For Immediate Release

January 19, 2016

Contact: Sally Hargis, VP Corporate Strategy

417-865-9900, ext. 256

shargis@cocacolaozarks.com

Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Company Announces New President And Chief Operating Officer

Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Company is pleased to announce the election of Bruce Long to the office of President and Chief Operating Officer.

Long has been employed at Ozarks Coca-Cola for 15 years. He began his career with Ozarks as the Corporate Convenience Manager and Corporate Marketing Manager. Prior to being named as President and COO, Long served as the Vice President of Marketing/Business Development. Long has a BS and a Master in Education from Southwest Baptist University (SBU). Before coming to Ozarks, he was the Regional VP of Sales at Teters Floral Products, the Head Baseball Coach at SBU and a Professional Baseball Player for the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies. He is involved with Ridgecrest Baptist Church and is active in several industry organizations.

“It is a privilege to be a part of Ozarks Coca-Cola Bottling Company,” Long said. “Ozarks is a company with strong ties to the community, a strong sense of responsibility and a great deal of integrity. I’m looking forward to the future as our entire team continues to serve this area their favorite beverages.”

About Ozarks Coca-Cola Bottling Company

Ozarks Coca-Cola Bottling Company is a third generation, family-owned bottler operating in Missouri for 95 years. Founded by the Rice family in 1920, Coca-Cola products are manufactured in Springfield with sales centers in Springfield, Bolivar and Rolla. Ozarks Coca-Cola was a Top 10 Bottler in 2014, and employs 500 associates. More information about Ozarks Coca-Cola is available at http://cocacolaozarks.com, and a territory map is available at http://cocacolaozarks.com/business/market-area-map.

Ozarks Coca-Cola Bottling Company’s mission is to bring sparkling moments of refreshment to everyone in the Ozarks with the taste of their favorite soft drinks. We honor the history of our iconic brands in partnership with the Rice and Heer families for 95 years. Our passionate employees add value to their communities every day through meaningful service to customers and providing economic
benefit for all of us.

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Ozarks Coca-Cola Bottling Company Acquires New Territories from The Coca-Cola Company

SPRINGFIELD, MO—Ozarks Coca-Cola Bottling Company expanded its franchise territory on October 30 with the acquisition of new territories from The Coca-Cola Company.

Deliveries of Coca-Cola products by Ozarks Coca-Cola Bottling Company to territories in Missouri, northern Arkansas and southeast Kansas will begin on November 2. Distribution centers for the new territories are located in Joplin, Missouri and West Plains, Missouri.

Edwin C. Rice, CEO and Chairman, said, “We are excited to serve the communities
of Joplin and West Plains as the local Coca-Cola Bottler. As a family-owned company, we welcome nearly 160 new employees into the Ozarks Coca-Cola family, and look forward to sharing our distinct brand of customer service with our new partners in the beverage industry.”

About Ozarks Coca-Cola Bottling Company

Ozarks Coca-Cola Bottling Company is a third generation, family-owned Bottler operating in Missouri for 95 years. Founded by the Rice family in 1920, Coca-Cola products are manufactured in Springfield with sales centers in Springfield, Bolivar and Rolla. Ozarks Coca-Cola was a Top 10 Bottler in 2014, and employs more than 300 associates. More information about Ozarks Coca-Cola is available at cocacolaozarks.com, and a territory map is available at cocacolaozarks.com/business/market-area-map.

Ozarks Coca-Cola is honored to be a part of the 21^st Century Partnership Model with The Coca-Cola franchise system and sees this as an opportunity to share the company’s mission and strengthen the communities they serve.

“Our 21st Century Beverage Partnership Model underscores the strength of The Coca-Cola System, and independent bottlers are critical to our success,” said Sandy Douglas, President, Coca-Cola North America. “Together with Ozarks Coca-Cola, we are building a model that is modern, agile and consumer and customer focused, and one that balances national scale and local capability.”

Ozarks Coca-Cola Bottling Company’s mission is to bring sparkling moments of refreshment to everyone in the Ozarks with the taste of their favorite soft drinks. We honor the history of our iconic brands in partnership with the Rice and Heer families for 95 years. Our passionate employees add value to their communities every day through meaningful service to customers and providing economic benefit for all of us.

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Congratulations Meredith! More than 102,000 students nationwide applied and only 150 were chosen. We are so proud that one of the Coca-Cola Scholars Program recipients is from Springfield, Missouri.

This article originally appeared in the Springfield News-Leader on February 24, 2015

Glendale High School senior Meredith Waites has been named a winner in the nationwide Coca-Cola Scholars Program. For the honor, Waites received a $20,000 scholarship, according to a news release.

Waites, of Springfield, was chosen to be one of 150 scholars from a pool of more than 102,000 applicants from across the country for her outstanding leadership, academic achievements and dedication to community service.

She served as one of four Missouri finalists.

