ACE HARDWARE HONORS POCAHONTAS LUMBER & HARDWARE, INC.

Pocahontas Lumber & Hardware, Inc., recently received a personalized, engraved premier Hardlines Dealer (PHD) plaque from Ace Hardware Corporation, recognizing the store's commitment to providing exemplary customer service.

To receive the plaque, Pocahontas Lumber & hardware met 20 high performance retail standards, including operating a well-merchandised store, providing strong customer service, having knowledgeable, well-trained and helpful store personnel, operating convenient store hours and embracing the entire Ace retail program..

"Pocahontas Lumber & Hardware is a shining example of strong customer service and high retail standards," said William A. Loftus, Ace executive vice president of retail. "We are proud to have them be a part of the Ace team and represent Ace so well in the Jackson community."

The PHD plaque, engraved with the store's name, reads "This store's mission is to provide the best possible service and satisfaction to you, its customer, by offering a wide selection of quality products at good value, adhering to the highest retail standards, supporting its community and our country and encouraging sound environmental practices."

"At Pocahontas Lumber & Hardware, we continually strive to be 'the place with the helpful Hardware folks,'" said Kenneth Fluegge, quoting the venerable Ace slogan. "Our entire team is dedicated 100 percent to providing only the best service to our valued customers. This award is really a tribute to our staff.

"We also have our customers to thank for this honor. We've been in business since 1949 and our loyal customers have made our store 'the place' time and time again for all their do-it-yourself needs. We pledge to continue the outstanding level of customer service which has earned us this award."

Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, Ace Hardware Corporation is a dealer-owned cooperative, headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill. Ace has 15 retail support centers strategically located across the United States, plus two additional centers in Canada.

An 18th center is being built in Mobile, ala. Ace's 5,100 dealers in all 50 states and more than 60 countries worldwide had sales of more than $13 billion in 1998.