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KEY DEVELOPMENT: Supported members' performance in the midst of continued challenging economy in Western U.S.
WHAT'S NEXT: Helping independents to take advantage of new opportunities, including those in commercial real estate.
Those who know Al Plamann realize he's a straight shooter, especially on critical topics like the economy's impact.
"It's not a rosy picture, it's a tough economic environment," Plamann, president and chief executive officer of Unified Grocers, Los Angeles, said recently about business conditions in Unified's 10-state market area in the Western U.S. "In the states in which we operate, there are some really significant unemployment ratios."
This environment has challenged the cooperative's members, some of which have encountered difficult financial problems and closed stores.
Other Unified independents, however, have seen notable growth...