For Immediate Release
October 14, 2002

LANSING — One Michigan retailer marked its 25th anniversary by giving customers gift certificates if they made contributions to local charities. Another raised money for a local soup kitchen through hand-painted soup bowls. A third partnered with an urban elementary school to improve students’ test scores and the lives of more than 400 students and their families.

All three were announced today as 2002 Michigan Retailer of the Year. The annual awards honor the most outstanding examples of community giving and involvement demonstrated by retailers throughout Michigan.

"The Retailer of the Year Awards honor the best of the best," said Larry Meyer, chairman and CEO of the Michigan Retailers Association, which founded and sponsors the awards program. "Those honored are representative of the thousands of retailers across the state who are enhancing the quality of life in their communities through countless charitable and volunteer activities."

The awards will be presented at the 5th annual Michigan Retailer of the Year Awards luncheon, to be held Tuesday, October 15, at Michigan State University’s James B. Henry Center for Executive Development in Lansing.

The event is cosponsored by the Michigan Press Association’s Michigan Newspapers, Inc. and by the Michigan Talk Radio Network.

Awards are given in three categories—small, medium and large—based on annual sales volume. Recipients are selected by an independent panel composed of leaders in business, government, higher education, non-profit organizations and the news media.

For the first time, the panel also decided to single out another extraordinary nominee in the crowded small category by naming that retailer a "finalist."

The 2002 Michigan Retailer of the Year recipients are:

Small:
Naked Plates, Grand Rapids;
Laura Porter McMurry, owner
McMurry has helped raise more than a half-million dollars over the past five years for God’s Kitchen, a local soup kitchen, by partnering with it on a fundraiser called "Soup’s On For All." Each year more than 1,000 soup bowls supplied by Naked Plates are painted by customers, employees, service organizations, businesses and celebrities. McMurry absorbs all the costs of the glazing, firing and payroll associated with the bowls. She has written articles about the fundraiser and spoken at industry meetings to encourage others to do similar programs in their communities. Her store is also active in the local Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Small Finalist,
Cooper & Binkley Jewelers,
Brighton;
Mark Binkley, president, and Barbara Binkley, vice president
Cooper & Binkley was recognized for its longstanding work with The Arc of Livingston, an agency serving persons with developmental disabilities, and for its sponsorship of both a jump-rope program at Lindbom Elementary and the Brighton Bouncing Bulldogs, a U.S. Amateur Jump Rope Federation team. The Binkleys also sponsor other youth programs that benefit local elementaries and are leaders in such community organizations as the DDA and Downtown Merchants Association.

Medium:
Tapper’s Diamonds and Fine Jewelry,
West Bloomfield;
Howard Tapper, president, and Steven Tapper, vice president
Tapper’s is marking its 25th anniversary this year with a creative "Give $25…Get $25" promotion to encourage customers to contribute to one of 26 local charities. Customers receive a $25 Tapper’s gift certificate in return for donating a minimum of $25 to charities selected by Tapper’s, such as Midwest AIDS Prevention Program, Children’s Leukemia Foundation of Michigan and the Sickle Cell Disease Association. From its inception in April through mid-August, the program raised $11,000, with many more dollars expected the rest of the year. Tapper’s also sponsors a successful winter coat drive and has been active with the Kids Kicking Cancer organization.

Large:
Alticor,
Ada;
Steve Van Andel, chairman, and Doug DeVos, president.
The parent company of Amway, Access Business Group and Quixtar is a major contributor to Grand Rapids-area charities, organizations and the greater community. However, the selection panel singled the company out primarily for its partnership with Sigsbee Park Elementary in southeast Grand Rapids under the Grand Rapids school district’s Partners in Education Program. Alticor and its employees mentor and tutor students, coordinate a Santa’s Workshop that gives kids a subsidized opportunity to holiday shop for their families, donate items to a Cool Bee Incentive Store that rewards students for perfect attendance and completing homework, host Job Shadow and Career days at their world headquarters and provide funding for Junior Achievement programs in Sigsbee and eight other schools in need. The results of their efforts include a rise in MEAP scores and enhanced lives for 432 students and their families.
Members of the 2002 Michigan Retailer of the Year selection panel included: Nancy Barker, vice president of university relations and marketing, Northwood University; Rick Blanchard, assistant business editor, The Detroit News; Louis Hallacy II, LHII Consulting Services; Sandra Katt, senior development official, Van Andel Institute; Michael MacLaren, executive director, Michigan Press Association; Claude Martin, Winkelman professor emeritus of retail marketing, University of Michigan Business School; David Scott, CEO, Michigan Talk Radio Network; Brenda Sternquist, professor of merchandising management, Michigan State University; and Dennis Toffolo, director, Oakland County Community & Economic Development.

The Michigan Retailers Association is the unified voice of retailing in Michigan and the nation’s largest state trade association of general merchandise retailers. MRA’s more than 5,800 retail business members operate more than 13,000 stores across the state.

Michigan Newspapers, Inc., provides one-order, one-bill, one-check ad placement service statewide.

Michigan Talk Radio Network is Michigan’s only 24/7 all-talk radio network.