REBECCA WICHERS-SCHREUR, WOOD WORKS OF RENFREW

When Bruce Gannon and Laurie Wichers-Schreur purchased a struggling lumberyard in the Ottawa Valley in 2016, they were new to the industry and they realized they were going to need help. Rebecca, Laurie’s daughter, happened to be finishing her master’s degree in industrial relations, and ended up being a perfect fit.

In just a few years, Rebecca has helped her mother and stepfather turn around Wood Works of Renfrew—nearly doubling its annual sales. And her leadership has helped the business become the “go-to” for precise estimating and the sourcing of unusual materials and skilled services.

Rebecca has also been instrumental in carrying out a complete reset of the store’s hardware section, developing a kitchen and bath showroom, changing their paint supplier, crafting the business’s online presence and hiring.

In 2017, Bruce and Laurie purchased a lumberyard in nearby Burnstown which had been closed for several years. Rebecca not only managed the entire renovation, she oversaw the relaunch in spring 2018.

Both stores have a mission to provide the best possible customer service. Recently, the store manager at Burnstown was cashing out a regular customer. When the manager asked the man what he was working on, the customer revealed that he was purchasing stain and brushes to finish a hand-made wedding ring for his wife, crafted from the wood of a special tree on his family farm. The manager was touched, and he refused to accept payment. Laurie says that’s exactly the type of experience their business strives to offer their communities—and that Rebecca is directly behind that philosophy.

In fact, Rebecca was asked to speak about that approach at Castle’s 2019 annual general meeting. Along with Laurie, she spoke of offering “micro-experiences” in their stores. It’s those experiences that help both locations successfully compete with big boxes, the draw of bigger city shopping and online retailers.

Their employees play a crucial part in the success of the business. Rebecca knows retention is key to keeping consistency for customers. And so she involves employees in the growth of the business. She encourages them to try new things, make suggestions and then watch their ideas come to fruition. Rebecca knows firsthand how rewarding that can be.

The owners also support staff through regular training, providing coaching with their direct supervisors to cross-train them as much as possible. And they’ve instituted a group RRSP program, which

2019 Outstanding Retailer Awards

Winner

employees can buy into and receive employer-matched contributions.

Rebecca has used her education and experience to help transform these two small lumberyards into 21st century organizations, complete with an active social media presence and online shopping capabilities. While sales through the online store haven’t been huge, the business has noticed that increased online traffic has translated into increased in-store traffic and sales. At just 27 years old, Rebecca has proven instrumental in the success of this family business.