COMMERCE, Calif., May 8, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alfred A. Plamann, former chief executive officer, Unified Grocers, was inducted recently into the Progressive Grocer (PG) Hall of Fame. The PG Hall of Fame honors food industry executives whose leadership, guidance and vision have had a profound influence on the U.S. grocery business.
After a distinguished 24-year career with the Company, Plamann, who retired from Unified on May 1, 2013 was recognized with four other incoming members to the PG Hall of Fame Class of 2013. The other industry leaders are: Jack H. Brown, chairman and CEO of Stater Bros.; Steve Burd, chairman and CEO of Safeway Inc.; Dean Janeway, former president and CEO of Wakefern Food Corp.; and posthumously, Eddie Basha Jr., chairman emeritus of Bashas'.
"We want to thank Al Plamann and all of the 2013 PG Hall of Fame inductees for their exceptional career accomplishments and tremendous contributions to our industry," said Bob Ling, president and CEO, Unified Grocers. "Al's unwavering commitment to the success and well being of independent grocers everywhere, as well as his extraordinary wisdom and character, are reflected in the tremendous growth and strength of our Company that are the result of his many years of innovative and inspired leadership."
Among the many career accomplishments that contributed to Plamann's induction into the PG Hall of Fame was his leadership in doubling the size of Unified Grocers during his tenure with the Company, and his work and success in helping advance the industry and the communities served by Unified.
In 2004 Plamann was inducted into the California Grocers Association Hall of Achievement. Plamann also serves as Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council of the Twelfth Federal Reserve District, as well as on the Board of the National Cooperative Grocers Association and the Food Marketing Institute (FMI). He is a Board member of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and the Town Hall of Los Angeles, a Board of Visitors member of the George L. Graziadio School of Business & Management — Pepperdine University and a member of the Southern California Chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors and Weingart Center Association, a non-profit organization that provides assistance to the homeless in Los Angeles. Earlier this year, FMI presented Plamann with the distinguished Herbert Hoover Award for his humanitarian work and contributions.
In addition to publishing a tribute to each of the 2013 PG Hall of Fame inductees in the May edition of Progressive Grocer, an induction ceremony is being planned for later this year.
About Unified Grocers, Inc.
Founded in 1922, Unified Grocers is a retailer-owned wholesale grocery distributor that supplies independent retailers throughout the western United States. Unified and its subsidiaries, which generated approximately $3.8 billion in sales during fiscal 2012, offer independent retailers all the resources they need to compete in the supermarket industry. For more information about Unified Grocers, visit: http://www.unifiedgrocers.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements about the future performance of Unified Grocers based on Management's assumptions and beliefs in light of information currently available to it. There are a variety of factors that could cause actual and future results to differ materially from those anticipated by the statements made above. These factors are outlined in the Company's Form 10-K and other interim reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Furthermore, Unified undertakes no obligation to update, amend or clarify forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.