ALBA WALDENSIAN INC
PREM14A, 1999-04-05
KNITTING MILLS
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                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                                (Amendment No. )

Filed by the Registrant (X)

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ( )

Check the appropriate box:
(X) Preliminary Proxy Statement
( )  Confidential,  for  Use  of the  Commission  Only  (as  permitted  by  Rule
14a-6(e)(2))
( ) Definitive Proxy Statement
( ) Definitive Additional Materials
( ) Soliciting Material Pursuant to Section 240.14a-11(c) or Section 240.14a-12

                              ALBA-WALDENSIAN, INC.
                (Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

      (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

(X) No fee required

( ) Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11.
1)   Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
2)   Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
3)   Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction  computed  pursuant
     to Exchange  Act Rule 0-11 (Set forth the amount on which the filing fee is
     calculated and state how it was determined):
4)   Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: 
5)   Total fee paid:

( ) Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

( ) Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange  Act Rule
0-11(a)(2)  and  identify  the  filing  for  which the  offsetting  fee was paid
previously.  Identify the previous filing by registration  statement  number, or
the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.
1)   Amount Previously Paid:
2)   Form, Schedule, or Registration Statement No.:
3)   Filing Party:
4)   Date Filed:



<PAGE>


                              Alba-Waldensian, Inc.


- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

         NOTICE IS HEREBY  GIVEN that the  Annual  Meeting  of  Stockholders  of
Alba-Waldensian,  Inc. (the Company) will be held at the offices of the Company,
201 St. Germain Avenue,  S.W., Valdese,  North Carolina 28690, on Thursday,  May
13, 1999, at 9:00 a.m.,  Local Time, for the purpose of  considering  and acting
upon the following:

1.       The election of three  Directors for a term of three years  pursuant to
         the Certificate of Incorporation and the Bylaws of the Company.

2.       Approval of a resolution authorizing the Board of Directors to cause an
         amendment to the Company's  Certificate  of  Incorporation  to be filed
         increasing the number of authorized  shares of the Company's  $2.50 Par
         Value Common Stock from its present  level of 3,000,000  shares up to a
         maximum of 10,000,000  shares.  The future timing (up to the earlier of
         thirteen  months  following the 1999 Annual Meeting of  Stockholders or
         the date of the 2000 Annual Meeting of Stockholders)  and the amount of
         the increase in authorized  shares  (subject to a maximum of 10,000,000
         shares),  if any, will be at the  discretion of the Company's  Board of
         Directors.

3. Any and all other  matters that may  properly  come before the meeting or any
adjournment thereof.

     Only  stockholders of record at the close of business on March 26, 1999 are
entitled  to  notice  of and to  vote  at the  meeting  or any  adjournment 
thereof.

         If you do not expect to be present at the meeting, please date and sign
the  accompanying  proxy and return it promptly in the  enclosed  envelope.  The
proxy  may be  revoked  at any  time  before  it is  exercised  and  will not be
exercised if you attend the meeting and vote in person.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.



                                                     GLENN J. KENNEDY
                                                     Secretary
Valdese, North Carolina
April 15, 1999


<PAGE>



                              Alba-Waldensian, Inc.
                               Post Office Box 100
                           201 St. Germain Avenue, SW
                          Valdese, North Carolina 28690

                            PROXY STATEMENT FOR 1999
                         ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

                               GENERAL INFORMATION

         The  accompanying  proxy is being  solicited  on behalf of the Board of
Directors of Alba-Waldensian,  Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), for
use at the  Annual  Meeting  of  Stockholders  to be held at the  offices of the
Company, 201 St. Germain Avenue, SW, Valdese, North Carolina 28690, on Thursday,
May 13, 1999, at 9:00 a.m., Local Time, and at any adjournment thereof.

         Solicitation other than by mail may be made personally and by telephone
by  regularly  employed  officers  and  employees of the Company who will not be
additionally compensated therefore. In addition,  arrangements will be made with
brokerage  houses,  banks,  voting  trustees  and their  nominees  to send proxy
material to any beneficial owner of shares of the Company's Common Stock held of
record by them.  This proxy  material will be first mailed on or about April 15,
1999.  The Company has engaged its Transfer  Agent,  First Union  National  Bank
("First Union") to deliver proxy materials and solicit proxies. First Union will
be reimbursed by the Company for its printing costs, postage and freight charges
and other expenses and will be paid a reasonable fee for its services.
All expenses in connection with the solicitation will be borne by the Company.

         Each proxy  submitted  will be voted as  directed.  If no  direction is
given, the proxy will be voted for the action  proposed.  The only matters to be
considered at the meeting,  so far as known to the Board of  Directors,  are the
matters set forth in the Notice of Annual  Meeting of  Stockholders  and routine
matters  incidental  to the  conduct  of the  meeting.  If any other  matters do
properly  come before the meeting,  however,  the persons named as attorneys and
proxies will vote on such matters in accordance  with their best judgment.  Each
stockholder  giving a proxy has the power to revoke it at any time  before it is
exercised by filing an instrument  revoking it, by filing a duly executed  proxy
bearing a later  date with the  Secretary  of the  Company or by  attending  the
meeting and voting in person.



                    VOTING SECURITIES, PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS
                           AND HOLDINGS OF MANAGEMENT

         The record date for determination of stockholders entitled to notice of
and to vote at the meeting is the close of business on March 26,  1999.  On such
date,  2,346,280 shares of the Company's Common Stock, par value $2.50 per share
(the "Common Stock"),  were outstanding.  Each share of Common Stock is entitled
to one vote on each matter to be voted on at the meeting. Voting on the election
of  Directors  at the meeting  shall be by ballot.  Voting on all other  matters
shall be by voice vote or by show of hands.

     On May 15, 1998, investors,  including the Company and Mr. Clyde Wm. Engle,
the Company's Chairman and beneficial holder (through Sunstates  Corporation) of
a majority of the Company's  common stock,  purchased  from a major bank 938,700
shares of the Company's  common stock  formerly  held by Sunstates  Corporation,
pursuant to a private sale of collateral  held under a defaulted  loan which the
Company's  affiliates  had with the bank. The Company  purchased  295,000 of the
shares at a cost of $2,212,500 plus other estimated  transaction  costs totaling
$150,000.  The Company  utilized its existing cash plus funds  obtained from its
new $21,000,000 financing facility to purchase the stock. The Company intends to
hold the 295,000  shares as treasury stock and currently has no plans for future
utilization of those shares.

     As a result of these transactions, the Company is no longer a subsidiary of
Sunstates Corporation.

