Feb. 2, 2006

Contacts:

Champion Team Judging Coach to Help Build the ACCO^® Showmaster^® Winning Experience in the Midwest

MINNEAPOLIS—Andy Rash, champion livestock judging team coach from Black Hawk College in Kewanee, Ill., recently joined the market development team for ACCO^® Showmaster^® Premium Show Feeds as National Show Feed Leader. In his new position, Rash will support the new national Showmaster^® feed program, while focusing his attention on new market development activities in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Kentucky.

Rash brings a lifetime of livestock and show industry experience to the position. As the livestock judging coach at Black Hawk College, his 2004-2005 judging team won top honors at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, the North American International Livestock Contest in Louisville, the Houston Stock Show in Houston, and the American Royal in Kansas City.

“The opportunity to team up with the ACCO Showmaster^® brand was just too good to pass up,” says Rash. “ACCO Showmaster^® is a world-class brand, supported by world-class people and the industry’s most advanced research and formulation technologies. The opportunity to help grow and strengthen the Showmaster^® line of products and programs—and to be the best—is very exciting to me personally and professionally.”

The Showmaster^® team began laying the groundwork last fall to make the ACCO Showmaster^® brand the undisputed leader in premium show feeds for all animal species in all markets, nationwide. The unprecedented move began with the hiring of National Show Feeds Sales Manager Jeff Langemeier, former general manager at Hi-Point Genetics and director of Specialty Products at ADM-Alliance Nutrition.

“I couldn’t be more pleased to have someone with Andy’s show experience and abilities join the team of outstanding industry professionals already in place in key districts across the country,” says Langemeier. “Andy’s knowledge and reputation as a livestock judge, a judging coach and as a show industry leader are a testament to the ACCO Showmaster^® brand—past, present and future.”

With the new national program set to unfold this winter, show animal breeders and exhibitors will discover a number of new and welcome innovations from the Showmaster^® line of products. Chief among them, says Langemeier, are significant new product advances, expanded manufacturing and distribution capabilities, and a market outreach program to help livestock breeders and exhibitors achieve superior performance with Showmaster^® premium show feeds.

As National Show Feed Leader, Rash will support the national Showmaster^® feed program and the Midwest region from the Mentone District Office in Indiana.