2006 INDUSTRY AWARDS GALA AT NATIONAL HARDWARE SHOW CANADA

The industry honoured its best retailers — and one vendor — at the Industry Awards Gala, presented by the National Hardware Show Canada and jointly hosted by Hardlines and Hardware Merchandising magazine, during the recent National Hardware Show Canada."

Hardware Merchandising's 15th annual Outstanding Retailer Awards honoured six retailers who stood out from the crowd among a record number of entries in this year's competition. Stores were judged according to: sales performance, marketing, staff training and compensation, merchandising and display, retail technology, community involvement, and development of new business lines. This year's judges were: Anthony Stokan (Anthony Russell and Associates); Donald O'Hara (ADMACQ); Michael McLarney (Hardlines); Rob Wilbrink (BMF Merchandising and Fixtures); Rob Koci (Canadian Contractor magazine); and Steve Payne (Hardware Merchandising).

	BEST HARDWARE STORE OSOYOOS HOME HARDWARE, Osoyoos, B.C. (From left) Eric Konecsni, Home Hardware head office; Frances Sologuk, owner of Osoyoos Home Hardware; Abbas Khan, Osram Sylvania (sponsor)

	BEST BUILDING SUPPLY UNDER 15,000 SQ. FT. WARNER TIM-BR MART, Lyndhurst, ONT. Jane Van Noy, owner of Warner TIM-BR Mart, and Tom Donaldson, CanWel (sponsor)

	BEST BUILDING SUPPLY OVER 15,000 SQ. FT. TOTEM BUILDING SUPPLIES, St. Albert, ALTA. Jim Ramsden, general manager of TOTEM Building Supplies, and Yannick Devost, CGC (sponsor)

	BEST CONTRACTOR SPECIALIST RETAILER SHERWOOD BMR, Charlottetown, PEI Mark Leblanc of Owens Corning Canada (sponsor) and Gary MacLeod, owner of Sherwood BMR

	BEST LARGE SURFACE RETAILER THE HOME DEPOT PARK ROYAL, West Vancouver, B.C. Mike Bottigoni of The Home Depot Canada head office. (This category was sponsored by 3M Canada.)

	BEST YOUNG RETAILER RYAN HARE, KMS TOOLS & EQUIPMENT, Coquitlam, B.C. Ryan Hare, KMS, and Colin Smyth of Hitachi Canada (sponsor)

HARDLINES NEWSMAKER OF THE YEAR AWARDS

NEWSMAKER OF THE YEAR, Retailer
TIM-BR-MARTS, Calgary, ALTA.

Steve Stremecki, TIM-BR MARTS; Tim Urquhart, TIM-BR-Marts; Brad West, JELD-WEN of Canada (sponsor); Michael McLarney, Hardlines

NEWSMAKER OF THE YEAR, Vendor
BETTER LIVING PRODUCTS, Vaughan, ONT.

Ian Grey, LBMX (sponsor); Camillo Caperchione of Better Living Products; Michael McLarney, Hardlines; Dean Albonese of Better Living Products

Congratulations to all the Winners!