     The following table sets forth, as of March 26, 1999,  certain  information
regarding  each person known to the Company to be the  beneficial  owner of more
than 5% of its outstanding Common Stock:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Name and Address of                           Amount and Nature of             Percent
Beneficial Owner                              Beneficial Ownership             of Class
- ---------------------------------------   ------------------------------   -----------------
<S>                                                <C>                          <C>  

Clyde Wm. Engle                                    860,850(1)                   36.6%
GSC Enterprises, Inc.
4433 West Touhy Avenue
Lincolnwood, Illinois 60646

Nathan H Dardick                                   519,050(2)                   22.1%
303 East Wacker Drive
Suite 1000
Chicago, Illinois 60601

Dimensional Fund Advisors, Inc.                    128,550(3)                    5.5%
1299 Ocean Avenue, 11th Floor
Santa Monica, CA 90401

<FN>

(1)      According  to  information  contained  in an  amendment to Schedule 13D
         dated August 6, 1998,  and  information  provided to the Company by Mr.
         Engle, 105,000 shares are owned by GSC Enterprises,  Inc., 9,450 shares
         are owned by  Sunstates  Equities,  Inc.  and 732,750  shares are owned
         directly by Mr. Engle. Substantially,  all of the shares owned directly
         by Mr.  Engle are pledged as security  for a bank loan.  Mr.  Engle,  a
         Director and Chairman of the Board of the Company,  is the Chairman and
         Chief Executive  Officer of GSC Enterprises,  Inc. and is President and
         Director  of  Sunstates  Equities,  Inc.  Mr.  Engle  and  all of  such
         corporations  have sole voting and  dispositive  power with  respect to
         these  847,200  shares of Common  Stock.  Additionally,  members of Mr.
         Engle's  family own 9,900 shares of the Company's  common stock and Mr.
         Engle  disavows  beneficial  ownership of these  shares.  Also includes
         3,750 shares  subject to options  held by Mr. Engle that are  presently
         exercisable or exercisable within 60 days.

(2)      Based on  information  contained  in an amendment to Schedule 13D dated
         February  10,  1999 and  information  provided  to the  Company  by Mr.
         Dardick.  Also  includes  3,750  shares  subject to options held by Mr.
         Dardick that are presently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days.

(3)      According  to  information  contained  in an  amendment to Schedule 13G
         dated  February  11,  1999 and  information  provided to the Company by
         Dimensional  Fund  Advisors,  Inc.  ("DFA"),  a  registered  investment
         advisor,  DFA is deemed to have beneficial  ownership of 128,530 shares
         of Common  Stock,  all of which  shares are held in  portfolios  of DFA
         Investment  Dimensions Group Inc. (the "Fund"),  a registered  open-end
         investment  company,  or in series of the DFA Investment  Trust Company
         (the "Trust"),  a Delaware  business  trust, or the DFA Group Trust and
         DFA  Participation  Group  Trust,  investment  vehicles  for  qualified
         employee  benefit  plans,  for all of which DFA  serves  as  investment
         manager. DFA disclaims beneficial ownership of all 128,530 shares.
</FN>
</TABLE>

The following table sets forth, as of March 26, 1999,  certain  information with
respect  to the  beneficial  ownership  of the  Common  Stock by  certain  named
Executive  Officers and all  Directors,  nominees  for  Director  and  Executive
Officers of the Company as a group.  The named  Executive  Officers listed below
are the Company's  three most highly  compensated  current  executive  officers,
other than the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer,  whose total
annual  salary and bonus for the fiscal year ended  December 31, 1998,  exceeded
$100,000.  Information  with respect to the  beneficial  ownership of the Common
Stock by the Chief Executive  Officer and Chief Financial  Officer,  each of the
Directors  and the nominees is contained in the table under  "Information  About
Directors and Nominees for Director."
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Name of                              Amount and Nature of                   Percent
Beneficial Owner                     Beneficial Ownership (1)               of Class
- --------------------------------     -----------------------------     -------------------
<S>                                           <C>                            <C>  

Donald R. Denne                                12,563(2)                       *

Dixon R. Johnston                              11,719(3)                       *

Ronald J. Harrison                             9,375(4)                        *

All Directors, nominees                       1,502,618(5)                   62.3%
and Executive Officers
as a group (14 persons)
<FN>

*   Less than 1%.

(1)      Except as indicated in the table under the heading "Voting  Securities,
         Principal   Stockholders  and  Holdings  of  Management"   above,  each
         Director,  nominee and  executive  officer  possesses the sole power to
         vote and dispose of the shares beneficially owned by him.

(2)      Includes 10,313 shares subject to options that are presently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days.

(3)      Includes 2,344 shares subject to options that are presently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days.

(4)      Includes 4,688 shares subject to options that are presently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days.

(5)      Includes 65,157 shares subject to options that are presently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days.
</FN>
</TABLE>


              INFORMATION ABOUT DIRECTORS AND NOMINEES FOR DIRECTOR

         The Company's  Bylaws provide that the number of Directors shall be not
less than five nor more than 15, the exact number to be determined  from time to
time by  resolution of the Board of  Directors.  By resolution  adopted June 15,
1998, the Board set the number of Directors at nine. The Bylaws also provide for
three classes of Directors having staggered terms of office,  with each Director
serving a three-year  term expiring upon the election and  qualification  of his
successor.

     Three Directors,  Messrs. James W. Fawcett,  Jr., C. Alan Forbes and Lee N.
Mortenson, are currently serving terms that expire at the 1999 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders.  On February 25, 1999, the Directors nominated Messrs.  Forbes and
Mortenson to serve new  three-year  terms and nominated Mr. Michael R. Stroll to
fill the third seat on the Board.  Mr.  Forbes was first elected to the Board of
Directors in 1974 and Mr.  Mortenson was first elected to the Board of Directors
in 1984. Mr. Stroll has not previously served as a director of the Company.

         The  accompanying  proxy will be voted FOR the  election of these three
nominees unless authority to do so is withheld.

         The six  Directors  whose terms expire in 2000 and 2001 were elected by
the Company's  stockholders  at prior annual  meetings to serve until the annual
meeting  to be held in the year set  forth in the table  below  and until  their
successors are elected and qualified.

         Directors  shall be  elected  by a  plurality  of the votes cast by the
holders of the shares  present in person or represented by proxy at a meeting at
which a quorum is present  and which are  entitled  to vote on the  election  of
directors.  Abstentions  and  shares  not voted are not taken  into  account  in
determining  a plurality  in the  election of  directors.  Although the Board of
Directors  does not expect  that any of the  nominees  will be  unavailable  for
election,  if a vacancy in the slate of nominees  unexpectedly  occurs,  proxies
will be voted in favor of those  nominees  who remain as  candidates  and may be
voted for a nominee designated by the Board of Directors.

         The  following  table sets forth  certain  information  about the three
nominees for Director and the remaining  Directors  whose terms continue  beyond
the 1999  Annual  Meeting of  Stockholders,  including  information  about their
beneficial ownership of Common Stock as of March 26, 1999. A description of each
person's business activities during the past five years, including his position,
if any, with the Company and other pertinent information follow the table.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                  Beneficial Ownership
                                                                    of Common Stock
                                           Year First
Nominees For                                 Became       No. of Shares(1)
Terms Expiring 2002             Age         Director                             % of Class
- -------------------             ---         --------                             ----------
<S>                              <C>          <C>             <C>                  <C>  

Michael R. Stroll                58            --                 0                   0
C. Alan Forbes                   65           1974            3,825(3)                *
Lee N. Mortenson                 63           1984            28,800(3)             1.2%

                                                                  Beneficial Ownership
                                                                    Of Common Stock
                                           Year First
Directors With                               Became       No. of Shares(1)
Terms Expiring 2001             Age         Director                             % of Class
- -------------------             ---         --------                             ----------

Clyde Wm. Engle                  56           1980          860,850(2)(3)           36.6%
Joseph C. Minio                  56           1983            3,750(3)                *
Nathan H Dardick                 49           1998           519,050(3)             22.1%

                                                                  Beneficial Ownership
                                                                    Of Common Stock
                                           Year First
Directors With                               Became       No. of Shares(1)
Terms Expiring 2000             Age         Director                             % of Class
- -------------------             ---         --------                             ----------

Paul H. Albritton, Jr.           55           1991            4,650(3)                *
William M. Cousins, Jr.          74           1991            3,750(3)                *
Glenn J. Kennedy                 47           1991            19,687(3)               *
<FN>

*   Less than 1% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company.

