(Fort Wayne, Ind.)— Bob Taylor, president and CEO of Do it Best Corp., was very clear when he spoke to shareholders during his annual address at the 2007 Do it Best October Market^SM in Indianapolis: the co-op business model is the right fit for Do it Best Corp. After outlining retail programs and purchasing initiatives, and announcing the highest rebate in the company’s history of $126.2 million, he said those are the benefits that accrue from membership in Do it Best Corp. “So, while others might look to move away from a co-op structure,” Taylor said, “we embrace it and see it as the perfect way to align the interests of Do it Best Corp. with those of our members and keep our team focused on our number one goal--helping members grow.”

Taylor went on to say that growth must be built on a solid foundation. “There is no higher priority at Do it Best Corp. than the fiduciary obligation we have to our members--to be good stewards of your investment,” Taylor said. He emphasized that Do it Best Corp. continues to enjoy the highest credit rating in the industry and continues to be the only one with zero long-term debt. “That doesn’t happen by accident”, he said, “but rather with a dedication to conservative principles, candid and open review, and a culture of accountability.”

“If you add up all the inventory in the eight Do it Best Corp. retail service centers, at our freight forwarders and in our lumber reloads, it totals about $170 million. Now, I can give you chapter and verse on the level of detail involved in our extensive auditing process: daily counts, exception reports, quarterly audits, annual reviews and testing, and more. And, while all of those checks and balances are extremely important, it still comes back to people and to culture.” He said a culture of accountability says $170 is as important as $170 million and that’s the culture behind the Do it Best Corp. team.

“So, if people tell you co-ops are the same, they’re not,” Taylor continued. “A for-profit company cannot provide the same alignment of interest and return on investment that Do it Best Corp. can to our member-owners. Over the past 10 years, Do it Best Corp. has grown by 64%. That’s more than double our nearest co-op competitor."

Taylor also pointed out that despite the negatives experienced and seen in the headlines this year--regional economies, continued high fuel prices, dramatic deflation in the prices of lumber and panel products--the Do it Best Corp. team and the member-owners turned in the most positive bottom-line performance in the company’s 62 year history.

He also announced that Do it Best Corp. again would be distributing the highest rebate in the co-op industry of $126.2 million and another record-breaking rebate for the co-op, an increase of 3.4% over last year’s then record performance.

In conclusion, Taylor reminded the audience of the co-op’s partnership, “Working together, cooperatively, we’ll maintain that industry leading momentum as we continue to work together to make the best even better.”

About Do it Best Corp.

Based in Fort Wayne, Ind., Do it Best Corp. is the only U.S.-based, member-owned hardware, lumber, and building materials buying cooperative in the home improvement industry and has been in operation since 1945. With annual sales of $2.81 billion, Do it Best Corp. is the second largest co-op in the industry, serving 4,100 member-owned locations in the United States and in 47 countries.