Big Winners at REAL DEAL EXPO
Cash drawings for some serious money, a special Buyer Reward raffle program and a Silent Auction added extra excitement during the 2006 REAL DEAL EXPO in Las Vegas last week.
On Friday, two drawings for a total of $7,500 took place on the trade show floor as EXPO wound down. The winner of the $5,000 grand prize was Jim Keyes, Mrs. Freshley’s, a division of Flower’s Snack Group, Tucker, GA. Taking the $2,500 prize was Steve Shing, GSC Enterprises Inc., Sulphur Springs, TX. Earlier in the show, another $2,500 check was won by Jean Jones of Andalusia Distributing Co., Andalusia, AL.
Winning gifts under the Buyer’s Reward program, where visitors to booths of participating manufacturers could enter a drawing, were Michael Crouch, Wilson Wholesale Co.; Larry Bojanowski, Lawrenceville Central Cigar & Candy Co.; Billy Jones, Andalusia Distributing Co.; Phillip Scatola, Phillips Wholesale; Kathy Krause, Friedman Tobacco; Tara Rountree, Idaho Candy Co.; and Jim Schroeder, Tri-Mart.
Many companies contributed valuable items to be sold in the EXPO
Silent Auction, proceeds of which will be used for AWMA’s Day on the Hill program scheduled for May 16 and 17 in Washington DC.
Two extraordinary items contributed to AWMA for the Silent Auction were a cigarette stamping machine from R.E.D. Stamp Inc. and Tax-Right LLC and an automated case packer from Meyercord Revenue Co. The stamping machine was "won" by Paul Noorda, Gem State Distributors, Inc., who paid $86,000, and the case packer was "won" by K.D. Hayer, OK Sales, Inc., for $21,500.
"I want to thank all of the companies that contributed items for the Silent Auction," said AWMA President & CEO Scott Ramminger. "The proceeds will help us prepare a first-rate Day on the Hill program, and I hope every member will plan to attend. We very much appreciated these generous contributions."
Ramminger also thanked companies that offered prizes for the Buyers Reward program drawing. "This helped create added excitement on the show floor," he said, noting that all of the gift items, which included a laptop computer, an Apple Ipod MP3 player and many other prizes, were on display during the show at AWMA’s Resource Central.
