April, 2006 

Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc. and Alaska Distributors Co. of Seattle, Washington Announce Formation of Southern Wine/Spirits West in Pacific Northwest

Strategic Brokerage Partnership To Build Stronger Future In Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming Control State Markets

Agreement Expands Southern’s Control State Coverage to 14 States

In a strategic partnership whose aim is to strengthen wine and spirits brokerage operations across six Northwest states, Wayne E. Chaplin, President and Chief Operating Officer of Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc., Miami, Florida, the country’s largest wine and spirits distributor with operations in 21 states, and pending in six more, and Stephen Loeb, President and Chief Executive Officer of Alaska Distributors Co. of Seattle, Washington, one of the nation’s largest, multi-state wine and spirits distributors, announced the formation of a new joint venture that was formally Spirits West, a division of Alaska Distributors Co. The new Southern Wine/Spirits West operation will cover the Control State markets of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming. The deal is expected to be effective sometime during May 2006.
 
Mr. Chaplin said, “We are excited to continue to build our Control State Group’s reach, which will now encompass 14 markets and cover approximately 65 percent of the total national Control State sales volume.”  Mr. Chaplin added, “Our new partnership with Alaska Distributors is another landmark in the history of Southern Wine & Spirits of America. We are very proud that Steve Loeb and the entire Alaska
Distributors team will remain in place, as we jointly add talent while fully collaborating with their team to ensure the success of this great Pacific Northwest partnership.”

Mr. Loeb said, “It's an exciting day for our Spirits West Division to partner with Southern Wine & Spirits of America.  Their vision for a fully integrated Control State Group, focused on on-premise excellence and operational efficiencies, will help strengthen our existing operation and create more value for all our suppliers.” 

Brad Vassar, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc., said, “Our Control State Group, led by Peter Hickey, Executive Vice President, General Manager-Control States Group of Southern Wine & Spirits of America and his dedicated team, will work closely with Mike McLaughlin, Vice President, Control States of Spirits West on all state liquor control board issues, national initiatives, and supplier and brand programs and strategies as well as implement best practices in all our control state markets.” Mr. Vassar added, “This new partnership will also help us as we align with our strategic suppliers across the West Coast. We look forward to working closely with Steve, Mike and the entire Spirits West team.”

About Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc
Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc. is the nation’s largest wine and spirits distributor, with current operations in 27 states, including, pending approvals in the six Pacific Northwest states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming. The multi-state distributor currently operates in 21 states, including: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia. On a national basis, Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc. employs more than 10,000 team members.

About Alaska Distributors, Co.
Alaska Distributors Co., founded in 1934, distributes spirits, wine, beer and non-alcoholic beverages in Alaska and wine, beer and non-alcoholic beverages in Washington and Northern Idaho. As a broker, it operates in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Utah.  Their operating divisions include Alaska Distributors Co., Spirits West, Great Northern Beverage, Friendly Distributors and Harvest Vine Distributing and the Company employs more than 800 team members.
 

July, 2005

Alaska Distributors Company Purchased Friendly Distributors of Everett

This will give Alaska Distributors direct distribution rights for many exceptional brands in seven, key, contiguous western Washington counties. With the addition of the Friendly staff, Alaska Distributors will grow to over 750 employees and will service over 7,500 customers.

The plan is to have Friendly Distributors continue to operate under the same name for at least the next two years, and remain in the same facility, making for a smooth transition.

Friendly Distributors, founded in 1969 by Kim and Sharon Blunt, currently services Snohomish, Skagit, Island and San Juan Counties, Washington from a 96,000 square foot distribution center in Everett.

June, 2005

Alaska Distributors is moving to Kent, WA

Our current warehouse and office complex in south Seattle was built in 1991, but it has become too small for the company's growth and expansion.

The new facility, 440,000-square-foot building at Pacific Gateway Business Park in Kent, will house about 500 employees of one of the state's largest private companies by early next year. The building will include more than 50,000 square feet of office space, parking for more than 400 vehicles and 150 trucks, and nearly double the warehouse space of the current south Seattle location.

August, 2004

Featured in August 2004 edition of CEO Monthly,
Steve Loeb, CEO of Alaska Distributors Co.

Steve Loeb, President and CEO of Alaska Distributors Co., participated in Washington CEO's Private 150 Roundtable meeting in the spring of 2004. Excerpts from the discussion appear in the August 2004 issue of Washington CEO (www.washingtonceo.com)

The group covered a wide range of issues facing their companies, including the current economic forecast, outsourcing of jobs, transportation challenges, and the pressures of balancing family with business.

On the subject of transportation, Steve spoke to the issue of improving infrastructure in order to not only move product more efficiently for the customer, but to improve the quality of life for employees as well. No matter the current business climate, infrastructure issues cannot be ignored.