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The management team works diligently to implement the RONA’s growth strategies, according to four main development thrusts:
- Internal growth—by expanding and improving our network or retail stores, from big-box stores to traditional and specialized stores;
- Store construction and renovation;
- Recruiting of affiliated retailers;
- Acquisitions of opportune companies.
RONA’s business plan robustness stems from, among other things, the know-how and energy demonstrated by our Merchandising, Retail operations—big-box, traditional and specialized stores, Information and Technology, People and Culture, Distribution, Marketing and Finance departments. |
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Robert Dutton, President and CEO |
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Robert Dutton has been at the helm of RONA inc. as President and Chief Executive Officer since 1992. From 1990 to 1992, he was Executive Vice-President and Chief of Operations at RONA.
Under Robert Dutton’s leadership, RONA has enjoyed a remarkably steady streak of sustained growth over the years and has now become the Canadian leading retailer and distributor of hardware, home renovation and gardening products. He has introduced, among other things, a whole new concept in big-box home renovation stores: RONA Home & Garden and RONA Le Régional (a mid-size big-box for suburbs). Dutton has strengthened RONA’s distribution network through massive investments in leading-edge information technology and by building one of the largest distribution centre in the country on Montreal’s south shore and another one in Calgary. He has also played a pivotal role in helping to consolidate the Canadian hardware and home-improvement industry by masterminding a series of major acquisitions, including the Cashway chain in 2000, Revy and Lansing in 2001 and Réno-Dépôt in 2003. Last, but not least, Dutton orchestrated RONA’s initial public offering and listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange in 2002.
From 1977 to 1990, Mr. Dutton held several positions, including Vice-President, Development at RONA, where he was responsible for all services related to marketing, retail operations, sales and corporate development.
Born in 1955, Robert Dutton received his Bachelor’s of Business Administration in Marketing and Finance from École des Hautes Études Commerciales (Montreal) in 1977.
He is a member of the board of directors for various organizations, including RONA inc., Quebecor Inc, the University of Montréal, the Montréal Heart Institute Foundation and Fondation de l’Art Thérapeutique et l’Art Brut du Québec. In 1993, he became a Fellow of the World Academy of Productivity Science, and in 1994 received the Canadian Hardware Industry’s Outstanding Achievement Award. In 2001, he received the “McGill University Management Achievement Award” as well as the “Opal Award” from the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, both honouring his professional accomplishments and contribution to the community. Mr. Dutton is also involved in many social causes and community organizations helping the young and people suffering from mental illness.
On numerous occasions, he has been asked as keynote speaker to discuss Ethics in Management, a subject which is at the heart of his concerns. |
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Claude Guévin, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | |
Born in 1960, Claude Guévin graduated from the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières in 1982 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, majoring in accounting. Between 1982 and 1984, he was an auditor with Samson Bélair/Deloitte & Touche, then in charge of special projects and finally team leader before leaving the firm to join RONA as financial analyst in charge of special projects in 1986. In 1991, he became corporate comptroller and in 1999 was appointed vice president, finance and administration and a member of the management committee. Claude Guévin became RONA’s executive vice president and chief financial officer in 2001. He is a member of the Quebec Society of Chartered Accountants. |
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Claude Bernier, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Customer Innovations | |
Born in 1953, Claude Bernier studied at the École des Hautes études commerciales in Montreal, earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a major in marketing in 1976. After graduation, he worked as a sales representative for Procter & Gamble before joining Sports Expert Inc., where he was successively assistant manager and then manager of advertising. Bernier spent the next eight years honing his skills at leading advertising agencies including Planicom PNMD Inc., Publicité BCP Inc. and Groupe Morrow Inc. By the time he left Groupe Morrow Inc., he was vice president in charge of major accounts. Bernier joined Ro-Na Dismat as the company’s new director of marketing in 1988. In 2001, he has been appointed Executive vice president of Traditional and Specialized stores and since November 2008 acts as executive vice president, Marketing and Customer Innovations. |
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Pierre Dandoy, Executive Vice President, Store Operations | |
Born in 1959, Pierre Dandoy studied to be a teacher at the University of Quebec at Montreal. Over the past 20 years, however, he has worked applying the successful principles of retail sales. Steinberg hired Dandoy as store manager in 1985. Between 1989 and 1991, he was assistant operations manager at Steinberg and finally operations manager in 1991. He accepted a similar position at Provigo, where he relocated in 1993. He was promoted to senior operations manager for both Maxi and Héritage in 1995, then senior manager of merchandising and business development for the Maxi and Maxi & Cie banners in Quebec. In 2000, Dandoy was appointed Wal-Mart regional vice-president for Eastern Canada. He joined RONA as executive vice president of big-box stores in 2002 and in November 2008 has been appointed executive vice president, Store Operations. |
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Normand Dumont, Executive Vice President, Merchandising (Purchasing and Marketing) | |
Born in 1954, Normand Dumont graduated from the University of Laval with a bachelor of science degree in bio-agronomics in 1979. Between 1979 and 1987, he held a variety of management positions in the commercial and industrial construction sector before moving into retail sales as manager of a garden centre for a two-year period. Dumont came to RONA in 1989, where he held a number of progressively senior positions. He was appointed RONA vice president of sales and merchandising in 2000 and executive vice president of Merchandising, with responsibilities for all storewide network purchasing and marketing in 2004. |
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