     (1)  Except as otherwise noted, each Director or nominee possesses the sole
          power to vote and dispose of the shares beneficially owned by him.

     (2)  See  Note  1 in  the  table  under  the  heading  "Voting  Securities,
          Principal Stockholders and Holdings of Management" above regarding the
          holdings of Clyde Wm. Engle.

     (3)  Includes   3,750  shares   subject  to  options  that  are   presently
          exercisable or exercisable within 60 days.
</FN>
</TABLE>

         Paul H.  Albritton,  Jr.  Mr.  Albritton  is Vice  President  and Chief
Financial  Officer (since May 1994) of C-Phone  Corporation,  a publicly  traded
company engaged in video communication equipment  manufacturing.  From September
1992 to May 1994, Mr.  Albritton,  an attorney and certified public  accountant,
was a self-employed financial consultant and private investor.

     William  M.  Cousins,  Jr. Mr.  Cousins  has been  President  of William M.
Cousins  Jr.,  Inc.,  a  management-consulting  firm,  since 1974.  Mr.  Cousins
received  his MBA from  Harvard  University.  Mr.  Cousins is also a Director of
Wellco Enterprises, Inc. and BioSepra, Inc.

     Nathan  H  Dardick.  Mr.  Dardick  is  an  attorney,  independent  business
consultant and private investor.  From June 1974 until May 1996, Mr. Dardick was
engaged primarily in the practice of law in Chicago,  Illinois. He was a partner
in Dardick & Denlow (and its  predecessor  firms) from June 1977 through  August
1993,  and a partner in Sachnoff & Weaver from  September 1993 through May 1996,
when Mr.  Dardick  retired  from the  active  practice  of law in order to focus
primarily upon making investments in public and private  companies.  Mr. Dardick
is also  President of Captiva  Investment  Company,  which was founded by him in
April 1996 as a vehicle to make loans to small private  businesses.  Mr. Dardick
received his A.B.  degree from  Washington  University  in St. Louis and his law
degree from The University of Chicago Law School.

         Clyde Wm.  Engle.  Mr. Engle has served as Chairman of the Board of the
Company  since  May  1991.  He also  holds  positions  with  various  businesses
headquartered in Chicago,  Illinois,  including RDIS Corporation (formerly Libco
Corporation)  (Chairman  of  the  Board  and  President),   which  is  the  sole
shareholder of Telco Capital Corporation; Telco Capital Corporation (Chairman of
the Board and Chief  Executive  Officer),  which is the majority  shareholder of
Hickory  Furniture  Company;  Hickory Furniture Company (Chairman of the Board),
which is the majority  shareholder of Sunstates  Corporation;  GSC  Enterprises,
Inc. (Chairman of the Board,  President and Chief Executive Officer), a one bank
holding company, and Bank of Lincolnwood  (Chairman of the Board and President).
Mr. Engle is also Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Sunstates
Corporation  (formerly Acton Corporation),  a Delaware  corporation,  which is a
publicly traded company primarily engaged in real estate investing and automated
textile  equipment   manufacturing.   The  following   information  is  provided
voluntarily by Mr. Engle although it is not deemed material  information as that
term is used in Item 401 of Regulation  S-K. Mr. Engle is the subject of a Cease
and Desist Order dated October 7, 1993,  issued by the  Securities  and Exchange
Commission  requiring  Mr.  Engle and  certain of his  affiliated  companies  to
permanently  cease and desist from committing any further  violations of Section
16(a)  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  as  amended,  and the  rules
promulgated  thereunder,  which requires  monthly and other periodic  reports of
transactions  in certain  securities.  According to information  provided to the
Company by Mr.  Engle,  the  information  required  to be  reported  pursuant to
Section  16(a) was  otherwise  reported  in a timely  manner  in other  publicly
available reports.

         C.  Alan  Forbes.  Mr.  Forbes  has  been a  management  consultant  in
Charlotte, North Carolina and President of C.A. Forbes & Assoc., Inc., a general
management  consulting  firm  specializing  in profit  improvement  programs and
corporate  turnarounds  for over 25  years.  While  the firm has  worked in many
industries,  primary  concentration  has been in the  manufacture  of  textiles,
furniture,  precision  machine tools and metal fabricated  products,  as well as
wholesale  distribution  of HVAC and lumber and wood  products.  Mr.  Forbes has
worked  internationally in over forty countries.  Mr. Forbes holds B.S. and M.S.
degrees in management from Georgia Tech.

     Glenn J.  Kennedy.  Mr.  Kennedy has served as Vice  President,  Treasurer,
Secretary  and Chief  Financial  Officer of the  Company  since  June 1997.  Mr.
Kennedy has been a director of  Alba-Waldensian  since 1991 and was elected Vice
President,  Treasurer,  Secretary and Chief  Financial  Officer in June 1997. He
also currently serves as Vice President  (since July 1988),  Treasurer and Chief
Financial  Officer  (since May 1988) of Sunstates  Corporation  (formerly  Acton
Corporation),  a  publicly  traded  company  primarily  engaged  in real  estate
investing and automated textile equipment manufacturing. From August 1986 to May
1988,  Mr.  Kennedy was Chief  Financial  Officer  and  Treasurer  of  Sunstates
Corporation,   a  publicly  traded  company  which  was  primarily   engaged  in
specialized automobile insurance underwriting and real estate development, which
was merged  into Acton  Corporation  in May of 1988.  Mr.  Kennedy has served as
Chief  Financial  Officer of Simms  Investment  Company  and was a Senior  Audit
Manager with Price Waterhouse & Co. Mr. Kennedy is a Certified Public Accountant
and has a Bachelors Degree in Accounting from North Carolina State University

     Joseph C. Minio. Mr. Minio has been President,  Chief Executive Officer and
Director of Belle Haven  Management Ltd. since 1986. Belle Haven Management Ltd.
is engaged in the  business  of  acquiring  controlling  positions  in small and
medium-sized   under-performing   companies,  and  provides  top  level  general
management services, including strategic planning, restructuring,  financing and
acquisition  search,  analysis  and  negotiation.  He also  formerly  served  as
President and Chief  Executive  Officer of Intelligent  Business  Communications
Corporation.  Intelligent Business Communications Corporation was engaged in the
design,  development,  manufacture,  and marketing of advanced  state of the art
satellite data control  equipment as well as vertical  circuit  switches and T-1
multiplexers for both data and voice communications.

