ARA

Decatur Pharmacist Takes Home Gold at “Retailer of the Year” Awards

Thursday, September 27, 2007

BIRMINGHAM, AL – The  Alabama Retail Association (ARA) in cooperation with the University of Alabama at Birmingham today recognized nine outstanding Alabama retailers as “Retailers of the Year.” The association and UAB also recognized the Belk and Hess families as “Retail Giants.” The presentations were made at The Sheraton Birmingham Hotel during UAB’s 2007 Retail Day Luncheon. This marked the eighth presentation of the Retailer of the Year Awards since 1999. The awards returned this year after taking a hiatus in 2006.

07SandlinGoldMT$5MSteven M. Sandlin , president and co-founder of Pay-Less Pharmacy Group in Decatur, an ARA member, received the Gold Award in the “Annual Sales More Than $5 Million” category. John Seymour, president and chief executive officer of the Decatur and Morgan County Chamber of Commerce, nominated Sandlin for this prestigious award.

The independent panel of judges who chose the Retailer of the Year finalists cited this independent pharmacy’s impressive growth despite strong competition from the larger chain drug stores. This Decatur business began 31 years ago with one employee in a single location and has grown to $18 million in annual sales with three Decatur locations, employing nine pharmacists, 13 pharmacy technicians and 25 support personnel.

 “With the opening of three new competitors within three blocks of one location, we still saw a significant increase in sales and profits,” Sandlin said in his entry.

Sandlin already has been honored as the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce’s 2007 Small-Business Person of the Year. Each year since the inception of the Decatur Daily's independent poll three years ago, Pay-Less Pharmacy has been voted Best of the Best in pharmacy.

The judges also cited Sandlin for his “one-on-one” service and responsiveness to his customers. Since the advent of the Medicare drug plans in 2006, Sandlin has personally met with hundreds of the area’s elderly, customers or not, to explain and help them choose a Medicare drug coverage provider. This service has continued every year as Medicare has changed its plans and as customers reach the age when they are covered by Medicare.

Sandlin also has helped his business evolve to meet customer needs. In addition to the traditional pharmacy wares, Pay-Less Pharmacy sells diabetic supplies ranging from blood glucose monitors to custom-fitted shoes; and one of his locations has a large department that offers hospital equipment and other health-related supplies. This fall, Pay-Less will install robotic dispensing systems in two locations, bringing automation behind the prescription counter.

Sandlin is a 1969 graduate of The University of Alabama and a 1973 graduate of Samford University McWhorter School of Pharmacy.

“Mr. Sandlin is a retailer of the year EVERY year to his employees and the Decatur community,” said Rick Brown, president of the Alabama Retail Association.

The other winners in the “Annual Sales More Than $5 Million” category were:

•  Silver Award : Jerry G. Beasley, Beasley Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Ozark; nominated by Jeanette Reeves, executive director, Ozark Area Chamber of Commerce.
•  Bronze Award : Bryan K. Owens and John B. Marshall, Unclaimed Baggage Center, Scottsboro; nominated by Rick Roden, president and chief executive officer, Greater Jackson County Chamber
of Commerce.

John R. Belk, president and chief operating officer of Belk Inc. and the keynote speaker for the Retail Day luncheon, accepted Belk Inc.’s “Retail Giant” award on behalf of himself, his brothers and the company. Donald Hess, former chairman, president and chief executive officer of Parisians, accepted the Hess family’s “Retail Giant” award. The Retailer of the Year judges voted to present these special one-time awards to recognize the significant contributions to retailing made by Parisian and the Hess family as well as Belk Inc. and the Belk family.

Bronze, silver and gold awards were presented in two other categories by Alabama annual sales volume:

Annual Sales $1 Million To $5 Million 
•  Gold Award : Jo Ellen Jordan, Cook & Sons Ace Hardware Inc., Albertville; nominated by Jennifer Palmer, president, Albertville Chamber of Commerce.
•  Silver Award: Mickey, Michael and John Gee, Pants Store Inc./Taylor Company Inc., Leeds; nominated by Tricia Ford, executive director, Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce, and Michael Gee, vice president, Taylor Co. Inc.
•  Bronze Award : Michael Ray Jones, Mike’s Merchandise, Guntersville; nominated by Virginia Bagwell, Guntersville.

Annual Sales Less Than $1 Million  
•  Gold Award : Shawn Beitelspacher, Southern Sole, Tuscaloosa; nominated by Lauren Skinner, Ph.D., assistant professor, University of Alabama at Birmingham.
•  Silver Award : Anne A. Appleby, South Baldwin Regional Medical Center Auxiliary Gift Shop, Foley; nominated by Fran Barr, South Baldwin Regional Medical Center Auxiliary.
•  Bronze Award : Montez Oudenaarden, My Favorite Things, Monroeville; nominated by Sandy Smith, executive director, Monroe County Chamber of Commerce.

“This was an exciting day for us,” ARA President Brown said.  “It is an honor to be able to recognize such an outstanding group of retailers. Each retailer honored is a credit to the profession and a community asset.”

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Media Contact: Nancy King Dennis | 334.263.5757 Ext. 101 | 800.239.5423