At this years’ NRF Foundation gala awards American rapper Snoop Dogg presented “The Visionary” award to Chip Bergh, Levi Strauss & Co. president and CEO, in recognition of inspiring leadership with a record of transforming the retail industry for the better. Snoop Dogg made news recently as an investor and the new face of Swedish online payments specialist Klarna.

The gala which took place on the first day of NRF 2019, was attended by more than 1,000 retail CEOs, C-Suite Executives, celebrities and other retail influencers.

Other award beneficiaries included in the ‘Disruptor’ category Tim Brown and Joey Zwillinger, Co-Founders and Co-CEOs of environmentally friendly footwear brand Allbirds and Heidi Zak, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, ThirdLove, the first bra and underwear brand to offer half cup sizing and a mobile app allowing women to measure themselves at home.

In the Power Players category Neil Blumenthal and Dave Gilboa, Co-Founders and Co-CEOs of designer eyewear retailer Warby Parker were recognized (pictured left), together with Michael Evans, Director and President, Alibaba Group. Michael was appointed president of Alibaba Group in 2015 reporting to Daniel Zhang.

The event raised more than $3.2 million to support the Foundation’s programs, including educational initiatives, student scholarships and RISE Up, an industry-backed credentialing program.

The NRF Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the National Retail Federation. Its aim is to help people become trained and find jobs in retail, as well as fostering career growth among those who work in retail.