GRAFENWOEHR, Germany - The Grafenwoehr Commissary took top honors in 2009, winning the Defense Commissary Agency’s Dan Daniel Award for Best Large Commissary Overseas.

Store Director, Jimmy Holzhauser, attributes the win to excellent customer service, “We try to go out of our way to help our customers,” he said. “Many customers have husbands who are deployed and we try to help any way we can.”

Open less than two years, Grafenwoehr competed against 42 other overseas stores for the award. Judged on accountability, unit cost, sales, and customer service survey, Grafenwoehr earned a 4.85 out of a possible five points for customer service. “We didn’t win this award because of one person,” said Holzhauser, “it takes a team, and I think we have the best team.”

Customer service accounts for only one quarter of the award criteria. Stores must demonstrate rigorous inventory controls, positive sales growth, and maintain or decrease the previous year’s average operating cost. To put it simply, the award “includes more than the customer sees when they shop. It also includes the behind the scenes operations and the books- both financial and inventory,” said Holzhauser.

That is no small task considering the Grafenwoehr Commissary stocks more than 10,000 American products and receives fresh produce and grocery items from all over Europe.

Holzhauser plans to display the award as soon as it arrives from the U.S. “We are going to put it out front on a table with a sign that says ‘this award belongs to you, the customer’ because without the support of the customer, there is no commissary,” he said.

The Dan Daniel Award for Best Large Commissary Overseas honors Congressman Dan Daniel of Virginia who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1968 to 1988. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, Daniel championed efforts to improve benefits for military service members and their families.

This legacy of support for service members and the military community continues to thrive at the Grafenwoehr Commissary.