The Canadian Home Furnishings Alliance announced that the 2011 edition of the Canadian Home Furnishings Awards will be held on Friday, January 14, 2011 at the Conference Centre in the International Centre, Mississauga, Ontario.
A gala dinner will be held to honour the recipient of the 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award, Jean Deveault, retired Executive Vice-President of Canadel, and the Retailer of the Year award winner, easyhome Ltd. This is the 10th year the CHFA has celebrated the best in the Canadian home furnishings industry. These awards acknowledge the leaders in the industry and recognize their exceptional accomplishments.
The event will take place on a Friday night in order for the Canadian Home Furnishings Alliance and the Quebec Furniture Manufacturers' Association to co-host a reception on the evening of the Canadian Home Furnishings Awards and the opening of the Canadian Home Furnishings Market, Canada's largest and most important home furnishings trade event.
The CHFA established the Lifetime Achievement Award to recognize those individuals who over their lifetime have made exemplary and sustained contributions to the Canadian home furnishings industry and their communities. "Jean Deveault has earned this honour through his professional accomplishments and his extensive community involvement. He has certainly demonstrated leadership by reinventing a product category through a unique marketing story, thereby setting a new standard in our industry for performance, innovation and customer service" said Laine Reynolds who serves as Chair, Board of Directors for the Canadian Home Furnishings Alliance. Since joining the family business in 1985 until he retired as Executive Vice-President in 2008 Jean Deveault has ensured that Canadel continued to grow "while choosing to stick with what it knew best (dining room furniture.)"
It was important for Jean to give back to the community "because without them Canadel wouldn't be where it is." Jean is very much involved with charities that are related to children and hospitals such as the local Children's Telethon and Hospital Foundation.
The 2010 honouree for the LAA was Richard Magnussen, President/CEO of Magnussen Home Furnishings. Prior recipients include Larry Rogers, President/CEO of Sealy North America; John Colalillo, President of Superstyle Furniture and Mario Colalillo, President, Edgewood Furniture; Hugh Owen, President of Owen & Company/Kingsdown Canada and Past Chair, Board of Directors of the Ontario Furniture Manufacturers' Association; Terry Clark, Chair, Furniture West Board of Directors and long time President of the Canadian Council of Furniture Manufacturers; Guy Laflamme of South Shore Industries; the Sklar brothers; Serge Racine, of Shermag; Pat Thody, former President and CEO of Simmons Canada, Orville Meade, Past President of Kroehler Furniture and Bruce MacPherson, Sr. of Gibbard Furniture.
The Retailer of the Year Award is dedicated to recognizing exemplary models of excellence and community service by Canadian Furniture retail businesses. Laine Reynolds noted that, "easyhome has certainly met those standards and are most deserving of this coveted award. Through vision, drive and leadership they have created a powerful brand that has an every-increasing presence in the marketplace". Reynolds went on to say "as a prominent North American merchandise retail/lease company they are a great example of a successful business enterprise that generously gives back to the community."
easyhome Ltd. is Canada's largest merchandise leasing company with over 212 corporate and franchise stores(in Canada). easyhome's track record of growth and performance is due to a commitment to sourcing quality products from brands that the customers know and trust. easyhome believes that building and fostering healthy relationships with their customers and suppliers is a key ingredient to their success. easyhome stores are very much a part of the Community they serve. Their long standing partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Canada and the Salvation Army demonstrates their commitment and dedication to improving the lifes of children and families all across Canada.
The 2010 Retailer of the Year was Gallery 1/Worldwide Furniture. Prior honourees include Sleep Country Canada, Lastman's Bad Boy, the Mega Group, Stoney Creek Furniture, the Dufresne Group, the Brick, Tepperman's and Leon's.
Retailers will be asked to vote on-line for the supplier who does the best job not just in designing and building a product but also when it comes to marketing, service and delivery. The winners will be honoured with the Retailers' Choice Award at the gala dinner.
Manufacturers are divided into two categories: $10 million Cdn. and under in annual sales and over $10 million Cdn. Every member of the Canadian Home Furnishings Alliance, Furniture West or the Quebec Furniture Manufacturers' Association is eligible for the award. Retailers will be able to vote on-line commencing in late October until December 31, 2010.
For more information on the Canadian Home Furnishings Awards, please contact Murray Vaughan at 905-677-6561 or by e-mail to murray@chfaweb.ca.