Wanted: great retailers

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Do you know a retail business that embodies community spirit, generously giving time or money to improve the lives of people in Michigan? You can now nominate that business as a 2002 Michigan Retailer of the Year.

“Retailers are the backbone of their local communities through their support for a wide variety of community projects,” said MRA CEO Larry Meyer. “In fact, a recent MRA survey showed that 97 percent of retail businesses contribute money, merchandise or volunteer time to charitable organizations.

“These annual awards honor the best of the best - those whose contributions are truly outstanding.”

The Retailer of the Year Awards, now in their fifth year, recognize retail businesses that make a significant positive impact in their communities through their involvement in and support of civic, charitable and volunteer programs.

“The awards emphasize innovative approaches, positive outcomes and the number of people helped rather than simply the amount of money contributed,” said Meyer. “We also look at the ways retailers encourage employees and others to become involved in community giving and volunteerism.”

Awards will be presented in three categories - small, medium and large - based on the company’s annual sales volume. Recipients are selected by a panel composed of leaders in business, higher education, state government and charitable organizations.

Cosponsors of the program are Michigan Newspapers Inc. and Michigan Talk Radio Network.

Michigan Newspapers Inc. is the marketing arm of the Michigan Press Association and represents 300 daily and weekly newspapers read by more than four million Michiganians. Michigan Talk Radio Network provides programming to 28 talk radio stations throughout the state.

An awards luncheon honoring the 2002 Michigan Retailer of the Year recipients will be held October 15 at Michigan State University’s James B. Henry Center for Executive Development in Lansing. The state-of-the-art conference center houses weekend MBA programs and executive development classes for MSU’s Eli Broad College of Business.

The nomination and selection process is beginning a month earlier this year in order to hold the awards luncheon before the holiday season begins.

Anyone may nominate a retailer for Michigan Retailer of the Year using the nomination form in this issue. Retailers also may nominate themselves for the award. Nominations must be submitted by August 2; nominees will then be asked to complete a detailed form by August 30.

“Retailers who were nominated in previous years but did not receive an award are encouraged to enter the program again,” said Meyer. “The number of outstanding nominees always exceeds the number of awards - strong testament to all the good work retailers do.”

Last year’s recipients were Swift Printing Company in Grand Rapids, Edmund T. Ahee Jewelry Company in Grosse Pointe Woods and Kmart Corporation in Troy. Their activities included renovating historic buildings into apartments for low-income individuals and holding fundraising events for charitable organizations such as March of Dimes and the Capuchin Soup Kitchen in Detroit.

For more information on the Michigan Retailer of the Year Awards, contact MRA’s Retha Lachance at 800.366.3699 or rlachance@retailers.com.

MRA seeks century-old stores

Michigan’s oldest businesses will be recognized in conjunction with the 2002 Michigan Retailer of the Year Awards.

MRA’s Michigan Centennial Retailer program recognizes retail businesses that have been in operation for 100 years or more in Michigan.

Thirty-eight businesses have been honored in the first two years of the program. The oldest Michigan retailer discovered to date is Arms Brothers, a men’s clothing store in Milford, founded in 1836.

“We’d love to see that impressive record surpassed this year,” said MRA CEO Larry Meyer. “It’s exciting to highlight the remarkable resilience of these longtime businesses.”

The new crop of Michigan Centennial Retailers will be recognized at the Michigan Retailer of the Year Awards Luncheon on October 15 in Lansing.

If your business began in 1902 or before and has not been designated already, or if you know of a business that qualifies, please complete and submit the nomination form included in this issue. Nominations are due by August 2.

Eligible retailers will be contacted and asked to provide additional information about their business.

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