Retail Council of Canada inducts eight retailers into the Canadian Retail Hall of Fame

TORONTO, June 15, 2012 /CNW/ - Retail Council of Canada (RCC) honoured eight independent retailers as the 2012 inductees into the Canadian Retail Hall of Fame. This award is typically presented to an executive who has demonstrated leadership in advancing and promoting retail and retail as a career in Canada. However, this year RCC is recognizing a group of leaders who exemplify the spirit of this special award.

The 2012 Canadian Retail Hall of Fame Inductees are:

Sandra Avery, Owner/Manager, A Special Touch Inc., St. John's, NL.
Bob Ianson, Co-Owner, Heirloom Linens, Victoria, BC.
Misti Mussato, Co-Owner, Toy Jungle Enterprises Inc., Vancouver, BC.
Diane Petryna, President, Take a Hike!, Thunder Bay, ON.
Ron Pradinuk, President, Journeys Travel & Leisure SuperCentre, Winnipeg, MB.
Fred Pritchard, Vice-President, Golda's Kitchen Inc., Mississauga, ON.
Paul Simmonds, President, Robert Simmonds Inc., Fredericton, NB.
Betsy Thomas, Owner, Boutique Bummis, Montréal, QC.

"On behalf of the retail industry we are proud to honour this outstanding group of retailers for their vision and commitment to entrepreneurship," says Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO, RCC. "As members of RCC's Independent Retailer Task Force, this group enabled us to chart a course that - at its core - focused on providing community involvement, leadership development and lifelong learning opportunities for independent retailers and their employees across Canada."

The 2012 inductees join a notable list of past recipients including John Stanton, Running Room Canada Inc. (2011); Paul Straus, Home Hardware Stores Ltd. (2010); Fred Singer, Henry Singer Fashion Group (2009); Stephen Bebis, Golf Town (2008).

About Retail Council of Canada
Retail Council of Canada, founded in 1963, is a not-for-profit, industry-funded association representing more than 45,000 store fronts of all retail formats across Canada, including department, grocery, specialty, discount, and independent stores, and online merchants. RCC is the Voice of Retail in Canada. We speak for an industry that touches the daily lives of Canadians in every corner of the country — by providing jobs, career opportunities, and by investing in communities.

Sally Ritchie
VP Communications and Marketing, RCC
416 922-0553 ext. 228
[email protected]