August 4, 2010

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
ABA Press Office
(202) 463-6770

BEVERAGE INDUSTRY LEADERS COME TOGETHER ON ONE STAGE FOR UNIQUE TOWN HALL EVENT AT INTERBEV 2010

EVENT TO BE MODERATED BY BEVERAGE DIGEST'S JOHN SICHER SEPTEMBER 23, 2010

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The American Beverage Association (ABA) and the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) are pleased to announce an exciting Industry Town Hall event at InterBev 2010. The Town Hall will take place on center stage on the trade show floor and will feature top executives from three of the beverage industry's largest players: J. Alexander M. (Sandy) Douglas, president and chief operating officer, North America Group, The Coca-Cola Company; Jim Johnston, president, concentrate sales, Dr Pepper Snapple Group; and Tom Bené, president, Pepsi-Cola North American Beverages. During this event, which will be moderated by John Sicher, publisher of Beverage Digest, these fierce competitors will discuss a range of relevant topics affecting the industry and how they are coming together to affect positive change.

"This Industry Town Hall is truly a first of its kind and will be a groundbreaking event for our industry," said Susan K. Neely, ABA president and CEO. "It is only fitting we showcase the unique success these fierce competitors have had in creating positive change for the greater good at InterBev 2010."

"We are very pleased to be hosting this exciting event on the trade show floor," said Joe Doss, president and CEO of IBWA. "These live events make InterBev 2010 even more valuable for the dynamic memberships of the bottled water and greater beverage industry."

"Sandy, Jim and Tom are smart, tough executives and competitors," John Sicher, publisher of Beverage Digest, said. "It will be interesting to have them all together on the same stage, at the same time."

Topics to be covered include environmental stewardship, discriminatory taxes, industry leadership on calorie labeling, innovation in the marketplace and the successful implementation of the School Beverage Guidelines.

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The American Beverage Association is the trade association representing the broad spectrum of companies that manufacture and distribute non-alcoholic beverages in the United States. For more information on ABA, please visit the association's Web site at www.ameribev.org.

The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) is the authoritative source of information about all types of bottled waters. Founded in 1958, IBWA's membership includes U.S. and international bottlers, distributors and suppliers. For more information about IBWA and bottled water, please visit www.bottledwater.org or call (703) 683-5213.