Petco Animal Supplies Inc. (San Diego) recognized more than a dozen top vendors as well as more than 75 outstanding stores and managers during its 14th annual trade show, held Aug. 9-13 in Anaheim, Calif. Winners included:

• Vendors of the year: PetSafe/Radio Systems Corp. (Knoxville, Tenn.), Barney's (Chino Hills, Calif.), S & M NuTec L.L.C. (North Kansas City, Mo.), Nestle Purina PetCare Co. (St. Louis).
• Strategic alliance vendor of the year: Hill's Pet Nutrition Inc. (Topeka, Kan.).
• Supply chain award: Hill's Pet Nutrition Inc.
• Best in-store support: Nutro Products Inc. (City of Industry, Calif.). It was Nutro’s second award in this category.
• Individual partner of the year/Spirit Award: Jon Willinger of JW Pet Co. Inc. (Teterboro, N.J.).
• Vendor representatives of the year: Michael Peterson of The Peterson Group L.L.C. (San Diego) and Mark Teixeira of Nestle Purina PetCare Co.
• Petco Foundation Award: Precision Pet Products (Costa Mesa, Calif.).
• Best new product: Turtle Dock by Zoo Med Laboratories Inc. (San Luis Obispo, Calif.).
• Best new or improved packaging or display: PetSafe Locking Electronic Training Kiosk by PetSafe/Radio Systems Corp..
• District manager of the year: John Cheney, North Massachusetts.
• Store of the year: Fargo, N.D., managed by David Ketterling. Other stores cited for excellence included Ahwatukee, Ariz. (David Bargholz); Peoria, Ariz. (Jill Ponticelli); Burbank, Calif. (Farima Thomas); Lake Forest, Calif. (Kent Elmore); Hamden, Conn. (Jan Smith); Waterford, Conn. (Kevin Avery); Decatur, Ill. (Dawn Ryan); Merrillville, Ind. (Penny Williams); Walker, Mich. (Robert Dyke); Richfield, Minn. (Matt Andzulis); St. Peters West, Mo. (Kelly Watson-Collins); Union Square, N.Y. (Matt Everding); Corvallis, Ore. (Stacy Chitwood); Malvern, Pa. (Judy Lauble); Cedar Hill, Texas (Scott Mueller); Round Rock, Texas (David Galindo); and Hazel Dell, Wash. (Rich Thien).
• Chairman’s Awards: Fort Smith, Ark. (David Galindo); Bakersfield, Calif. (Brian Grimes); Burbank, Calif. (Farima Thomas); Chico, Calif. (Neil McGee); Escondido, Calif. (Denise Ellegard); Gilroy, Calif. (Jimmy Kranz); Glendale, Calif. (David King); Huntington Beach, Calif. (James Elder; Ryan Vanhoven); La Brea, Calif. (Kosal Kong); Lakewood, Calif. (Steven Watson); Mission Gorge, Calif. (Mike Brown); Montclair, Calif. (Marisol Cardella); Oceanside, Calif. (Jennifer Kalb; Jenessa Bogue); Poway, Calif. (Gabe Murphy); Rancho San Diego, Calif. (Deborah Potter); Redding, Calif. (Jeffrey Longwell); Rolling Hills Estates, Calif. (Ricky Gicos); San Pedro, Calif. (Wayne Boyd); San Bruno, Calif. (Drew McPeak); San Rafael, Calif. (Merrit Griffin); Santa Clarita, Calif. (John Wyatt); Santa Monica, Calif. (Carolyn Gold); Stockton, Calif. (Larry Crowl); Temecula, Calif. (Andrew Faessler); Vacaville, Calif. (Angela Giordano); Van Nuys, Calif. (Hamed Ebrahimi); Vista, Calif. (Brandie Luna); Westchester, Calif. (Justin Davis); Whittier, Calif. (Mike Montalvo); Newington, Conn. (Jon Phillips); Stratford, Conn. (Michelle Stratton); Wallingford, Conn. (Melodie O'Brien); Idaho Falls, Idaho (Stephen Hill); Decatur, Ill. (Dawn Ryan); Normal, Ill. (Lori Wenzelman); Indianapolis-Carmel, Ind. (Tracy Keen); South Portland, Maine (Todd Ledwith); Springfield, Mass. (Tara Gutierrez); Farmington Hills, Mich. (Scott Poling); Southaven, Miss. (Ronnie Dowty); Columbia, Mo. (Lance Hansen); Reno, Nev. (Randy Moody); Reno North, Nev. (Rose Moody); Raritan, N.J. (Will Zajack); Howard Beach, N.Y. (Raymond Lothian); Elmira, N.Y (David Viele); Pittsford, N.Y. (Denis Walsh); Selden, N.Y. (Greg Jamison); Syracuse, N.Y. (Michael Purchio); Union Square, N.Y. (Matthew Everding); West Babylon, N.Y. (Kathleen Bari); Salem, Ore. (Wess Roberts); Pittsburgh, Pa.-Century III (Jessica Quinn); Fort Union, Utah (Jeffrey Wright); Sugarhouse, Utah (Garry Galstyan); Bremerton, Wash. (Ross Ginther); Seattle, Wash.-University (Edie Rowerosslan); and Petco.com (Heather Blank and John Lazarchic). [October 2004 PET AGE]