         Lee N.  Mortenson.  Mr.  Mortenson  has served as  President  and Chief
Executive  Officer of the Company  since  February  1997.  He has also served as
President,  Chief Operating Officer and a Director of Telco Capital  Corporation
of  Chicago,   Illinois  since  January  1984.  Telco  Capital   Corporation  is
principally engaged in automated textile equipment manufacturing and real estate
investing  businesses.  To December  1990,  he was  President,  Chief  Executive
Officer and a Director of Sunstates Corporation (formerly Acton Corporation) and
since  December  1990 he has  been  President,  Chief  Operating  Officer  and a
Director  of   Sunstates   Corporation.   Sunstates   Corporation,   a  Delaware
corporation,  is a publicly  traded  company  primarily  engaged in real  estate
investing and automated textile apparel manufacturing. Mr. Mortenson also serves
as a Director of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Inc. On December 24, 1996, an
agreed order of liquidation with a finding of insolvency was entered against the
principal  subsidiary  of  Sunstates  Corporation,   Coronet  Insurance  Company
("Coronet"),  under the Illinois Insurance Code,  pursuant to which, among other
things,  all of the  assets of  Coronet  were  transferred  to the Office of the
Special  Deputy  for the  purpose of winding  up the  affairs  of  Coronet.  Mr.
Mortenson  was a Director  of Coronet  and  served as its  President  during the
period  1994  to  1996.  On  January  24,  1997,   Hickory  White   Company,   a
furniture-manufacturing  subsidiary of Sunstates Corporation,  filed a voluntary
petition under Chapter 11 of the Federal  Bankruptcy  Code. All of the assets of
Hickory  White  Company were sold to an unrelated  party on March 17, 1997.  Mr.
Mortenson  was Vice  President  and a Director  of Hickory  White  Company.  Mr.
Mortenson  previously served as Group Vice President of Gould, Inc. from 1980 to
1982.  Prior to this, he was a Group Vice  President  with Becton  Dickinson and
Company.  Mr. Mortenson holds a BS Degree and Masters Degree in Engineering from
UCLA.

     Michael R. Stroll.  Mr. Stroll is currently  engaged in private  management
consulting.  Mr.  Stroll was  President  and Chief  Operating  Officer of Capcom
Coin-Op from 1994 to 1996.  From 1987 to 1988, Mr. Stroll was President of Sega,
USA, an electronics game  manufacturer.  Mr. Stroll also served as President and
Chief Operating Officer of Williams Electronics,  Inc., a public company engaged
in electronic game design and manufacture.  Mr. Stroll has an engineering degree
from the University of Hartford.


                    THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND ITS COMMITTEES

         The Audit  Committee  is  currently  comprised  of  Messrs.  Albritton,
Cousins,  Dardick and Fawcett.  Mr. Albritton serves as Chairman.  The principal
duties of the Audit  Committee are to review with the  independent  auditors (i)
the purpose and scope of services to be  performed by them,  (ii) the  financial
statements  and related  opinions of the auditors,  (iii) the  observations  and
recommendations of the auditors relating to accounting  principles or practices,
internal controls,  financial  reporting and operations and (iv) other pertinent
matters   necessary  to  assist  the  Board  of  Directors  in  fulfilling   its
responsibilities  for  public  financial  reporting.   In  addition,  the  Audit
Committee  communicates  with  members of the  Company's  management  staff with
respect to auditing matters, supervises and reviews the Company's internal audit
procedures and activities and recommends to the Board of Directors nomination of
an  independent  auditing  firm for the Company.  The Audit  Committee met three
times during 1998.

         The Stock  Option and  Executive  Compensation  Committee  is currently
comprised of Messrs.  Dardick,  Engle,  Forbes and Minio.  Mr.  Forbes serves as
Chairman.  The principal  duties of the Stock Option and Executive  Compensation
Committee  are to review and  recommend  changes with  respect to the  Company's
stock option  plans,  to  recommend  options to be granted  under the plans,  to
review salaries and other  compensation paid to management of the Company and to
assist the Chief  Executive  Officer  with  respect to the  Company's  executive
compensation policies. The Stock Option and Executive Compensation Committee met
six times during 1998.

         The Company does not have a nominating  committee.  The entire Board of
Directors considers and nominates individuals for election to serve on the Board
of Directors.

         The  Board of  Directors  met ten  times  during  1998.  All  Directors
attended at least 75% of the meetings of the Board and all  committees  of which
they were a member except for Mr.  Fawcett who attended  only seven  meetings of
the Board of Directors due to illness.





                            COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS

         Directors who do not serve on any committees receive an annual retainer
of $1,300. Directors who also serve on a committee receive an annual retainer of
$2,000.  All  directors  receive  $1,000 for each  regular  meeting of the Board
attended ($500 for each telephonic  Board  meeting).  Directors who serve on the
Audit  Committee,  the  Executive  Committee or the Stock  Option and  Executive
Compensation  Committee  receive an additional  $500 for each Committee  meeting
attended ($250 for each telephonic Committee meeting).

                           STOCK OPTION AND EXECUTIVE
                          COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT

         The Stock Option and Executive  Compensation  Committee of the Board of
Directors  of the Company  (the  "Committee")  provides  overall  guidance  with
respect to the  Company's  executive  compensation  programs.  The  Committee is
composed of four members (all  outside  directors)  and it meets at least once a
year to review the Company's compensation  programs,  including executive salary
administration,  stock and incentive compensation plans. The Committee considers
and makes final  decisions  regarding the  compensation  of the Chief  Executive
Officer and the other executive officers of the Company.

General Executive Compensation Policies

         The Company's executive  compensation  policies are designed to attract
and retain top quality executive  officers and to reward executive  officers for
performance measured by review of financial performance criteria and achievement
of strategic corporate objectives.

         The  Company's   executive  officers  are  eligible  to  receive  three
principal types of compensation:  base salary, annual incentive compensation and
stock  options  and  related  bonus plan  payments,  each of which is more fully
described below. In addition,  executive  officers  participate in the Company's
various other employee benefit plans,  including the Company's  Employee Savings
and Profit Sharing Plan.

         1. Base  salary.  The Company  has  historically  established  the base
salary  of its  executive  officers  on the  basis of each  executive  officer's
experience,  scope of responsibility and  accountability  within the Company and
salary and benefits at comparable public companies.

         2. Annual incentive compensation. To provided incentive compensation to
executive  officers,  a component of an executive  officer's total  compensation
arrangement   derives  from  participation  in  the  Company's  1989  Management
Incentive Plan (the "MI Plan").  Under the MI Plan, the named Executive Officers
can earn a designated  percentage (as determined by the Compensation  Committee)
of annual salary based upon two or more of three  criteria:  actual  performance
against  established  personal objectives  ("MBOs"),  Company profit performance
against the established budget, and/or divisional profit performance against the
established  budget.  Under  the MI Plan,  Messrs.  Denne,  Harrison,  Johnston,
Kennedy and Mortenson may be awarded as bonuses up to 51.8%, 47.3%, 51.8%, 44.6%
and 103.1%, respectively, of their base salary in 1999.

