MERGER  CREATES  POWERFUL NEW
CO-OP: UNIFIED STRATEGIES GROUP (USG)

Chicago, IL/Greensburg, PA –July 16, 2009--On July 1, 2009, the Vendors Purchasing Council (VPC) and the Better Vendors Association (BVA) merged to form a new, more powerful co-op called the Unified Strategies Group (USG).  USG Co-op represents over 720 members in 49 states, purchasing over $1.5 billion in products for the vending industry.

The Board of Directors had its inaugural board meeting on July 8th and 9th in Chicago and set an aggressive schedule to provide innovative new services to its members.

USG Co-op is lead by a board of elite vending operators: Jim Brinton of Evergreen Vending (WA), President; Bob Bauer of Ace Coffee Bar (IL), Vice President; Larry Richardson of Bertsch Vending (IN), Treasurer; and Aaron Speagle of Piedmont Bottling and Vending (NC), Secretary.  Providing ongoing corporate governance and expertise will be Board Members:  Tom DiNardo of Culinary Ventures Vending (NJ); Mark Hesch of A.H. Vending & Food Service Inc.(IL); Lou Langdon of G&S Vending, Inc. (CO); Vince Lyons of Peachtree Vending Company (GA); Matthew Marsh of First Class Vending, Inc.(CA); Kendall Smith of Accent Food Systems (TX); Mark Stein of Mark Vend Company (IL); Chuck Swanson of C L Swanson Corporation (WI); Dennis Thornton of Advanced Vending Systems, Inc. (GA); and Joe Wheeler of Oasis Refreshment Systems (FL).

Day to day operations will be led by the team of Brian Faley and Marc Robertshaw, Co-CEO’s and Ed Cunningham as Vice President of Purchasing.  Both Brian Faley and Marc Robertshaw recognize that a merged co-op can do far more together than as two separate companies.  As an example of this, USG Co-op formally launched its on-line ordering system called PurchasePowerTM to all 720 members on July 1, 2009.  Member participation and revenue from the on-line ordering system has exceeded all expectations.  Suppliers, eager to make up lost business from the recession, are flocking to USG Co-op’s PurchasePowerTM program.

PurchasePowerTM is only the beginning of USG Co-op’s strategic initiatives.  Innovative new services will be added in the coming months.  USG Co-op’s immediate goal is to make the transition from a rebate tracking organization to an organization offering a full range of member services.