DENNIS DARLING NAMED IGA'S 2003 INTERNATIONAL RETAILER OF THE YEAR

CHICAGO, IL – Dennis Darling, owner of Susanville Supermarket IGA in Susanville, Calif., and IGA Foods, Etc. in Clearlake, Calif. has been named one of seven IGA 2003 International Retailers of the Year.

Darling was chosen for the annual award from the 4,400 IGA Retailers worldwide. A committee of Food Industry experts selected Darling based on his exceptional performance in areas ranging from leadership and innovation to hometown involvement and employee development. Judging for the award was based on results from Darling's Susanville IGA, which in 2002, earned an IGA assessment score of 99.42, the second highest score in IGA history. He was honored at IGA's 2003 International Retailers of the Year Awards Dinner Ceremony, held on Tuesday evening, March 11, during the 2003 IGA Global Summit in Palm Springs, Calif. 

"Dennis Darling is an exemplary leader with a strong entrepreneurial spirit," said Dr. Thomas Haggai, chairman and CEO of IGA. "Over the years his stores have continually stood out, making him an invaluable member of the IGA Family. I'm proud to call him an IGA International Retailer of the Year. With their focus on Hometown Proud values, his IGA stores are not just supermarkets, but true community centers."

Foods Etc and Susanville Supermarket are known throughout the area for their promotional sales events. By far the most successful of these is the "1 Day Meat Bonanza Sale," a biannual promotion that repeatedly sets sales records for the store.

"I've always worked hard to keep my sales techniques innovative, while remaining true to the Hometown Proud philosophy," said Darling. "I'm very please to have won this award and proud to be called an IGA International Retailer of the Year."