“I feel very accomplished, but at the same time I’m very surprised and shocked,” said Waites, in a news release. “I’m just a girl from Springfield, Missouri, I didn’t think I would be even close to be on the same level as some of the other finalists, so it’s such an honor to be considered for this scholarship.”

According to the release, Waites was notified of being named a Coca-Cola Scholar on Feb. 18, but it wasn’t the last good news she received on the snow day.

She was also named an Ingram Scholar at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Ingram Scholars are required not only to volunteer for community service but also design and implement projects that address specific community needs. Each scholar participates in community service projects at least 20 hours each month and receive a minimum of full-tuition and a stipend for a summer project.

Waites was one of 13 scholars who were selected from 831 applicants.

Central High senior Telyse Masaoay, Kickapoo High senior Boo Koss and Parkview High senior Hussain Rao were named semifinalists in the Coca-Cola Scholars competition.

This article originally appeared in the Springfield News-Leader on January 13, 2015

A Central High School senior has been named a semifinalist for the Coca-Cola Scholars Program.

Teylse Masaoay was chosen to be one of nearly 2,200 semifinalists from a pool of more than 102,000 applicants from across the country for her leadership, academic achievements and dedication to community service, according to a news release.

If selected as one of 250 regional finalists, she will qualify to be one of 150 Coca-Cola Scholars, who receive a $20,000 scholarship.

Nixa High debate students advance to “Top 32” round

Students from Nixa High School have advanced to the “Top 32” round of an international debate competition, according to a news release.

The Bickel & Brewer/New York University International Public Policy Forum, or IPPF, is known as the only competition that gives high school students around the world the opportunity to engage in written and oral debates on issues of public policy.

By advancing, the students remain eligible to win a $10,000 grand prize and an all-expenses-paid trip to the IPPF Finals in New York City in May.

“We are very proud of Nixa High School and all of the teams that advanced in this very competitive global debate challenge,” says William A. Brewer III, partner at the law firm of Bickel & Brewer and a founder of the IPPF, in a news release. “These students have distinguished themselves as among the best in this unique test of research, writing and advocacy.”

This year, 243 teams — representing schools in 32 U.S. states and 21 countries — submitted qualifying round essays on either side of this topic: “Mass surveillance is not a justified method of governmental intelligence gathering.” Those essays were reviewed by a committee, which determined the top 64 teams based on the overall quality of each 2,800-word essay.

In November, the “Round of 64” teams began a single-elimination, written debate competition. Each team was assigned a position (affirmative or negative) and then volleyed papers back and forth with another team via email. A panel of judges reviewed the essays and selected the winning teams. In that round, Nixa High School defeated Trinity High School from Washington, Pennsylvania.

The “Top 32” round begins immediately. Nixa High School will compete against Clayton High School from Clayton, Mo. The top 32 teams represent schools from 17 U.S. states and five countries, including the United States, Czech Republic, and Singapore.

The prevailing teams will be announced on February 12, and will compete in the “Sweet 16” round. On March 19, the “Elite 8” teams will be announced. Those teams will travel to New York City on an all-expenses-paid trip to the finals.

Nixa and Clayton are the only two Missouri teams in the “Top 32.”

Nixa students prepare, present personal business plans

At Nixa High School, the Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management class created their personal business plans and recently pitched them to a “Shark Tank” style panel, according to a news release.

The students included detailed operation, marketing and financial plans for their proposed businesses.

Some of the business ideas include: Mexican food truck, drive-thru grocery store, cultural cuisine cafe, human/dog cafe, pottery store, lawn care, grocery delivery, outdoor Christmas light hanging and removal, lawn care, sporting goods, online yo-yo sales, elderly day care, local trendy men’s clothing store, and many more for a total of 27 new business plans for our Nixa area and surrounding communities.

To submit the academic, extracurricular or community achievement of a youth, email education reporter Claudette Riley at criley@news-leader.com.

For 127 years, Coca-Cola has celebrated optimism and the pursuit of happiness. This Sunday, February 2, Coca-Cola will add to that legacy with a new 60-second ad on America’s biggest media stage: the Big Game.

During the second half, Coca-Cola will air the commercial titled “Going All the Way.” “Going All the Way” is an all-American tale of triumph over adversity. The unlikely hero is Adrian, a small but determined high school football player. He earns the confidence of his team when he gets the game-time opportunity of a lifetime. The opposing team fumbles the ball, and it lands in his arms. Now is the time for Adrian to shine. With support from his team, and the crowd, Adrian breaks through and perseveres to achieve greatness.

Coca-Cola is releasing “Going All the Way” to the public early in hopes of reaching 10,000 shares online. Once that is accomplished, the company will donate $50,000 to the Boys and Girls Club (BGCA) Triple Play program.

We’ve also posted the ad on our Facebook and Twitter page for you to watch, and then share with all of your friends. We encourage you to share your thoughts about the ad by using the hashtag #AmericaIsBeautiful.