OCTOBER’S HARDLINES CONFERENCE IN WHISTLER WILL GATHER THE MOVERS AND THE SHAKERS

The theory of retail can be complicated, evasive, and elusive. The practice of retail is all that, plus lots of hard work, luck—good and bad— and big heartedness. Three speakers at this fall’s Hardlines Conference embody all of those traits. They’ll share their stories and insights at the stunning Fairmont Chateau Whistler, B.C., Oct. 17 and 18.

Geneviève Gagnon is the head of three businesses in Quebec. She is CEO of a chain of building centres called Gagnon La Grande Quincaillerie (“The Great Hardware Store”). She also operates a wholesale business, Évolution Distribution. Finally, she runs a truss and wall panel manufacturing division called Évolution Structures.

Move with us now to central British Columbia, to the small community of Mackenzie, a remote town with a population of just 3,800 people. There, Marilyne and Sylvain Laferriere own and operate Ace Victory Building Centre. We invited the Laferrieres to share their story at our conference, their wins and their challenges. They were keen to take the podium. But, warned Sylvain,

“It won’t all be good news.”

In 2005, motivated by their frustration with a lack of products and services in the area, Sylvain and Marilyne purchased an existing business in town. They renovated the store, added product lines, and Victory Building Centre Ace was born.

Senior execs from RONA and Federated Co-operatives will also take the stage at the Hardlines Conference.

Cody Smith is director of Home & Building Solutions, the hardware and LBM division of Federated Co-operatives Ltd. Since joining FCL in 2000, Smith has held various positions in Home & Building Solutions and was promoted to director in

2018. Under his leadership, the department provides strategic partnership and services to over 90 Co-op Home Centres across Western Canada. These stores collectively represent more than half a billion dollars in retail sales, making FCL one of the retail giants of western Canada.

The changes at RONA earlier this year were seismic. Lowe’s Cos. sold its Canadian assets to Sycamore Partners, a New York City-based private equity firm. Now, it is moving forward on behalf of its independent dealers—representing more than $2 billion at retail—says Jean-Sébastien Lamoureux, senior vice-president, RONA affiliates, wholesale and public affairs. He will bring to the Hardlines Conference the latest news from RONA—once again a private company, returning to its roots.

As executive vice-president of merchandising, Jim Inglis helped forge a completely new path for Home Depot, one that is still having repercussions in the industry today. Later, he would hold executive roles at Sodimac, South America’s leading home improvement retailer; Hornbach, a leader in Europe; as well as other powerful big box operators around the world. Inglis’s book, Breakthrough Retailing: How a Bleeding Orange Culture Can Change Everything, has been called the best book about home improvement retailing in history. (Get yours for free when attending the conference.)

This year, Hardlines is proud to work closely with the Building Supply Industry Association (BSIA) of British Columbia in presenting this world-class event. The BSIA is celebrating its 85th anniversary this year, and the association’s birthday celebration will be an important part of the proceedings. The BSIA will also host a trade show at the venue in Whistler.

The 27th Annual Hardlines Conference will be held at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler resort Oct. 17 and 18, 2023. Retail dealers and their staff get special pricing. Contact michelle@hardlines.ca for your discount! And check out our full line-up of speakers on pages 44 and 45.