Awards

Harrisburg - Former Rite Aid executive Martin Grass is expected today to become the first c.e.o. to admit to criminal fraud since the wave of highly publicized accounting scandals began making headlines more than two years ago, reports the Associated Press.

MAULDIN, S.C. - The 2003 Bi-Lo Charity Classic, one of the nation's largest one-day benefit golf tournaments, raised more than $3 million, Mauldin, S.C.-based Bi-Lo announced.

DAYTON, Ohio - In recognition of corporate support for a national program to provide students and teachers with school supplies, Kroger Co. and business products wholesale distributor United Stationers Inc. have been named recipients of the 2003 SHOPA Foundation Award for Educational Excellence.

LOS ANGELES -- John Burgon, president of Ralphs Supermarkets; Eddie Gales, Los Angeles zone manager, Kellogg's Snacks Division; and Bruce A. Horn, e.v.p., Advantage Sales & Marketing will be honored by the National Conference for Community and Justice and KTLA Charities Fund at the 29th Annual Food and Beverage Industries Humanitarian Awards Dinner.

SALISBURY, N.C. - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has named Food Lion an Energy Star Partner of the year for its "outstanding" reductions in energy consumption.

BOULDER, Colo. - Wild Oats Markets, Inc. was named the 19th leading company on Business Ethics magazine's annual ranking of the top "100 Best Corporate Citizens" for 2003.

NEW YORK - With 2002 revenues of nearly $250 billion, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. topped the Fortune 500 ranking of the nation's largest companies for the second consecutive year

NEW YORK - JP Morgan said yesterday that it raised its rating on Supervalu Inc. to "overweight" from "neutral," saying among other factors the company "has demonstrated a more prudent stance with the use of its annual free cash flow than have the management teams of other large traditional food retail companies," reports Reuters.