Rick Stewart Named IGA USA International Retailer of Year

ELLIOT ZWIEBACH

CHICAGO — IGA here said Rick Stewart, owner of Susanville Supermarket IGA in Susanville, Calif., has been named IGA USA international retailer of the year. Mark Batenic, chairman, president and chief executive officer of IGA USA, said Stewart's operation excels in store standards, ranking consistently near the top in each year's assessment.

Stewart (right) is also an avid user of training programs offered by the IGA Coca-Cola Institute, Batenic added. Writing on IGA's website last week, before he was named the winner, Stewart said he is committed to nurturing his employees "and allowing them to perform exceptional work" by encouraging them to take institute courses, noting that his store leads all IGA operators in courses completed, with 570.

"We truly believe this [training] has helped us advance the brand in our store by giving every employee the confidence they need to achieve and maintain the highest standards and treat our customers with the personalized service they deserve," Stewart said.

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