The ARA recently held thier 2006 Conference and Expo, Dec 5-7 in St. Petersburg, Florida.  Among the honorees in this year's annual awards, was IAP member, Pete Romano.  Pete is president of Quincy Farm Chemicals which is a part of McGregor Company in Quincy, Washington.  The following is the press release direct from the ARA.

Washington, DC, December 13, 2006 - The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) is pleased to honor the contributions of four outstanding gentlemen with the following award recognitions:  C-S Agrow Service, led by Craig Struve, recipient of ARA Retailer of the Year Award; Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) recipient of the ARA Legislator of the Year Award; Peter Romano recipient of the ARA Distinguished Service Award; and Spencer Douglass recipient of the ARA Lifetime Achievement Award.  These honors are bestowed annually during the ARA Conference & Expo, with this year's taking place Dec. 5-7 in St. Petersburg, Florida.

"It is a high privilege to recognize the contributions of C-S Agrow Service, Sen. Nelson, Pete Romano and Spencer Douglass," said Jack Eberspacher, ARA president & CEO.  "Each gentleman in his own way has made substantial contributions on behalf of the industry. It is with great pleasure that ARA honors these gentlemen."

The ARA Retailer of the Year Award recipient, C-S Agrow Service led by Craig Struve, is recognized for being one of the most innovative and successful independent ag retail dealerships in North America.  The ARA Retailer of the Year Award, sponsored by ARA and Monsanto, is a recognized symbol of quality and prestige – an emblem of the very best in the industry.

The ARA Legislator of the Year Award recipient, Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE), is this year's honoree for his long-time advocacy for the ag retail industry.  This award is given annually to a legislator who has worked closely with ARA in helping to champion important industry legislation. 

Nelson is credited with sponsoring the Agricultural Business Security Tax Credit Act of 2005 that would provide a tax credit for eligible agricultural businesses that take proactive steps to increase on-site security at facilities where pesticides and fertilizer are stored.  This security tax credit would allow ag businesses to use their own financial resources to take the necessary steps to install state-of-the-art security measures to aid in protecting the American people, the food supply system and the ag industry from the potential threat of terrorism and other illegal activities.

The ARA Distinguished Service Award recipient, Peter Romano, president, of Quincy Farm Chemicals, Inc., in Washington; is honored for his state and national leadership.  This award recognizes an individual member of the association who has gone above and beyond the traditional responsibility to support the ag retail industry and the association – making the industry better for all. 

The ARA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Spencer Douglass, CEO, of Douglass Fertilizer & Chemical, Inc., in Florida; is honored for his business success and industry contributions.  This award is the highest honor given for a career in ag retail.  It is given on an annual basis to an honoree whose talent has fundamentally advanced ag retail, who has made steadfast contributions to the association, whose accomplishments are acknowledged by professional peers and industry, and whose work has stood the test of time.