DISTRIBUTION AMERICA, PRO GROUP, INC. PRESENT VENDOR, DISTRIBUTOR AWARDS

Marco Island, Florida - November 10, 2009 … Distribution America and PRO Group, Inc. presented the following distributor and vendor awards during the Executive Planning Conference in Marco Island, Florida.

Best New Product Awards (as judged by both PRO Group, Inc. and Distribution America Distributors):

Electrical: Cooper Lighting -- Handheld LED 80 Rechargeable Folding Worklight

Hand Tools: Ames True Temper -- Pulverizer Multi-Purpose Demolition Tool

Housewares/Seasonal:  Jack Links Beef Jerky -- Original Sasquatch Big Stick Beef Jerky

Hardware: Master Lock Company -- Speed Dial Resettable Combination Lock

Lawn & Garden: Coleman Cable, Inc. -- MOONRAYS Solar Garden Accents

Paint:  DAP, Inc. - Professional Caulk Finishing Tool

Plumbing: LDR Industries -“Exquisite Green” Single Handle Kitchen Faucet

Power Tools: Generac Power Systems -- Digital Inverter Portable Generator

Overall Winner:  Shop·Vac Brand® -- 8-Gal. SS 4HP Wet/Dry Vac

Cooper Lighting: Bob Reiling (PRO Group), Lou Diaz & David Shea, Jim Sobota (D.A.)		Ames True Temper: Bob Reiling (PRO Group), Mike Coyne & Gary Varney, Jim Sobota (D.A.)
Jack Links Beef Jerky (picture unavailable)
		Master Lock Company : Bob Reiling (PRO Group), Al Gustafson & John Spade, Jim Sobota (D.A.)
Coleman Cable Inc. : Bob Reiling (PRO Group), John Pappas, Jim Sobota (D.A.)		DAP, Inc.: Bob Reiling (PRO Group), Greg Ballein & Mike Baryski, Jim Sobota (D.A.)
LDR Industries : Bob Reiling (PRO Group), John Watkins & Mark Marotto, Jim Sobota (D.A.)		Generac Power Systems : Bob Reiling (PRO Group), Sean Stults & Kevin Ryan, Jim Sobota (D.A.)

	Shop-Vac Brand: Bob Reiling (PRO Group), Matt Heiney, Jim Sobota (D.A.)

Distribution America Vendor Award Winners:

Lawn & Garden: Seymour Manufacturing Company

Paint and Paint Sundries: DAP, Inc.

Tools: DeWalt

Hardware: Master Lock

Electrical: Coleman Cable, Inc.

Plumbing: Genova Products

Soaring Eagle Vendor Partnership Award: Coleman Cable, Inc.

Distribution America Member Awards:

Outstanding Sales Growth: Jensen Distribution Services

Outstanding Inventory Management: Emery Waterhouse

Outstanding Asset Management: Handy Hardware

Soaring Eagle Award: House Hasson Hardware Co.

PRO Group, Inc. Key Suppliers of the Year: 

Tools: Cooper Hand Tools

Plumbing: Genova Products, Inc.

Hardware: Master Lock Company

Paint Sundries: DAP, Inc.

Electrical: Coleman Cable, Inc.

Seasonal:  Gilmour Group

Key Supplier of the Year (all product categories): Ames True Temper

Cooper Hand Tools: Doug Laird & Lynne Wallis  Brendan Sullivan & Steve Synnott - PRO Group		Genova: Steve Synnott (PRO Group), Scott Orr, Brian Morey, Tom Palmer and Jeanette Kellogg, Bob Reiling -PRO Group

Master Lock Company: Brendan Sullivan (PRO Group) Al Gustafson & John Spade Steve Synnott - PRO Group		DAP, Inc: Greg Ballein (center) Bob Reiling (left) and Steve Synnott (right) - PRO Group

		(picture unavailable)
Coleman Cable / Woods Wire: Todd Hermon – (center), John Pappas (right) & Rick Brambley, PRO Group -Brendan Sullivan (far left) & Steve Synnott (far right)

	Ames True Temper: Brendan Sullivan (PRO Group), Geoff Brownrigg, Michael Coyne, Joy Smith (PRO Group), Gary Varney, and Steve Synnott (PRO Group)

2009 PRO Group, Inc. Member Awards:

PRO Hardware Distributor of the Year: The Bostwick-Braun Company

Merchandising Distributor of the Year: Southern Hardware Company

FARM*MART Distributor of the Year: Wallace Hardware Company

Best Target Vendor Support:  Blackstone Supply Company

The Bostwick-Braun Company: Dave Davis, Shari Kalbach (PRO Group), Bill Bollin, Chris Beach, Steve Synnott (PRO Group)		Southern Hardware Company:Shari Kalbach (PRO Group), Mark Rogers, Deb Lewis, Steve Synnott (PRO Group)
Wallace Hardware Company: Richard Snowden, Steve Synnott (PRO Group), Doyle Wallace, Lynn Dawson, Shari Kalbach (PRO Group)		Blackstone Supply Company: Steve Synnott (PRO Group), Paul Silva, Al Desrochers, Shari Kalbach (PRO Group), George Hebert

The Charlotte, North Carolina-based Distribution America (www.daonline.com) is a multi-billion dollar buying and marketing organization, covering 50 states and assisting retailers with marketing programs including Priced Right Everyday®, Sentry, Trustworthy Hardware and Golden Rule.

PRO Group, Inc. (www.pro-group.com) is a multi-divisional, international merchandising and marketing organization with corporate headquarters in Denver, Colorado. Its operating units include PRO Hardware, GardenMaster, FARM MART and GOLDEN-LINK. The Company’s purchasing power exceeds $3 billion through its member distributors.

Note to media: Digital photographs of the Conference available upon request from Elissa Motley of PRO Group, Inc. elissa.motley@pro-group.com

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For More Information Contact:

Jody Maude, Distribution America

(704) 940-4806 email: jody.maude@daonline.com

Shari Kalbach, PRO Group, Inc.

(303) 792-3000 shari.kalbach@pro-group.com

Additional media contact:
Ruth Furman, ImageWords (702) 255-8288