IGA names 6 U.S. finalists for annual honors

IGA has named six U.S. stores as finalists in its annual International Retailers of the Year contest.

Finalists are Hal Blanton of Blanton’s IGA, Packwood, Wash.; Jeff Downing of Foothills IGA, Marble Hill, Ga.; Jason Linnes of Orcas Island IGA, Eastsound, Wash.; Paul Matocvich of Columbus IGA Plus, Columbus, Mont.; Bill Price of McMaken’s IGA, Brookville, Ohio; and Wally Wagner of Wagner’s IGA, Minster, Ohio.

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Beginning in December, IGA SVPs Doug Fritsch and Dave Bennett will join CEO Mark Batenick in visiting each of the finalists' stores to get a firsthand feel for how they serve their communities. Information gathered from those visits will help IGA determine which three finalists will be honored as IGA USA International Retailers of the Year along with their global counterparts at the IGA Global Rally in Orlando, Fla., in March.