CHICAGO (February 18, 2004) - The National Association of Concessionaires (NAC) has named Ronald P. Krueger II of Wehrenberg Theatres in St. Louis, MO the recipient of the 2004 Bert Nathan Memorial Award. The award presentation will be made on March 24 at a breakfast sponsored by Nestle and Screenvision during the ShoWest theatre exhibition convention in Las Vegas.

Criteria for the award include involvement in NAC, providing positive leadership direction, significant contributions to the development and professionalism of the concessions industry, and current involvement at the executive level. The award is named for the late Bert Nathan, a past president, leader and great supporter of NAC and the concessions industry. The award is given annually based on nominations from NAC members and a vote of past award recipients.

Ron began his career at Wehrenberg Theatres in 1982 as an usher. He worked his way through the organization as a projectionist, theatre manager, and accounting analyst. He then stepped away from the family business after graduate school for a three-year stint in the Corporate Treasury Department of Ralston Purina Company. Ron returned to Wehrenberg in 1994 and became Director of Operations in 1995. In 2000, he was promoted to President of Wehrenberg Inc, the theatre-operating subsidiary of Wehrenberg Theatres. Wehrenberg Theatres, a family-owned business started in 1906 by Ron's great grandfather, Fred Wehrenberg, is a premiere mid-west movie exhibitor and is the oldest family-owned and operated circuit in the USA. Wehrenberg is headquartered in St. Louis, MO and operates 15 theatre locations in Missouri and Illinois with new locations opening this year in Chesterfield, Missouri and Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Ron's father, Ronald P. Krueger, has been a driving force as the third generation running Wehrenberg Theatres and has been an outstanding business mentor to Ron in addition to the even greater responsibilities as a father. Ron's father was also a board member of NAC.

"I am in amazing company with the distinguished past recipients of the Bert Nathan award and am very honored and thankful to be this year's recipient," Ron Krueger II said.

Ron has served as a regional vice-president on the NAC Board of Directors for seven years and has served on the RVP Committee facilitating regional seminars. He has served on the Finance Committee and is now chair of the Conference Programming Committee for the 2004 NAC Convention in St. Louis. Ron is also very active in the theatre industry as a board member and past committee chair of NATO. He serves his community as a board member of St. Louis Variety, an active member of Moolah Shrine where he is a past committee president, as well as a past master of Tuscan Lodge. He is also a past president of the Young Entrepreneurs Organization in St. Louis and is a member of the Young Presidents Organization. Ron and his wife Cindy, have one son, Nicholas.

Previous winners of the Bert Nathan Memorial Award are Maria Angles, Norman Chesler, Charlie Cretors, Larry Etter, J.C. Evans, John Evans, Jr., Evan Gordon, Wally Helton, Jack Leonard, Peter Leyh, Frank Liberto, Libby Mauro, Bruce Proctor, Bill Rector, Robert Scribner, Skip Stefansen, Bruce Taffet, and the late Bill Chaplain, Len Marsh and Bert Nathan.

The National Association of Concessionaires is a trade association representing the recreation and leisure-time foodservice industry. NAC is comprised of owners and operators of all types of public assembly facilities including stadiums and arenas, colleges and universities, amusement parks, park and recreation departments, movie theaters, ice and roller rinks, and other leisure-time foodservice operations. Members also include the companies that provide products and services to these facilities, including: suppliers, equipment manufacturers, popcorn processors, brokers, jobber distributors and consultants.