Across the country and around the world IGA Retailers work hard every day to meet the needs of their shoppers and their communities. IGA recognizes the best of the best with its annual Award of Excellence Program.

Each year IGA awards the title of IGA USA Retailer of the Year to three IGA USA Retailers for their exemplary service to their customers and their communities. Of those three, one is awarded the additional title of IGA USA International Retailer of the Year, and is recognized along with IGA’s International Retailers of the Year chosen from around the world.

2010 IGA USA International
Retailer of the Year

Tony Clements of Olney IGA #442 in Olney, Ill., has been named as the 2010 IGA USA International Retailer of the Year. Clements was chosen from among IGA’s USA retailers for having achieved exemplary excellence in retailing and advancement of the IGA Brand in the industry, the IGA Alliance and his community.

Clements’s Houchens Industries-owned Olney IGA store maintains extremely high standards of operation, consistently excelling in IGA’s training and assessment programs. Additionally, Olney IGA differentiates itself from competitors by offering a wide variety of personalized services for customers ranging from the simple—special orders, custom meat cutting and grocery carryout—to the elaborate—turn-key catering, bakery and floral services for special events. Clements shows his dedication to the Olney community by hosting and supporting events involving community organizations, clubs, sports teams, churches and schools. Notably in 2009, Olney IGA partnered with the Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP) program to provide jobs for specially challenged students in the community and the Illinois Department of Human Services to provide jobs for individuals receiving public aid.

Tony Clements and his store associates bring IGA’s promise of a personalized, community-focused shopping experience to life for every customer who walks through the doors of Olney IGA,” IGA CEO Mark Batenic said. “No customer request goes unanswered at Olney IGA because to Tony, each of his customers is like family. Combine that individualized customer service with Olney IGA’s stellar operational standards, and you have a store that would be the preferred shopping destination in any city in the world.”

2010 IGA USA Retailers
of the Year Finalists

Tony Clements - Olney IGA #442, Olney, IL – owned by Houchens Industries
LDC: Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. - Nashville Division

Charlie Gels - Gels' IGA, St. Henry, OH
LDC: Laurel Grocery Company

Robert Hurley - Hurley’s Fresh Market IGA, Towanda, PA
LDC: Bozzuto’s, Inc.

Allen R. Milam - Milam's Market IGA #5, Stuart, FL
LDC: Associated Grocers of Florida, Inc.

Tyler Myers - Kress IGA Supermarket, Seattle, WA
LDC: SUPERVALU INC. - Northwest Region/Tacoma Division

Chris & Robin Sanford - Wadesboro IGA, Wadesboro, NC
LDC: Merchants Distributors, Inc.