IGA NAMES 2006 INTERNATIONAL RETAILERS OF THE YEAR

Seven Chosen to Receive Prestigious Global Award

CHICAGO, IL - The winners were chosen for the annual award from the 4,000 IGA Retailers worldwide. A committee of IGA executives based their decisions on performance of the retailers in areas ranging from leadership and innovation to hometown involvement and employee development. The awards were presented during the IGA International Retailers of the Year Awards Dinner Ceremony, held at the IGA Global Summit on Sunday Feb. 12, 2006, at J W Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa.

"Our 2006 International Retailers of the Year represent the very best the retail world has to offer," said Dr. Thomas Haggai, chairman and CEO of IGA. "While each has demonstrated a strong desire to succeed coupled with innovative leadership techniques, none has forgotten the simple hometown values that make their stores more than supermarkets, but rather true community centers."

The retailers chosen for this prestigious award are: Howard Dodds of Howard’s IGA in New Carlisle, Ohio; Larry McGrogan of Handy Foods IGA in Ottawa, Ill., Jeff Prindle of Adams Hometown Market in Deep River, Conn.; Jim Shook of Lake Region IGA in Hawley, Pa.; William Stehlik of Norman’s IGA in Nebraska City, Neb.; and Peter and Jackie Zipf of Cooroy Supa IGA in Cooroy, Queensland, Australia.

IGA is the world’s largest voluntary supermarket network with aggregate worldwide retail sales of more than $19.1 billion per year. The Alliance includes more than 4,000 Hometown Proud Supermarkets worldwide, supported by 52 distribution companies and more than 55 major manufacturers, vendors and suppliers encompassing everything from grocery to equipment items. IGA ranks in the top 10 in world food supermarketing. IGA has operations in 48 of the United States and more than 40 countries, commonwealths and territories on all six inhabited continents. IGA's theme and philosophy, Hometown Proud, dates from its 1930s national radio show, IGA Hometown Hour, reflecting the local roots of IGA independent grocers.