GREGORY LUKEMAN HONORED AS ONE OF THREE 2008 IGA USA RETAILER OF THE YEAR

CHICAGO, IL - Gregory Lukeman, owner of Bohemia, N.Y.-based IGA Bohemia Supermarket, 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.

Lukeman 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 Lukeman, were chosen as IGA 2008 USA Retailer of the Year Finalists. In January of 2008, Lukeman and two other retailers were then named IGA 2008 USA Retailers of the Year. At the IGA Awards of Excellent Dinner Ceremony, Lukeman 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. “Since Gregory’s father and brother were both honored by IGA in the past, he has proven that he can carry on the family tradition of excellence in independent retailing. He honors the IGA Brand every day by ensuring that each of his customers can always depend on his commitment to quality and superior personalized service. His dedication to the Bohemia community is vast and unwavering--evidenced by his involvement and support of numerous community focused events. We are extremely proud to have Gregory as one of our 2008 IGA USA Retailers of the Year.”

“I've always had a strong commitment to advance the IGA Brand, but one of the things I know sets IGA Bohemia apart from our competition is the personalized level of community commitment that we provide,” said Lukeman. “Everyone at IGA Bohemia is heavily involved in community organizations and charities, and we make a special effort to get to know and to help any member of the community who needs us. We feel an abiding responsibility to take care of our neighbors—they are like family to us. Congratulations to every one of the valued employees that have made this award possible.”
       

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.