         Varying  percentages of each named  Executive  Officer's bonus for 1998
was tied to the  achievement  of  established  financial and budget  objectives.
These budget objectives are approved annually by the Board of Directors. Falling
below 85% of the budget objective  results in no bonus award with respect to the
budget  objective  component  of the  bonus.  The other  portion  of each  named
Executive Officer's bonus depends on his achievement of MBOs and other strategic
goals of the Company,  which are determined and approved for each fiscal year by
the Committee. The ability of the named Executive Officer to receive an award of
the full amount for a particular  year depends on whether or not the established
objective.  Awards under both the  financial and MBO  components  are subject to
adjustment for unusual circumstances at the discretion of the Committee.

         3. Stock option compensation and related bonus payments.  The Committee
believes  that stock  ownership  is another  way to align the  interests  of the
executive  officers  with those of the  Company's  shareholders.  The  Committee
generally  awards stock  options to an executive  officer  based on his position
with the Company.  The Committee  believes that stock options give the executive
officer a proprietary  interest in the Company and allow  executive  officers to
realize  economic gain upon  increases in  shareholder  value over time. To that
end, the  Committee  may award  executive  officers with stock options under the
Company's 1993 Long Term Performance  Plan (the "1993 Plan").  During the fiscal
year ended  December  31,  1998,  the  Committee  granted  stock  options to the
Company's  Executive Officers with respect to a total of 29,250 shares of Common
Stock as follows:

         Ronald J. Harrison           7,500 shares
         Dixon R. Johnston 15,000 shares
         Warren R. Nesbit    6,750 shares


1998 Compensation for Mr. Mortenson

     The general  policies  described  above for the  compensation  of executive
officers also applied to Lee N. Mortenson.  In determining Mr.  Mortenson's base
salary,  the Committee took into account comparable salary and benefits at other
publicly traded  companies in the textile industry as well as the performance of
the Company in 1997. Mr.  Mortenson's  1998 annual salary was  established to be
$214,500.

         Mr. Mortenson's 1998 incentive compensation, however, was earned on the
basis of a different  formula from that of the other named  Executive  Officers.
Mr.  Mortenson  was  awarded  43.1% of his base  salary in bonus  based upon his
achievement of MBOs. In addition,  Mr.  Mortenson's bonus was determined under a
formula whereby he could be awarded a bonus equal to 12.5% of his base salary in
the event the Company achieved 85% of the  pre-established  financial and budget
objectives (0% below 85%  performance).  For every percentage point by which the
Company exceeded 85% of the established  financial and budget objectives,  which
could be subjectively adjusted by the Committee for unusual  circumstances,  the
percentage of the applicable portion of his base salary subject to the bonus was
increased  by  2.23  percentage   points.   Mr.   Mortenson's   total  incentive
compensation in 1998 was $427,928, or 199.5% of his base salary.

         In December  1997,  the Company  provided Mr.  Mortenson with a $90,000
loan to assist him in the  acquisition  of his new residence in North  Carolina.
The loan bears  interest at prime plus 1% was  originally  due at the earlier of
the date of sale of his Chicago  residence or one year.  The maximum term of the
loan has now been  extended  through  December  1999.  The loan is  secured by a
second deed of trust on his North Carolina residence.

         The  Stock  Option  and  Executive  Compensation  Committee  Report  is
presented by the members of the Committee:

                           Nathan H Dardick
                           Clyde Wm. Engle
                           C. Alan Forbes, Chairman
                           Joseph C. Minio




<PAGE>


                      SHAREHOLDER RETURN PERFORMANCE GRAPH

         Set forth below is a line graph comparing the yearly  percentage change
in the cumulative total  stockholder  return on the Company's Common Stock (AWS)
against  the  cumulative  total  return of the S&P 500  Composite  Index and the
Russell 3000 Textile  Apparel Index for the period  covering the Company's  five
fiscal year periods  ended  December 31, 1998.  In prior years,  the Company had
compared  its  performance  against a Peer Group  consisting  of  publicly  held
entities  selected  by  the  Company.  In  1998  in  order  to  standardize  the
performance  comparisons,  the Company  decided to utilize a published  industry
index (the Russell 3000 Textile  Apparel  Index) in lieu of the Peer Group.  The
1998  performance  graph presents both the newly adopted  industry index and the
old Peer Group;  which  consisted  of:  Hartmarx  Corp.,  Hampshire  Group Ltd.,
Danskin Inc.,  Nantucket  Industries,  Inc.,  Warnaco Group Inc.  Class A Common
Stock,  Fruit of the  Loom  Inc.  Class A  Common  Stock,  Sara  Lee  Corp.  and
Premiumwear Inc.



<PAGE>


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                      COMPARATIVE FIVE-YEAR TOTAL RETURNS*
     ALBA-WALDENSIAN, S&P 500, PEER GROUP, RUSSEL 3000 TEXTILE APPAREL INDEX
                     (Performance results through 12/31/98)

<S>                                 <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>

                                      1993       1994       1995       1996       1997       1998
Alba-Waldensian                     100.00     107.23      73.49      56.63      44.58     369.09
S&P 500                             100.00     101.33     139.33     171.72     229.03     294.89
Textile Apparel Index               100.00      94.93     108.97     135.87     148.23     123.09
Old Peer Group                      100.00     104.52     130.15     159.44     221.76     216.16
<FN>

Assumes $100  invested at the close of trading on the last trading day preceding
the first day of the fifth preceding  fiscal year in AWS common stock,  S&P 500,
Russell 3000 Textile Apparel Index and Old Peer Group.

                                            Source: Russell/Mellon Analytical Services
Factual  material is obtained  from  sources  believed to be  reliable,  but the
publisher is not responsible for any errors or omissions contained herein.

* Cumulative total return assumes reinvestment of dividends.
</FN>
</TABLE>


<PAGE>



                               EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

The following table sets forth certain information about the Company's executive
officers:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Name                                              Age                  Position with the Company
- ----                                              ---                  -------------------------
<S>                                       <C>                 <C>  

Lee N. Mortenson                          63                  President and Chief Executive
                                                              Officer

Donald R. Denne, Sr.                      62                  Senior Vice President and
                                                              President of the Health Products
Division

Dixon R. Johnston                         57                  Senior Vice President and
                                                              President of the Consumer
                                                              Products Division

Glenn J. Kennedy                          47                  Vice President, Treasurer,
                                                              Secretary and Chief Financial
                                                              Officer

Ronald J. Harrison                        52                  Vice President - Operations

Warren R. Nesbit, II                      46                  Vice President - Human
                                                               Resources

James Douglas Dickson                     42                  Assistant Secretary

</TABLE>


     The following  paragraphs set forth  information  concerning each executive
officer's business experience:

     Mr. Lee N. Mortenson - see information under  "INFORMATION  ABOUT DIRECTORS
AND NOMINEES FOR DIRECTORS".

     Mr. Donald R. Denne, Sr. joined the Company in 1987 and is Senior Corporate
Vice President and President of the Health Products  Division.  Prior to joining
the Company, Mr. Denne served as Vice President of Marketing for General Medical
Corporation,  Vice President of Health  Products for Work Wear  Corporation  and
Vice President for Business Planning for American Hospital Supply. Mr. Denne has
a B.A. degree from Duke University.

