Home Hardware Dealers Win Five Outstanding Retailer Awards
St. Jacobs, ON, Oct 30, 2012 – Home Hardware Dealers from across Canada were honoured this week at Hardware Merchandising magazine’s 2012 Outstanding Retailer Awards, taking five of the seven categories.
Launched in 1992, the Outstanding Retailer Awards (ORAs) is the industry’s only independent awards program dedicated to celebrating the achievements of hardware, home improvement and building supply dealers in Canada. Home Hardware has received 17 Outstanding Retailing Awards over the last six years.
The award recipients were chosen by a panel of industry experts who analyzed nominations from retailers across Canada in seven categories: Best Hardware Store; Best Building Supply/Home Centre (under 25,000 sq. ft.); Best Building Supply/Home Centre (over 25,000 sq. ft.); Best Contractor-Specialist Dealer; Best Young Retailer; Best Large Surface Retailer (over 50,000 sq. ft. retail) and Community Leader. Each nomination was judged on a range of criteria, including sales performance, retailing innovation and community involvement.
"Home Hardware is committed to providing our independent Dealer-Owners with the support, 
programs and services to help them grow profitable, successful businesses and the Outstanding Retailer Awards serve as a testament to the hard work of these entrepreneurs as well as the strength of our program," said Paul Straus, President and CEO, Home Hardware Stores Limited. "On behalf of the Dealer-Owners of close to 1,100 Home Hardware stores in communities across Canada, I would like to congratulate this year’s recipients on their success."
At the 2012 Awards Gala, Home Hardware Dealers took home five out of seven categories, including:
• Owen and Wanda Connolly, Dealer-Owners, Dauphin Home Hardware in Dauphin, Manitoba. Awarded: Best Hardware Store.
• Larry and Sylvia Yanchishyn, Dealer-Owners, Kenora Home Hardware Building Centre in Kenora, Ontario. Awarded: Best Building Supply/Home Improvement Store under 25,000 sq. ft.
• Rob Hauser, Dealer-Owner, Hauser Home Hardware Building Centre in Camrose, Alberta. Awarded: Best Building Supply/Home Improvement Store over 25,000 sq. ft.
• Tyler Knight, Dealer-Owner, Knights’ Home Building Centre in Meaford, Ontario. Awarded: Best Young Retailer.
• John Kehler and Gary Gilchrist, Dealer-Owners, Home Building Centre - Vernon in Vernon, British Columbia. Awarded: Community Leader.
The Awards Gala was held at the Toronto Sheraton Airport Hotel & Conference Centre on Thursday, October 25, 2012, in conjunction with the 17th Annual Hardlines Conference, a two day symposium for business leaders in home improvement retailing in North America.
About Home Hardware Stores Limited
100% Canadian owned and operated, Home Hardware Stores Limited has a presence in every Canadian province and territory and is the country’s largest independent, Dealer-owned hardware, lumber, building materials and furniture cooperative. Founded on January 1, 1964 by 122 independent hardware Dealers, the cooperative now includes close to 1,100 stores, under the Home Hardware, Home Building Centre, Home Hardware Building Centre and Home Furniture banners, with annual collective retail sales of more than $5 billion. Home Hardware’s independent Dealer-Owners, recognized by the North American Retail Hardware Association as Canada’s best-trained Dealer group, have access to 100,000 quality brand name and private label products, a world-class distribution system and draw upon the power of Home Hardware’s network to provide their local communities with top quality products and services at competitive prices.
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For more information, please contact:
• Rob Wallace, Public Relations & Promotional Events Manager, Home Hardware Stores Limited at 519-664-4710 or rob.wallace@homehardware.ca, or,
• Lindsey Dietrich, Public Relations Coordinator, Home Hardware Stores Limited at 519-664-2252 ext. 6676 or lindsey.dietrich@homehardware.ca.