SPARC awards 2003

DSN Retailing Today, Oct 27, 2003

Add a dash of pomp to dose of a ceremony, and you get the annual DSN Retailing Today SPARC awards. In its 26th edition, this year's event, which was held September 16 at the Gaylord Palms Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., brought its usual array of Who's Who in chain retailing from both the manufacturer and retailer sides of the business. In addition to top-level retailer awards, including the coveted Retailer of the Year award that went to Target Stores, this year's SPA RC event recognized more than 50 manufacturers for their category, excellence.

RETAILER OF THE YEAR

TARGET STORES, GREGG STEINHAFEL, PRESIDENT PRESENTED BY PAULA LASHINSKY, DSN RETAILING TODAY

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

SPECIALLY RETAILER OF THE YEAR

LOWE'S, ROBERT TILLMAN, CHAIRMAN, CEO

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

RETAIL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE

MODELL'S SPORTING GOODS, WILLIAM MODELL (LEFT), CHAIRMAN PRESENTED BY TONY LISANTI, DSN RETAILING TODAY

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

VENDOR OF THE YEAR (HARD LINES)

COCA-COLA NORTH AMERICA, ROBERT TUFTS, JR., SENIOR VP, CUSTOMER DEVELOPMENT

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

VENDOR OF THE YEAR (SOFT LINES)

VF JEANSWEAR, ANGELO LAGREGA, PRESIDENT

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

FOOD RETAILER OF THE YEAR

NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET, ED KOLODZIESKI, SENIOR VP, WITH STORE MANAGERS BONITA KONIECZNY OF OKLAHOMA CITY AND MELVIN WALLS OF MEMPHIS

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

3M INNOVATION AWARD

MEIJER INC., TIM LESNESKI (RIGHT), VP, HARDLINES PRESENTED BY BRITT WOOD, INTERNATIONAL MASS RETAIL ASSOCIATION

Where there's SPARC, there's FIRE

In the spirit of the great business tandems of our time--think Procter and Gamble. Anheuser and Busch, Sears and Roebuck--the decision to add a category-driven retailer awards program to the SPARC event this year was an easy one. It is, after all, the ability of retailers and vendors to work in tandem that sets the pulse aim pace of this industry. So to honor these collaborative efforts, DSN Retailing Today held the first annual FIRE awards ceremony, a celebration of the Finest in REtailing by category, in conjunction with this year's SPARC ceremony in Orlando.

fire awards WINNERS BY CATEGORY

Apparel & Accessories

Kohl's

Home Goods &

Housewares

Linens 'n Things

CE & Entertainment

Best Buy

Food & Consumables

Neighborhood Market

Health & Beauty Care

Rite Aid

Office Supplies

Staples

Toys

Toys "R" Us

Sporting Goods

Dick's

Automotives

AutoZone

Hardware/DIY

Sears

MARY KELLY, TARGET, EMILY SCARDINO, DSN RETAILING TODAY

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

MICHAEL KOHL, DEREK CRABB, JOHN HOLLAND, ED BAUMGARTNER, JEFF PATTON, ALL FROM FRUIT OF THE LOOM

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

TIM DUNIGAN AND DAVE HOLMQUIST, HERSHEY FOODS

PAUL JOHNS AND GEARY CALIGUIRI, LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL

[ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED]

WOMEN'S ACTIVEWEAR

WINNER: SARA LEE ACCEPTED BY KAREN FITZGERALD (LEFT), DIRECTOR, MERCHANDISING, MARKETING, CASUAL WEAR PRESENTED BY LOIS MIKITA, SENIOR VP, GMM, WAL-MART

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

INTIMATE APPAREL ACCEPTED BY JEROME DENMARK, DIRECTOR, BRAND PORTFOLIO MANAGER PRESENTED BY LOIS MIKITA, SENIOR VP, GMM, WAL-MART

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

WOMEN'S SPORTSWEAR

WINNER: VF JEANSWEAR ACCEPTED BY FRANS VANZEELAND (LEFT), VP, GM, FEMALE SEGMENT PRESENTED BY BRUCE DINAN, SENIOR VP, MERCHANDISING, ZELLERS

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

HOSIERY

WINNER: KAYSER ROTH ACCEPTED BY JED HOLLAND, VP, GM PRESENTED BY LOIS MIKITA, SENIOR VP, GMM, WAL-MART

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

FASHION ACCESSORIES

WINNER: ACCESSORY NETWORK ACCEPTED BY ABE CHEHEBAR (LEFT), CEO PRESENTED BY JOE SCARLETT, CHAIRMAN, CEO, TRACTOR SUPPLY CO.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

MEN'S SPORTSWEAR

WINNER: WRANGLER ACCEPTED BY JOYCE MARKWELL (LEFT), VP, GM, MEN'S PRESENTED BY LOIS MIKITA, SENIOR VP, GMM, WAL-MART

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

MEN'S ACTIVEWEAR

WINNER: FRUIT OF THE LOOM ACCEPTED BY JOHN HOLLAND (LEFT), PRESIDENT, CEO PRESENTED BY BRUCE DINAN, SENIOR VP, MERCHANDISING, ZELLERS

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

GIRL'S SPORTSWEAR

WINNER: VF JEANSWEAR ACCEPTED BY JOHN STURGIS (LEFT), VP, RETAIL MARKETING PRESENTED BY BOB STEVENSON, PRESIDENT, MODELL'S

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

BOYS' SPORTSWEAR

WINNER: VF JEANSWEAR ACCEPTED BY JOYCE MARKWELL (LEFT), VP, GM, MEN'S PRESENTED BY LOIS MIKITA, SENIOR VP, GMM, WAL-MART

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

INFANTS & TODDLERS

WINNER: GERBER ACCEPTED BY PAT BURNS, PRESIDENT, CHILDRENSWEAR PRESENTED BY LOIS MIKITA, SENIOR VP, GMM, WAL-MART

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

JEWELRY

WINNER: MZ BERGER ACCEPTED BY BERNIE MERMELSTEIN, CEO PRESENTED BY LOIS MIKITA, SENIOR VP, GMM, WAL-MART

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

BED PRODUCTS

WINNER: SPRINGS ACCEPTED BY TOM O'CONNOR (LEFT), EVE PRESIDENT, MARKETING GROUP PRESENTED BY JOE SCARLETT, CHAIRMAN, CEO, TRACTOR SUPPLY CO.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

BATH PRODUCTS

WINNER: SPRINGS ACCEPTED BY TOM O'CONNOR (LEFT), EVP, PRESIDENT, MARKETING GROUP PRESENTED BY JOE SCARLETT, CHAIRMAN, CEO, TRACTOR SUPPLY CO.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

DECORATIVE ACCESSORIES

WINNER: HARBORTOWN ACCEPTED BY TERRY ROZDOLSKY, PRESIDENT, CEO PRESENTED BY MARY KELLY, VP, GMM, HEALTH, BEAUTY & PHARMACY, TARGET

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

WINDOW TREATMENTS

WINNER: S. LICHTENBERG ACCEPTED BY CARL GOLDSTEIN, SENIOR VP PRESENTED BY LOIS MIKITA, SENIOR VP, GMM, WAL-MART