education at the University of Arizona majoring in Medicine and minoring Spanish.

CDA believes investing in education is one of the most important things that we can do to empower future leaders and make a positive impact in our community. We are honored to support these bright and talented students on their journey toward success. Congratulations to all our scholarship winners, and we wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors.

Those who qualify for the CDA DEF Ray Foley Memorial Scholarship are encouraged to apply for 2024 with applications being accepted starting in March 2024. To learn more about this scholarship program and the impact Ray Foley had on the industry, visit www.cdaweb.net/Scholarships.