     Mr. Dixon R. Johnston joined the Company on February 22, 1996 and is Senior
Corporate Vice President and President of the Consumer Products Division.  Prior
to joining the  Company,  Mr.  Johnston  served as Executive  Vice  President of
Gem-Dandy, Inc. from 1995 - 1996. Mr. Johnston served as Director of Motorsports
& New  Ventures  for Sky Box  International  from  1993 to 1995.  He  served  as
Executive Vice President of Trone Advertising from 1989 - 1993. Mr. Johnston was
president and part owner of Milpak Graphics from 1986 to 1989. From 1982 to 1986
he was  President  of  No-nonsense  Fashions,  Inc.,  a division of  Kayser-Roth
Hosiery. Mr. Johnston has a degree in economics from Northwestern University and
an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley.

     Mr. Glenn J. Kennedy - see information under  "INFORMATION  ABOUT DIRECTORS
AND NOMINEES FOR DIRECTORS".

         Mr.  Ronald J.  Harrison  joined the Company in  February  1997 as Vice
President of Operations. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Harrison had 29 years
of  experience  in the apparel  business  holding  various  positions  including
industrial engineer, plant manager and vice president of manufacturing (Champion
Inc.)  and  president  of  two  smaller   apparel   companies  (C  &  L  Apparel
Manufacturing and Hartin Industries). Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Harrison
was  chief  operating   officer  for  Jelyn  Associates  (d/b/a  Old  Glory),  a
Pennsylvania  sweater  company from 1995 to February 1997.  Offshore  experience
includes  Mexico,  all of Central America and the Caribbean  Basin. Mr. Harrison
has a bachelor's  degree from Louisiana Tech  University and an MBA from Memphis
State University.

     Mr.  Warren  Nesbit,  II joined the Company in December 1985 as Director of
Human  Resources.  He was named Vice  President  of Human  Resources in 1990 and
elected to serve as a Corporate  Vice  President in 1993.  Mr.  Nesbit served as
Vice  President of Industrial  Relations with Marion  Manufacturing,  in Marion,
North Carolina prior to joining the Company.  He held various  manufacturing and
human resource  responsibilities  with Burlington  Industries from 1978 to 1984.
Mr. Nesbit is a graduate of the University of North Carolina.

     Mr.  James  Douglas  Dickson  joined  the  Company  in  1994  as  Corporate
Controller.  He was elected  Assistant  Secretary on December 15, 1994. Prior to
joining the Company,  Mr. Dickson served as Controller of Hickorycraft,  Inc., a
division of Masco Corporation,  from 1987 to 1994 and as Division  Controller of
Sealed Air  Corporation  from 1982 to 1987.  Mr.  Dickson  holds a B.A. from the
University of Georgia and is a Certified Management Accountant.

     The Company's officers are elected for a one-year term our until successors
are duly qualified at the annual meeting of the Board of Directors.


                         EXECUTIVE OFFICER COMPENSATION

         The table below shows the  compensation  paid or accrued by the Company
for the three fiscal years ended December 31, 1998, 1997 and 1996, to or for the
account of each of the Chief  Executive  Officers  and the  Company's  four most
highly  compensated other executive officers whose total annual salary and bonus
for 1998 exceeded $100,000 (collectively, the named Executive Officers).


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                                                      Summary Compensation Table

                                    Long Term
                                   Annual Compensation             Compensation
                            ---------------------------------- ----------------------

                                                      Other     Stock                 
                                                     Annual     Option               All Other
Name and              Fiscal  Salary                Compen-satioAwards   LTIP        Compen-sation
Principal Position     Year     ($)      Bonus($)      ($)      (#Sh)    Payouts ($) (3)
- --------------------- ----------------------------- ---------- --------- -----------------------
<S>                    <C>  <C>          <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>         <C>

Lee N. Mortenson (1)   1998 225,000(9)   427,928    87,710(10)  750(8)        0        2,871
 President and Chief   1997 176,500(9)   125,813    47,541(10) 78,000(8)      0        2,684
 Executive Officer     1996      0          0           0         0           0          0

Donald R. Denne        1998   157,500     30,346       (2)        0           0        2,693
 Senior Vice           1997   150,000     10,800       (2)      7,500     5,100(4)     2,691
President              1996   143,004     18,218       (2)      3,750     4,200(4)     2,519
 of Company and
 President of Health
 Products Division

Ronald J. Harrison     1998   145,008   212,643(12)    (2)      7,500         0        2,730
(7)                    1997   112,500     37,676       (2)      18,750        0        1,080
 Vice President of
 Operations

Dixon R. Johnston      1998   157,500   233,278(12)    (2)      15,000        0        2,769
(5)                    1997   150,000     41,797    20,000(6)   9,375         0        2,800
 Senior Vice           1996   121,654     25,000    25,000(6)   9,375         0        1,136
President of
Company and
President of the
Consumer Products
Division

Glenn J. Kennedy       1998 146,500(13)   72,375       (2)      750(8)        0         540
(11)                   1997 69,244(13)    30,000       (2)     21,750(8)      0          0
 Vice President,       1996      0          0           0         0           0          0
Treasurer,
Secretary and Chief
Financial Officer

<FN>

All share  amounts in the above table have been  restated to reflect the 3 for 2
stock split effected on November 16, 1998.

     (1)  The Board of Directors elected Mr. Lee N. Mortenson, a Director of the
          Company, on February 20, 1997 as President and Chief Executive Officer
          of the Company.

     (2)  Less than 10% of annual salary and bonus.

     (3)  Represents  matching  contributions  by the Company under its Employee
          Savings and Profit Sharing Plan.

     (4)  These  payments were made pursuant to the  Company's  1991  Management
          Bonus Plan in connection with the expiration of stock options.

     (5)  Mr.  Dixon R.  Johnston  joined the  Company in  February  1996 and is
          Senior Vice  President  of the Company and  President  of the Consumer
          Products Division.

     (6)  Includes a $20,000  moving  allowance  ($15,000 in 1996) paid to or on
          behalf of Mr. Johnston and a $10,000 signing bonus paid in 1996.

     (7)  Mr.  Ronald J.  Harrison  joined the Company in February  1997 as Vice
          President of Operations.

     (8)  Includes 750 and 3,000 options issued in 1998 and 1997,  respectively,
          in connection with the Company's 1997  Nonqualified  Stock Option Plan
          for Directors.

     (9)  Includes  $10,500 and $8,750 in 1998 and 1997,  respectively,  of fees
          for serving on the Board of Directors and various Board Committees.

     (10) Includes  country  club  dues  ($4,619  in 1998 and  $3,249  in 1997),
          automobiles  ($11,191  in 1998 and $5,292 in 1997),  temporary  living
          expenses  ($56,201  in 1998 and  $10,845  in 1997),  travel for spouse
          ($6,124  in 1997) and  reimbursements  for  payment  of  income  taxes
          ($9,016 in 1997).

     (11) Mr. Glenn J. Kennedy,  a Director of the Company,  was elected in June
          1997 as Vice  President,  Treasurer,  Secretary  and  Chief  Financial
          Officer.

     (12) Includes $150,000  compensation  awarded on a discretionary  basis for
          results achieved during the calendar year under a plan approved by the
          Board of Directors. The compensation is paid over the succeeding three
          years on a pro rata basis.  Should the officer  voluntarily  leave the
          Company during that three-year  period,  he will forfeit all rights to
          any unpaid balance.

