Three grocers inducted into Canadian Business Hall of Fame

Last night at a gala event, three grocers were inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame.

Pierre Lessard, executive chairman of Metro Inc.; Tong Louie (posthumously), former president, H.Y. Louie Ltd.; Brandt C. Louie, president & CEO, H.Y. Louie Ltd. and chairman, London Drugs Ltd.were inducted at an event at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, along with Clive Beddoe, founder and chairman of the board of directors at WestJet Airlines and Norman B. Keevil, chairman of Teck Resources.

Lessard has spent more than 40 years of his professional career in the food industry, first with Provigo Inc. where he was president and COO from 1976 to 1985, and then with Metro Inc. where he served as president and CEO from 1990 to 2008.

Through Metro and on his own initiative, Lessard is active in the community and personally involved in various art, education and health organization.

Tong Louie turned a modest grocery and restaurant supply company started by his father Hok Yat Louie, and turned it into a successful retail chain of over a hundred drugstores and supermarkets in Western Canada. This growth and early entrepreneurial success
of the H.Y. Louie group of companies including London Drugs and IGA, was not lost on Brandt who has grown the retail powerhouse to 75 stores; the second largest retailer in British Columbia.

Tong Louie’s philanthropic legacy continues today through Brandt Louie and his extended family’s work at the London Drugs Foundation and the Tong and Geraldine Louie Family Foundation.

Each year, the Louie family foundations support many health, educational and arts programs across Canada.

Established by Junior Achievement of Canada in 1979, the Canadian Business Hall of Fame and the Order of the Business Hall of Fame recognize and celebrate the lifetime accomplishments of Canada’s most distinguished business leaders.

As Companions of the Order, they become mentors and role models for Junior Achievement youth who themselves represent our next generation leaders.

Since inception, over 165 of Canada’s foremost business leaders have been bestowed with Canada’s highest business honour.