Sears Names Top Suppliers As 2002 'Partners In Progress'

Sears, Roebuck and Co. (NYSE: S) honored its top suppliers at the company's 20th annual "Partners in Progress" event held at Sears' headquarters yesterday.

"Genuine supplier partnerships are critical as we strive to make Sears a more customer-driven company," said Sears Chairman and CEO Alan J. Lacy. "Our Partners in Progress award recipients have demonstrated the highest level of commitment, quality and leadership and stand out among the thousands of Sears suppliers helping us achieve this goal."

Begun two decades ago, the Partners and Progress program recognizes suppliers that make significant contributions to the growth of Sears businesses and the creation of new ways to better serve Sears customers.

In addition to being named Partners in Progress, the following suppliers were recognized for their exceptional contributions to Sears' business success:

  Full-line Stores Winners
  -- Hardlines Quality Vendor of the Year - Waterloo Industries
  -- Hardlines Innovation Vendor of the Year - L G Electronics
  -- Hardlines Vendor of the Year - Rexon Industrial Corporation
  -- Softlines Quality Vendor of the Year - Meyer Corporation
  -- Softlines Innovation Vendor of the Year - COOLWEAR
  -- Softlines Vendor of the Year - Stella Footwear Group

  Product Repair Services Winner
  -- Innovation Vendor of the Year - CG Industries, Ltd.

  Sears Direct Winners
  -- Innovation Vendor of the Year - eBay
  -- Vendor of the Year - MARS Interactive LLC

  Marketing Winners
  -- Quality Vendor of the Year - Young and Rubicam -- Chicago
  -- Innovation Vendor of the Year - Ogilvy and Mather Advertising
  -- Vendor of the Year - Segerdahl Group

  Services Organizations Winners
  -- Quality Vendor of the Year - Dart Warehouse Corporation
  -- Innovation Vendor of the Year - Itronix Corporation
  -- Vendor of the Year - Ready Metal Manufacturing Company

Sears, Roebuck and Co. is a broadline retailer with significant service and credit businesses. In 2002, the company's annual revenue was $41 billion. The company offers its wide range of apparel, home and automotive products and services to families in the U.S. through Sears stores nationwide, including approximately 870 full-line stores. Sears also offers a variety of merchandise and services through its Web sites, sears.com and landsend.com, and a variety of specialty catalogs.

Note to Editors: An alphabetical listing of Sears' 2002 Partners in Progress winners accompanies this news release.

  Sears 2002 Partners in Progress:
  100% Pure Custom Comfort
  A F Lighting
  ADP Tax Credit Services
  Amerock Corporation
  ARAMARK Corporation
  Automated Distribution Systems
  Automotive Manufacturing Group, A Division of Rayloc
  Bar Code Graphics, Inc.
  Briggs and Stratton Power Products Group
  Broan-NuTone LLC
  Burrell Communications Group, LLC
  Calphalon Corporation
  CAP & Associates, Inc.
  Carhartt Inc.
  CG Industries, Ltd.
  CHF Industries
  Commerce Corporation
  Comtrack Logistics, Inc.
  Conair Corporation
  Conker Trading Company
  Consolidated Apparel
  COOLWEAR
  Custom Decorating Painting
  Danaher Tool Group - Special Markets Division
  Daron Fashions Group
  Dart Warehouse Corp.
  Dell Computer Corporation
  Dioni
  Dresses By Periwinkle
  Dynamex Inc.
  Dynasty Footwear
  eBay, Inc.
  EcoWater Systems, Inc.
  Electrolux Home Products, North America
  Emser International
  Escalade Sports
  Euro-Pro Corporation
  Euro-Tapis
  Fishman & Tobin, Inc.
  Fleet Street / Zero Xposur
  Florence Monte-Carlo
  Fownes Brothers & Co, Inc.
  Freed Appliance Distributors
  Gardner, Inc.
  Gaston Advertising, Inc.
  Genco
  General Transportation Services, Inc.
  GFX International
  Globe Union DBA Danze
  Grand Hall ECL, Inc.
  Grand Hall Enterprise Co. Ltd.
  H&R Block Tax Services, Inc.
  Hartford Computer Group
  HH Brown Shoe Company, Inc.
  Hitachi High Technologies America, Inc.
  Hitachi High Technologies America, Inc. / Funai
  Hitachi High Technologies America, Inc. / Hitachi
  Hunter Public Relations
  ICON Health & Fitness, Inc.
  Itronix Corporation
  Janome Sewing Machine Co. Ltd.
  Jiing Sheng Knitting Co., Ltd
  Key Item People
  Kimball Distributing Co.
  L. & Leung Handbags Mfy. Ltd
  LG Electronics Inc. Air Conditioner Division
  LG Electronics Inc. Cooking Appliance Division
  Louisville Bedding Company Louisville Bedding Company
  Maidenform Worldwide
  Manufacturer's Ticket & Label Company
  MARS Interactive, LLC
  Mayfair / Tawil
  Maytag Corporation
  Meyer Corporation
  Monterey Canyon, Incorporated
  MVP America / Shinn Fu Corp.
  National Energy Services
  Neema Clothing
  NSA/Alliance Media
  Ogilvy & Mather Chicago
  Orion Electronic Co., LTD.
  Premier Retail Networks
  Prima Royale Enterprises, Ltd. (MUDD)
  PT. Maspion Group
  Ready Metal Manufacturing Co.
  Remington Products
  Rexon Industrial Corp. Ltd
  Robertson Home Fashions
  S. A. Miro, Inc.
  Sag Harbor, A Division of Kellwood
  Samsung Electronics America, Inc.
  Sara Lee Knit Products
  Schneider National
  Segerdahl Group
  Silmar S.p.A.
  Smart Shirts Ltd.
  Sol Savransky Diamonds, Inc
  Sphinx By Oriental Weavers
  Stella Footwear Group
  Sumitomo Corporation
  Tanya Creations
  Teac America Inc.
  Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd
  The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
  The Timberland Company
  Thomas Liao Co. Ltd / Wei Li Co Ltd
  TNT Logistics North America, Inc.
  Top Heavy
  United Parcel Service
  Waterloo Industries, Inc.
  Wausau Benefits, Inc.
  Whirlpool Corporation
  Wilsonart Flooring
  Wiseknit Factory Ltd
  Wood Construction, Inc.
  Young & Rubicam Chicago

SOURCE: Sears, Roebuck and Co.

CONTACT: Linda Brown Blakley of Sears, Roebuck and Co., +1-847-286-8862

Web site: http://www.sears.com/