IGA NAMES 2007 INTERNATIONAL RETAILERS OF THE YEAR

Dave Kaltenbach of IGA Receives Prestigious Global Award

CHICAGO, IL - Dave Kaltenbach, owner of Oberlin IGA in Oberlin, Ohio, was named one of eight 2007 IGA International Retailers of the Year. Kaltenbach, who was chosen from the more than 4,000 IGA Retailers worldwide, was presented with the award during the IGA International Retailers of the Year Awards Dinner Ceremony, held during the IGA Global Summit on Tuesday, Feb. 27 at Marriott’s Doral Golf Resort and Spa in Miami, Fla.

A committee of food industry executives chose the winners from a pool of applicants submitted by IGA’s Licensed Distribution Centers. Criteria for judging included IGA operational assessment rating, involvement in the IGA 2006 80th anniversary marketing event program, IGA Brand support, merchandising, leadership and innovation, “Hometown Proud” community involvement and employee development.

Kaltenbach began his career in the grocery industry at 13, working as a carryout boy in a Milwaukee grocery store. In addition to Kaltenbach’s award-winning Oberlin IGA supermarket, he also owns a second IGA in La Grange, Ohio.

“Dave Kaltenbach has been an IGA retailer for more than 30 years, and throughout that time has always been an impressive performer,” IGA USA President, Chairman and CEO Mark Batenic said. “Over the years he has consistently made investments in his business by devoting the time, knowledge and personal funding necessary to keep him ahead of the area competition. We’re proud to have the opportunity to name Dave a 2007 International Retailer of the Year.”

“I am very proud and honored to have been selected as an IGA Retailer of the Year,” Kaltenbach said. “I truly appreciate the recognition of my peers, and that of the whole IGA Family. I have always wanted to be a successful grocer, and along the way the IGA System has always helped.”

IGA is the world’s largest voluntary supermarket network with aggregate worldwide retail sales of more than $21 billion per year. The Alliance includes more than 4,000 Hometown Proud Supermarkets worldwide, supported by 36 distribution companies and more than 55 major manufacturers, vendors and suppliers encompassing everything from grocery to equipment items. IGA has operations in 44 of the United States and more than 40 countries, commonwealths and territories on all six inhabited continents.