BTWW Retail Announces Appointment of Larry Hager as Chief Executive Officer

Hager will oversee the country's largest Western and work wear retailer

CHEYENNE, Wyo., April 4, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- BTWW Retail, LP (BTWW), the country's largest Western and work wear retailer, with retail stores including Corral West, Western Warehouse, Boot Town, Sergeant's and Work Wear Depot in 25 states, announced today the appointment of Larry Hager as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Mr. Hager succeeds Les Ball, who remains a material stakeholder in the business.

In addition to his duties as CEO, Mr. Hager will serve as the acting CFO of BTWW, a role he has performed for 14 years, and will continue to be a key member of the Board.

"Larry's strategic vision, coupled with his deep experience within the Western retail business over the past 14 years, makes him the ideal choice for leading this Company," noted J. Bryan King, director of BTWW and partner of Luther King Capital Management. "We have the utmost confidence in Larry and have dedicated the necessary resources to make this transition seamless and successful."

Prior to joining BTWW Retail, Mr. Hager was employed with Montgomery Ward & Co. for 22 years where he served in many capacities, most recently as the Director of Merchandise Planning. While at Montgomery Ward, he led several very successful strategic initiatives, including repositioning a significant multi-unit division for the company. He was also instrumental in rebuilding the Corral West stores upon his arrival to that company in 1994 and has been a solid leader through the recent integration of Corral West's 95 stores with the 44 Western Warehouse, Boot Town and Sergeant's stores of BTWW.

"We are on the back stretch of the Corral West-BTWW integration, and I look forward to having one unified vision for BTWW," said Mr. Hager. He continued, "Our business has a very strong and profitable core, and we remain committed to providing a solid channel of distribution for our valued vendor-partners. Furthermore, I have the utmost confidence in our management team, both corporate and store-level, to execute our refreshed strategic game plan. While we are in a challenging near-term retail environment, I am confident that continued close collaboration between our employees, vendors and other constituents will ensure the successful long-term prospects for the Company."

Support from the Company's vendor-partners following Mr. Hager's appointment has also been tremendous. "We would like to congratulate Larry in his new responsibilities and wish him only the best. Historically, Larry has been a man of his word and a pleasure to work with," said Randy Watson, CEO of Justin Brands, one of the leading brands in BTWW's stores. Beth Cross, CEO of Ariat International, added, "Larry Hager is a strong, experienced leader, and will be an excellent CEO of BTWW. He has earned the respect and trust of the many key partners of the BTWW group and the industry as a whole. We look forward to supporting him and his team as they invest to create a unique shopping experience for the western and work wear consumer."

About BTWW Retail

BTWW Retail, LP is the largest western apparel retailer in the country with 140 stores throughout the United States operating store fronts under the names of Corral West Ranchwear, The Wrangler, Western Warehouse, Boot Town, Sergeants, Job Site, and Work Wear Depot. BTWW is proud to support the western lifestyle and western lifestyle events throughout the country and is an official sponsor of The National High School Rodeo Association, The National High School Finals Rodeo, and The National Little Britches Rodeo Association and Finals. Additionally, BTWW is a sponsor of The National Senior Pro Rodeo, the PRCA's Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, The National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver, and Cheyenne Frontier Days.

Visitors to any one of BTWW's stores will find they are friendly places to shop for the entire family. BTWW is dedicated to providing great customer service, the latest in western wear fashion and exceptional values. In addition to its retail stores, BTWW also offers customers an opportunity to further their western experience by shopping with them through their mail order catalog and e-commerce venues.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: BTWW Retail, LP

CONTACT: Mr. Brad Wallace of Luther King Capital Management,
+1-817-332-3235, bwallace@lkcm.com, for BTWW Retail, LP

2008-04-04 15:50:00 0328638 PRNEWSWIRE