William Roediger 
December 5, 1999

2 Men Injured In Tavern Fight

Saturday, December 04, 1999 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A 





SUNBURY (AP) - The billion-dollar chain that runs the 164 Weis
supermarkets is going through a family feud. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Two groups of Weis family members, each controlling 41 percent of the
company's stock, are battling for control. The remaining investors not
affiliated with either faction, who own 18 percent of the stock, could decide
if the chain that runs supermarkets in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, New
York, Virginia and West Virginia will remain independent or be put in play for
a sale or merger. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ``We've had the experience of running the company for 88 years, and we can
provide the shareholders with greater value than anyone else,'' chairman and
treasurer Robert F. Weis said Thursday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The descendants of founding brothers Sigmund and Harry Weis are divided
about what to do. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Weis corporate officials include Harry Weis' offspring. They said Sigmund
Weis' offspring were acting on a ``personal financial agenda'' when filing
papers Tuesday seeking a special meeting of the board and a vote on a new list
of directors. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Michael Apfelbaum, who has been serving as the spokesman for the dissident
shareholders' committee, defended the move Thursday night. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``It's not a game; it's not a ploy; it's formal announcement of a bold plan
- a good plan,'' Apfelbaum said. ``This group is interested in doing what's
best for all the shareholders and not just improving their own situation.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In a statement, Weis company officials said the business had recently
started negotiating with some members of the dissident group to buy their
common stock ``in order to accommodate the personal interests of the members'
goals of liquidating shares they hold.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 When the meeting will be held is unclear. The dissidents want it held
``within several days,'' they said in a press release; Chief Executive Officer
Norman Rich said he expects the matter to be resolved in February. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Rich noted that in mergers there are generally layoffs in redundant
departments. In the case of Weis Markets, where the headquarters, distribution
center and similar activities are in Sunbury, that could hurt the local
economy, Rich said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Apfelbaum's father, Sidney Apfelbaum, runs the Charles B. Degenstein
Foundation. The late Degenstein was married to Sigfried Weis' sister. Sidney
Apfelbaum is a family friend. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The dissident group includes Janet Weis, the widow of Sigmund's son
Sigfried. Janet Weis, other members of her immediate family and some closely
affiliated trusts filed a form on Tuesday with federal regulators seeking the
special meeting. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Weis Family Battles For Control Of Stores