Approved by the board of trustees of Augsburg Fortress on Dec. 18, the move affects 500 participants--retirees, former employees not yet retired and current employees, company officials said. Not affected by the decision is the company's current retirement plan--a defined contribution plan--in which Augsburg Fortress' current employees can participate. Approximately 150 current employees are enrolled in that plan.

"We believe this step will lead to a more accurate processing of returns and speed up the time that is required to issue credits to our customers," Standard Publishing President Larry Carpenter said. "Our customers are already creating paperwork for their return, so the only additional step is running that list by us in advance and getting a returns authorization number. We will be able to let the customer know in advance if something is not returnable so they can process that product differently."

Suppliers of Christian products can now enter their best releases of the year in Christian Retailing's 2010 Retailers Choice Awards--and take advantage of the Early Bird discount if entering by Friday, Jan. 15.

Celebrating 10 years in 2010, the Retailers Choice Awards have been increasingly acknowledged as an important way of recognizing some of the most significant new life-changing products in the Christian retail industry.

Suppliers who nominate their products by Jan. 15 can save on entry fees by using the Early Bird option (buy five, get one free; buy 10, get two free, and so on). The entry fee remains just $50 per item. 
Products may be nominated until Jan. 29, 2010, with retailer voting beginning in February in 36 categories of gifts, books, Bibles, music and more.

The 2010 Retailers Choice Awards winners will be announced at Christian Retailing's The Gathering 2010 event, to be held April 21-23 at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Ky.

Click here for the listing of categories and official rules of the Retailers Choice Awards, or e-mail Managing Editor Christine Johnson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The show--running Dec. 30 through March 30--is hosted by Christian Retailing magazine, highlighting some of the key new and backlist products from leading suppliers.

The red Crazy Love T-shirt, which will retail for $17.99 and released in January, will feature the main theme of the book on the front of the apparel, "GOD IS LOVE. (Crazy, Relentless, All-Powerful Love)."

Released Nov. 3, the fourth edition of the best-selling Christian comedy series--hosted by John Tesh--features Dana Daniels and Luigi the Psychic Parrot, Joe Wong, Isaac Witty, Rex Havens, Taylor Mason and Michael Jr.