MIKE CARPER HONORED AS ONE OF THREE 2008 IGA USA RETAILERS OF THE YEAR

CHICAGO, IL - Mike Carper, owner of Newcastle, Va.-based Mick-or-Mack IGA, was honored as one of three IGA USA Retailers of the Year during the IGA Awards of Excellence Dinner Ceremony held Saturday evening March 29 at the IGA Global Summit in Carefree, Ariz.

Carper was chosen as an IGA USA Retailer of the Year—one of the highest retailer awards bestowed by IGA—after a lengthy selection process that began in September of last year. At that time IGA’s Licensed Distribution Center partners were asked to submit for candidacy only those retailers who had achieved Five Star status under IGA’s Assessment Program. From those submitted, eight candidates, including Carper, were chosen as IGA 2008 USA Retailer of the Year Finalists. In January of 2008, Carper and two other retailers were then named IGA 2008 USA Retailers of the Year. At the IGA Awards of Excellent Dinner Ceremony, Carper received his award for demonstrating excellence, upholding and advancing the power of the IGA Brand within the U.S. industry, the IGA Alliance and his community.

According to IGA USA CEO Mark Batenic, the 2008 IGA Awards of Excellence program was more rigorous and challenging, which created a more fair and equitable process for IGA retailer recognition.

“Because of the revised standards, this year we have an exceptionally deserving group of candidates,” IGA CEO Mark Batenic said. “Mike has proven his ability to compete and prosper in a retail market where margins are close and competition is fierce. He honors the IGA Brand every day by making sure that each of his customers can trust on his commitment to quality and superior personalized service. His dedication to the New Castle community is unwavering and evident by his support of numerous community focused events. We are extremely proud to have Mike as one of our 2008 IGA USA Retailers of the Year.”
       

IGA is the world’s largest voluntary supermarket network with aggregate worldwide retail sales of more than $21 billion per year. The Alliance includes nearly 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 46 of the United States and more than 40 countries, commonwealths and territories on all six inhabited continents.