January 14, 2010

S.P. Richards Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Genuine Parts Company (GPC:NYSE) and leading wholesale distributor of business and office supplies, announced today...

Rick Toppin promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer

Rick Toppin has been promoted to President and COO of S.P. Richards Company. In this new role, he will oversee sales, marketing, operations, and supply chain management activities for S.P. Richards Company as well as SPR Canada. Toppin joined the organization in October of 2008 as Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing. Prior to joining S.P. Richards Company, he served as President of the Central Region for Corporate Express and prior to that, as President of Corporate Express Canada.

Commenting on this promotion SPR Chairman Wayne Beacham said, “Rick is an innovative leader that has taken on every challenge with enthusiasm, optimism and determination to achieve results that are in the best interest of SPR, our customers, our employees and the shareholders of Genuine Parts Company. We are excited to have Rick take on an even greater role in directing our company into the future.”

Toppin is a graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College and holds an MBA in General Management from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management.

S.P. Richards Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Genuine Parts Company (GPC: NYSE), distributes a wide spectrum of business products to office products resellers throughout the U.S. and Canada. These products include consumable office supplies, office furniture, computer supplies, consumer electronics, cleaning and breakroom supplies from all of the major industry manufacturers. S.P. Richards Company markets several private label lines under the brand names of Lorell, Integra, Sparco, Genuine Joe, Nature Saver, Compucessory, Elite Image and Business Source. The company operates 44 Distribution Centers in the United States and Canada.

Genuine Parts Company is a distributor of automotive replacement parts in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The Company also distributes industrial replacement parts in the U.S. and Canada through its Motion Industries subsidiary. S. P. Richards Company, the Office Products Group, distributes business products nationwide in the U.S. and in Canada. The Electrical/Electronic Group, EIS, Inc., distributes electrical and electronic components throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Genuine Parts Company had 2008 revenues of $11.0 billion.