The 5th member of the Deschênes family to be nominated president in 77 years of business
MONTREAL, Jan. 25, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - Groupe Deschênes Inc. (GDI), the largest Canadian-owned company in its sector of activity, announces the appointment of François Deschênes as President and Chief Executive Officer. François previously held the position of Vice President, Operations, for the Quebec Region at GDI.
Martin Deschênes, outgoing President and Chief Executive Officer of GDI announced "after 17 years at the helm of the company, I am very proud that my brother François was chosen to be my successor. His strong commitment to the family business, his leadership and team building skills combined with his numerous achievements will contribute to the growth and success of our business."
John LeBoutillier, Chairman of the Board, added "as a family business founded more than 75 years ago, GDI is very serious about the succession process. The board members have unanimously chosen François, following a rigorous process and are very pleased to work with him to achieve the company goals."
François Deschênes commented: "I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to take over the leadership of the organization. During his tenure, Martin put in place many initiatives to make our business progress and become the successful company that it is today. We can count on a strong team and a solid base to continue our development."
When François started at GDI in 2000, his first mandate was as a representative in the Canaplus Limited Partnership buying group, which became AD Canada P&H in 2016. He also held the positions of Vice President of Procurement and Vice President of Marketing. In 2010, he became Vice President and General Manager for the Deschênes & Fils Ltée subsidiary in Montreal. Last year, he was appointed Vice President of Operations for the Quebec Region, in order to prepare for his future role of president. François completed a BCom from HEC Montreal and an EMBA from McGill-HEC Montreal.
Martin Deschênes assumes the position of Vice Chairman of the Board of GDI and will continue to work on special projects. He will become Chairman of the Board of AD Canada P&H buying group, a position previously held by François Deschênes.
Jacques Deschênes, Honorary President of the Board of GDI commented, "I am very proud to see this continuity in the sustainability of the family enterprise. After my father founded the business in 1940, my brother Pierre led the business in the 60's, I took over from 1973 to 2000 and Martin from 2000 to 2017. François becomes the fifth family member to take on the Presidency".
About Groupe Deschênes Inc.
Groupe Deschênes Inc., founded in 1940, is a private family-owned company, with its Head Office in Montreal. GDI is a wholesale distributor of plumbing and heating products, electrical supplies, fire protection and HVAC/R products, waterworks and sewer systems as well as auto parts, with over 140 points of sales throughout Canada. GDI also has 18 plumbing retail stores in Quebec and Ontario and is the largest Canadian-owned company in its sector of activity. For the past seven years, GDI has been part of Canada's Best Managed Companies. For more information, go to: www.groupedeschenes.com.
SOURCE Groupe Deschênes Inc.
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François Deschênes, President & CEO, Groupe Deschênes Inc., 514-253-3110, [email protected] ; Sylvain Roussel, Vice President, Human Resources, Groupe Deschênes Inc., 514-253-3110, [email protected] ; Martin Deschênes, Vice Chairman of the Board, Groupe Deschênes Inc., 514-253-3110; John LeBoutillier, Chairman of the Board, Groupe Deschênes Inc., 514-253-3110
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