For Immediate Release

January 12, 2006

LANSING — Rod Phillips, owner of Country Casuals, a small chain of ladies’ apparel stores located throughout northern Michigan and based in Petoskey, serves as chair of the Board of Directors of the new Retailers Mutual Insurance Company.

The board oversees the activities of the new company, which was established by conversion of Retailers Fund, Michigan Retailers Association’s highly successful group self-insurance workers’ compensation program.

Phillips was first elected to the Retailers Fund Board of Trustees in 1999 and was elected chair in 2005. When Retailers Fund was converted to Retailers Mutual, its board of directors was established from the former Retailers Fund board.

Retailers Mutual Insurance Company provides cost-saving workers’ compensation insurance to a wide array of businesses, non-retail and retail. Headquartered in Lansing, it was established by Michigan Retailers Association in January 2006.

Note: Photo is available in electronic format by contacting MRA’s Retha Lachance at 800.366.3699 or rlachance@retailers.com.