Schaffer Places President, Ceo

Distribution America Appoints President, Chief Executive Officer

Schaffer Associates is proud to announce to the industry the successful completion of another senior level search assignment as documented in the press release below:

ES PLAINES, IL, September 8, 2003 – The Board of Directors of Distribution America announced today that David W. Christmas has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of the member-owned cooperative based here. Christmas, 55, most recently was Vice President – Sales and Marketing for the Marley Engineered Products Division of SPX Corporation in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Prior to that, he held a number of senior level positions, including Vice President Merchandising for Cotter & Company (now TruServ) and Vice President Sales and Marketing for Cooper Tools, where he was employed for twenty-two years. He holds an undergraduate degree from Pennsylvania State University, and has completed postgraduate studies at both Penn State and York University.

Distribution America was established in July of 1991 as a member-owned cooperative through the merger of Liberty Distributors and Sentry Hardware. The company is comprised of both full-line independent hardware distributors and specialized paint sundry distributors. Its main focus is to find innovative ways to help the members’ hardware store, home center, paint store, and lumber retailers increase their profitability and competitive position. Christmas’ thirty years of experience as both a manufacturer and a distributor in the hardware industry will enable him to provide effective leadership to the Distribution America team and its members and to lead a strong expansion of it business base through both new and existing programs.

CONTACT: Distribution America, 1+847-296-7000 or Jim Schaffer, President, Schaffer Associates, Inc. +1-704-535-9939.