DEFIANCE, OHIO, November 26--Stephanie M. Skylar, an executive with Chief Super

Market, Inc. since 1996, today was named President & CEO by company Chairman Eric C. Hench. She succeeds Jeff Sewell, who has resigned to pursue other business interests.

"Stephanie has long been a leader within our organization. I am pleased to now call her the leader of our company," said Mr. Hench, in a statement released earlier today to staff and employees. "She has the vision and experience to take Chief and Rays to increasingly higher levels of excellence. She has the respect and the trust of our associates and other stakeholders, enabling our company to continue its long tradition of service to them and to the communities in which we operate."

Ms. Skylar, 47, has served as Executive Vice President, Director of Marketing and a member of the company�s executive team since 1996. Prior to joining Chief, Ms. Skylar spent ten years as Executive Vice President and co-owner of Allen Broadcasting Company, operator of radio stations WCIT and WLSR in Lima, Ohio.

"My involvement with Chief and Rays goes back nearly 20 years," said Ms. Skylar. "I left my own company to come work here. What attracted me then, and what still means most to me today, is the warmth, caring and compassion of our more than 1,000 Chief & Rays associates. They're the people who have made our company successful for more than half a century and they continue to be the reason customers enjoy shopping at our stores. My job is to foster a culture of respect, benefiting our associates and customers and building stronger communities where we live and work."

Ms. Skylar has been a long-time civic, community and industry leader. She is a former board member of the United Way of Greater Lima and the Apollo Joint Career Center Foundation. She is past president of Limaland Business for Progress, past president of ArtSpace Lima and one-time Chairperson of the March of Dimes Mothers' March. Appointed by then- Governor George Voinovich, she served two terms on the Ohio Educational Telecommunications Commission, overseeing funding for the state's 34 public radio and television stations. She currently serves on the board of the Ohio Grocers Association Foundation.

Ms. Skylar has been the recipient of the Appleseed Ridge Girl Scout Council�s Woman of Achievement award and the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Emmy award for outstanding local television news editing. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Tulane University and a Masters of Business & Organizational Leadership from Defiance College. Since 1985 she has been married to Martin Gould, a marketing consultant. They have two children; son Jack, 18 and daughter Skye, 16. Ms. Skylar resides in Lima, Ohio.