     (13) Includes  $11,500 and $6,626 in 1998 and 1997,  respectively,  of fees
          for serving on the Board of Directors and various Board Committees.

</FN>
</TABLE>



          Termination of Employment and Change of Control Arrangements

         The Company has entered into  termination  of employment  and change of
control  arrangements  with respect to the Chief Executive Officer and the named
Executive  Officers  of the  Company,  Messrs.  Denne,  Harrison,  Johnston  and
Kennedy.

     Mr. Mortenson has been provided with a severance package requiring, that in
the event of termination  without cause, the payment of 100% of his base pay and
benefits  for a period  equal to the  lesser of twelve  months or the  number of
months Mr. Mortenson remains unemployed.

     Mr.  Denne's  severance  arrangement  provides that in the event that he is
terminated without cause he shall be entitled to receive a payment equal to 100%
of his base pay and benefits for a period of six months. In addition,  following
the  six-month  period,  Mr. Denne is entitled to receive a  contingent  payment
equal to 100% of his base pay and  benefits  for the lesser of (a) six months or
(b) the number of months that he remains unemployed.

         Mr. Harrison's severance arrangement provides that in the event that he
is  terminated  without cause he shall be entitled to receive a payment equal to
100% of his base pay and  benefits  for a period  of six  months.  In  addition,
following the six-month period, Mr. Harrison is entitled to receive a contingent
payment  equal to 100% of his base pay and  benefits  for the  lesser of (a) six
months or (b) the number of months that he remains unemployed.

         Mr.  Johnston's  severance  arrangement  provides that in the event his
employment  with  the  Company  is  involuntarily  terminated  or he is asked to
resign,  in either case  without  cause,  then he shall be entitled to receive a
payment  equal to 100% of his base pay and benefits for a period of nine months.
In  addition,  following  the  nine-month  period,  Mr.  Johnston is entitled to
receive a contingent  payment equal to 100% of his base pay and benefits for the
lesser  of (a)  nine  months  or (b)  the  number  of  months  that  he  remains
unemployed.

         Mr. Kennedy's severance  arrangement provides that in the event that he
is  terminated  without cause he shall be entitled to receive a payment equal to
100% of his base pay and  benefits  for a period  of six  months.  In  addition,
following the six-month period,  Mr. Kennedy is entitled to receive a contingent
payment  equal to 100% of his base pay and  benefits  for the  lesser of (a) six
months or (b) the number of months that he remains unemployed.

         The table below  shows the  individual  grants of stock  options to the
named  Executive  Officers  during the fiscal year ended  December 31, 1998.  No
stock appreciation rights (SARs) were granted during the year.


                        Option Grants in 1998 Fiscal Year
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                                  Potential
                                                                             Realizable Value at
                                                                              Assumed Rates of
                                                                                 Stock Price
                                                                              Appreciation for
                                       Individual Grants                        Option Term*
                                                                             --------------------
                    --------------------------------------------------------
                                % of Total Options
                     Options        Granted to      Exercise or
                    Granted         Employees       Base Price    Expiration
Name                  (Shs)       in Fiscal Year      ($/Sh)        Date        5%        10%
- ------------------  ----------- ------------------- ------------  ---------- --------- ----------
<S>                   <C>              <C>            <C>          <C>         <C>       <C>     
Lee N. Mortenson      750(2)           1.2%           $27.25       12/17/03    $5,646    $12,477
Donald R. Denne         --              --              --           --         --        --
Ronald J.            7,500(1)         11.9%           $27.25       12/17/03   $56,465   $124,773
Harrison
Dixon R. Johnston   15,000(1)         23.8%            $8.00        9/23/03   $33,154    $73,261
Glenn J. Kennedy      750(2)           1.2%           $27.25       12/17/03    $5,646    $12,477
<FN>

All amounts in the above  table have been  restated to reflect the 3 for 2 stock
split effected on November 16, 1998.

*        These amounts  represent  certain assumed rates of  appreciation  only.
         Actual  gains,  if any,  on stock  option  exercises  and Common  Stock
         holdings are  dependent on the future  performance  of the Common Stock
         and overall stock market conditions.

(1)      Qualified stock option granted by the Board of Directors under the 1993
         Long Term  Performance  Plan.  The  option  becomes  exercisable  as to
         one-fourth of the shares each year beginning one year after the date of
         grant. The option price equals the average of the high and low price of
         the Common Stock on the American  Stock  Exchange on the date of grant.
         Special  provisions  govern the  exercise of the option in the event of
         termination of employment, retirement, disability or death.

(2)      Options granted under the Company's 1997 Nonqualifed  Stock Option Plan
         for Directors. The option becomes exercisable on the date of grant. The
         option price equals the average of the high and low price of the Common
         Stock on the  American  Stock  Exchange  on the date of grant.  Special
         provisions   govern  the  exercise  of  the  option  in  the  event  of
         termination of directorship, retirement, disability or death.
</FN>
</TABLE>

         The table below shows, on an aggregated  basis,  each exercise of stock
options  during the fiscal  year ended  December  31,  1998 by each of the named
Executive Officers and the 1998 fiscal year-end value of unexercised options. No
SARs  were  granted  or  exercised  during  the year  and no SARs are  currently
outstanding.


                  Aggregate Option Exercises in the 1998 Fiscal
                     Year and Fiscal Year-End Option Values
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                        Number of              Value of
                                                       Unexercised           Unexercised
                                                        Options at           In-the-Money
                                                       FY-End (#Sh)       Options at FY-End
                                                                                 ($)
                        Shares
                     Acquired on        Value          Exercisable/          Exercisable/
Name                Exercise (#Sh)  Realized ($)      Unexerciseable        Unexerciseable
- ------------------- --------------- -------------- ---------------------  -------------------
<S>                     <C>           <C>              <C>                <C>           
Lee N. Mortenson        18,750        $252,813         3,750/56,250       $66,125/$1,244,531
Donald R. Denne         4,500          25,125          10,313/8,438       $226,836/$184,570
Ronald J. Harrison      4,687          $82,804           0/14,063            $0/$309,972
Dixon R. Johnston         0               0            7,031/26,719       $154,980/$518,926
Glenn J. Kennedy        4,687          $83,194         3,750/14,083        $66,125/$311,133
<FN>

All amounts in the above  table have been  restated to reflect the 3 for 2 stock
split effected on November 16, 1998.
</FN>
</TABLE>


             SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE

         Section  16(a) of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 (the  "Exchange
Act") requires directors and executive officers and certain persons who own more
than 10% of the Company's  common stock to file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission  initial  reports of  ownership  of their common stock and reports of
changes  of such  ownership.  Based  solely  upon a review  of Forms 3 and 4 and
amendments  thereto  furnished  to the  Company  during  the  fiscal  year ended
December 31, 1998 and Forms 5 and  amendments  thereto  furnished to the Company
with  respect  to  the  fiscal  year  ended   December  31,  1998,  and  written
representations from reporting persons that no other reports were required to be
filed,  to the best of the Company's  knowledge,  no reporting  person failed to
file on a timely basis any reports required by Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act
during the most recent fiscal year.


