THOMAS HAGGAI RECEIVES IGA'S
J. FRANK GRIMES AWARD

CHICAGO, IL - Dr. Thomas Haggai, IGA Global president, chairman and CEO and non-executive chairman of IGA, INC., has been awarded by the IGA Chicago staff the J. Frank Grimes Award for his outstanding service to IGA. Haggai was presented with the award during IGA's Global Summit, held Feb. 25th -28th at Marriott's Doral Golf Resort and Spa in Miami, Fla.

The Award is given in recognition of extraordinary achievement to one who exhibits the principle, passion and great charisma of IGA's founder J. Frank Grimes. Past recipients of the award include some of the world's most esteemed business executives.

Haggai's career with IGA began in 1972, when he, a Southern Baptist minister and renowned public speaker, became the first non-wholesale food executive elected to the IGA Board. In 1986, Haggai became chairman and CEO of IGA, a position he held until late 2006, when Mark Batenic, former executive vice president and chief operating officer of Clemens Markets, assumed control of IGA's domestic operations and Haggai transition into his position with IGA Global. Currently he oversees operations of IGA Global, a Singapore Corporation, from his offices in his hometown of High Point, N.C.

IGA Board of Directors Chairman Drayton McLane, who presented Haggai with the J. Frank Grimes Award, expounded on Haggai's dedication to the Alliance. "Tom Haggai has devoted more than a quarter of a century in service to IGA. He has preached the mission of the Alliance to the world, fostering growth in countries around the globe. Through his nurturing, IGA today has operations in 44 of the United States and more than 40 countries, commonwealths and territories on all six inhabited continents. No doubt, IGA Global will continue to thrive under his compassionate and insightful direction."

"Seldom in my career have I been as surprised or touched as I was when given the J. Frank Grimes award by the IGA Chicago staff," Haggai said. "It was my good fortune to have spent so many years surrounded by these dedicated members of the Alliance, and I feel confident that they will embrace Mark Batenic with the same warmth I have been shown. So deep is my affection for Mark that had I been able to name him chairman of IGA USA some years ago, I would not have hesitated in the least. It important to keep in mind that though IGA has divided for the sake of managerial effectiveness, we, as our founder J. Frank Grimes intended, will work together to ensure the world sees IGA as one."

IGA is the world's largest voluntary supermarket network with aggregate worldwide retail sales of more than $21 billion per year. The Alliance includes more than 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 44 of the United States and more than 40 countries, commonwealths and territories on all six inhabited continents.