INCREASE IN NUMBER OF AUTHORIZED SHARES OF COMMON STOCK

         Currently,  the Company's  Certificate of Incorporation  authorizes the
Company to issued up to 3,000,000  shares of its $2.50 Par Value  Common  Stock.
The current  number of shares of Common Stock issued is 2,829,384.  The Board of
Directors has determined  that to ensure that an adequate  number of shares will
be available for possible future corporate  purposes,  including but not limited
to  acquisitions,  new capital,  stock splits or dividends and issuance of stock
under  existing  stock  option  plans,  it may  become  necessary  to amend  the
Company's  Certificate  of  Incorporation  to increase  the number of shares the
Company is authorized to issue.

         The  Board of  Directors  recommends  that the  shareholders  approve a
resolution  authorizing  the  Board  to  cause  an  amendment  to the  Company's
Certificate  of  Incorporation  to be filed subject to the following  terms.  In
order to minimize Delaware Corporate Franchise Taxes, the resolution would grant
the Board  discretion as to the timing of the filing of the amendment (up to the
earlier  of  thirteen  months  from  the  date of the  1999  Annual  Meeting  of
Stockholders or the date of the 2000 Annual Meeting of Stockholders)  and amount
of  increase  of  authorized  shares (up to  10,000,000  shares) to be  effected
thereby. In addition,  the resolution will provide that at any time prior to the
effectiveness of the filing of the amendment and  notwithstanding  authorization
of the  proposed  amendment  by the  stockholders,  the Board may  abandon  such
proposed amendment with further action by the stockholders.


                         INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

         Upon the recommendation of the Audit Committee,  the Board of Directors
selected BDO Seidman, LLP to serve as the Company's independent  accountants for
the  fiscal  year  ended  December  31,  1998.  BDO  Seidman,  LLP served as the
Company's independent  accountants for the fiscal years ended December 31, 1994,
1995, 1996 and 1997.

         The Board of Directors  customarily  appoints auditors to serve for the
current  fiscal year in the third or fourth  quarters of the year.  Accordingly,
the Board of Directors has not yet selected  independent  public accountants for
1999.

         Representatives of BDO Seidman are expected to be present at the Annual
Meeting of  Stockholders  with an opportunity to make a statement if they desire
to do so, and they are  expected  to be  available  to  respond  to  appropriate
questions.


                                  OTHER MATTERS

         The  Board  of  Directors  does not know of any  other  business  to be
presented for  consideration  at the Annual Meeting.  If other matters  properly
come before the Annual Meeting,  the persons named in the  accompanying  form of
proxy intend to vote thereon in accordance with their best judgment. The Company
will bear the cost of the Annual  Meeting and the cost of soliciting  proxies in
the accompanying  form,  including the cost of mailing this proxy statement.  In
addition to solicitation by mail,  directors,  officers and regular employees of
the Company (none of whom will be  additionally  compensated  for such services)
may solicit  proxies by telephone or otherwise.  Arrangements  will be made with
brokerage firms and other custodians,  nominees and fiduciaries to forward forms
of proxy and proxy materials to their  principals and the Company will reimburse
them for their reasonable expenses in connection therewith.

     THE COMPANY WILL  FURNISH,  WITHOUT  CHARGE,  TO EACH PERSON WHOSE PROXY IS
BEING  SOLICITED,  UPON WRITTEN  REQUEST,  A COPY OF ITS FORM 10-K INCLUDING THE
FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS,  NOTES  TO THE  FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS  AND THE  FINANCIAL
SCHEDULES  CONTAINED  THEREIN.  Copies  of any  exhibits  thereto  also  will be
furnished upon the payment of a reasonable  duplicating charge. Written requests
for copies of any such  materials  should be directed to Douglas  Dickson,  Jr.,
Assistant Secretary,  Alba-Waldensian Inc., Post Office Box 100, Valdese,  North
Carolina 28690.


                              STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS

         Proposals of  stockholders  intended to be presented at the 2000 Annual
Meeting of  Stockholders  must be received by the Company for  inclusion  in the
Company's  proxy  statement  and form of proxy  relating  to such  meeting on or
before  December 12, 1999. The 2000 Annual Meeting of  Stockholders is currently
contemplated  to be held on May 13, 2000. In addition,  if the Company  receives
notice of a shareholder  proposal  after March 1, 2000,  such proposal  would be
considered  untimely and the persons  named in the proxy  statement  and form of
proxy for the 2000 Annual Meeting will have  discretionary  authority to vote on
such  proposal  without  discussion  of the  matter in the proxy  statement  and
without such matter appearing as a separate item on the proxy card.


<PAGE>


APPENDIX A 

ALBA-WALDENSIAN, INC.

(logo)

PROXY

     PROXY SOLICITED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING TO BE HELD
     MAY 13, 1999

     The  undersigned  hereby  appoints  Paul H.  Albritton,  Jr. and William M.
     Cousins,  Jr.  and  each  or any of  them,  proxies,  with  full  power  of
     substitution,  with the powers the undersigned  would possess if personally
     present,  to vote, as designated  below,  all shares of the $2.50 par value
     Common  Stock of the  undersigned  in  Alba-Waldensian,  Inc. at the Annual
     Meeting of  Stockholders to be held on May 13, 1999, and at any adjournment
     thereof. THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED AS SPECIFIED HEREIN AND, UNLESS OTHERWISE
     DIRECTED, WILL BE VOTED FOR THE ELECTION OF ALL NOMINEES AS DIRECTORS.  The
     Board of Directors recommends voting FOR on each item.

               1.  ELECTION OF  DIRECTORS:  Nominees are C. Alan Forbes,  Lee N.
          Mortenson and Michael R. Stroll

 [ ] FOR all  listed  nominees  (except  do not  vote for the  nominee(s)  whose
name(s) I have written below)

- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 [ ] WITHHOLD AUTHORITY to vote for the listed nominees.

2.  APPROVAL OF A  RESOLUTION  AUTHORIZING  THE BOARD OF  DIRECTORS  TO CAUSE AN
AMENDMENT TO THE COMPANY'S  CERTIFICATE OF  INCORPORATION TO BE FILED (FOR UP TO
THE EARLIER OF THIRTEEN MONTHS FOLLOWING THE 1999ANNUAL  MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
OR THE DATE OF THE 2000 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS) INCREASING THE COMPANY'S
AUTHORIZED SHARES UP TO 10,000,000 SHARES.

[ ] FOR APPROVAL              [ ] AGAINST               [ ] ABSTAIN
<PAGE>
(Continued from other side)

3. In their  discretion,  the  proxies  are  authorized  to vote upon such other
business as may properly come before the meeting.

Receipt  of Notice of Annual  Meeting of  Stockholders  and  accompanying  Proxy
Statement is hereby acknowledged.

PLEASE  DATE AND SIGN  EXACTLY  AS  PRINTED  BELOW AND  RETURN  PROMPTLY  IN THE
ENCLOSED POSTAGE PAID ENVELOPE.

Dated:_________________________,   1999.  ______________________________________
______________________________________  (When  signing  as  attorney,  executor,
administrator,  trustee,  guardian,  etc., give title as such. If joint account,
each joint owner should sign.)


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