Wal-Mart Canada's Mario Pilozzi Awarded with Retail Industry's Highest Honour "Distinguished Retailer of the Year"
Toronto, May 16, 2007 – Retail Council of Canada (RCC) is pleased to present Mario Pilozzi, President and CEO of Wal-Mart Canada, with the coveted 2007 Distinguished Canadian Retailer of the Year award to recognize his role as a leader in the retail industry, in addition to his generous charitable commitments to the community at large. Nominations were received from across Canada and the final selection was determined by a distinguished panel of current and former retail executives.
"Mario Pilozzi is an outstanding individual who continues to promote and support retail in Canada," says Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO, Retail Council of Canada. "The Canadian retail industry is proud to honour Mr. Pilozzi's more than 40-year career, which started at Woolworth Canada and led him to Wal-Mart Canada. Under Mr. Pilozzi's leadership, Wal-Mart Canada continues to be honoured as one of the country's top employers and a respected leader in community and environmental initiatives. Mario's entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to the retail industry and the community at large serve as an inspiration to other business leaders."
"This generous honour is a tribute to the entire Wal-Mart Canada team, especially our front-line associates throughout the country who make sure we deliver to our customers every day," said Mario Pilozzi. "We are so proud to be part of Canada's dynamic retail industry and know that as Canadian retailers we have a collective responsibility to use our resources in an increasingly bigger way to preserve our environment for generations to come and give back to our local communities."
Mr. Pilozzi's impressive career spans 45 years in the Canadian retail industry. Mr. Pilozzi joined Wal-Mart Canada in 1994 as Vice-President of Hardline Merchandise, and in January 2002 he was appointed President and CEO. Prior to joining Wal-Mart Canada, Mr. Pilozzi started his retail career with Woolworth Canada. For more than 30 years, Mr. Pilozzi held a broad range of positions, including Vice-President of Hardline Merchandise, Administrator of Store Openings, District Manager, Store Manager and several other key roles in Woolworth's variety and discount store divisions.
Throughout his career, Mr. Pilozzi has been recognized with numerous honours, including the Sam M. Walton Entrepreneur of the Year Award (2000), the highest honour awarded by Wal-Mart throughout the world. This award recognizes outstanding retail leadership that exemplifies the legendary entrepreneurial spirit of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton. In 2004, Mr. Pilozzi was inducted into the Canadian Retail Hall of Fame, established by Retail Council of Canada to honour retailers who have demonstrated leadership in advancing retail as a career.
Mr. Pilozzi is also a respected leader in the community, contributing his expertise to many causes. Mr. Pilozzi is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Children's Miracle Network, he serves as a member of the Advisory Board of Ryerson University's School of Retail Management, in addition to sponsoring and participating in ACE's Campus Enterprise Challenge. Mr. Pilozzi also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Retail Council of Canada.
Today, Wal-Mart Canada employs more than 70,000 Canadians and operates 290 outlets across Canada, including Wal-Mart discount stores, Supercentres, and Sam's Clubs. In recent years, more than 100 Canadian communities have lobbied or petitioned to have a Wal-Mart built in their towns.
Under Mr. Pilozzi's leadership, the company is consistently recognized for its commitment to employees and creating a positive work environment. Wal-Mart Canada ranks as one of Canada's best employers in the annual Hewitt Associates survey of the country's 50 Best Employers and in KPMG's list of Canada's 25 Most Admired Corporate Cultures. To that end, Wal-Mart Canada proudly maintains one of the lowest staff turnover rates in the Canadian retail industry.
Wal-Mart Canada is an active supporter of community initiatives. In 2006, the company raised and contributed more than $15 million to support local communities and national not-for-profit organizations such as the Children's Miracle Network, Breakfast Clubs of Canada, Canadian Red Cross, and Evergreen, to name a few. In addition, the company supports local, educational and environmental initiatives through various grant programs across Canada.
This award will be presented to Mr. Pilozzi on behalf of the retail industry at a gala dinner on Monday, June 4, 2007. The dinner, part of STORE 2007 — Canada's Retail Conference, will take place at the Toronto Congress Centre from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
The Distinguished Canadian Retailer of the Year award recognizes a retail leader who has led his/her company to outstanding business success and innovation, in addition to consistently demonstrating community commitment and support. Mr. Pilozzi joins a notable list of past winners including Edward Kennedy, President and Chief Executive Officer, The North West Company (2006); Annette Verschuren, Division President, Canada, The Home Depot® (2005); Wayne Sales, President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited (2004); and Wynne Powell, President and Chief Executive Officer, London Drugs Limited (2003).
>For more information about STORE 2007, Canada's Retail Conference, log on to www.storeconference.ca/
About Retail Council of Canada
Retail Council of Canada (www.retailcouncil.org) is the Voice of Retail. It is a not-for-profit association representing more than 40,000 stores of all retail formats, including independent merchants, regional and national mass and specialty chains, and online merchants.
Media are invited to attend STORE 2007. For more information and to RSVP, contact: Stephanie Petroff, Manager, National Public Affairs, (416) 922-0553, ext. 228; e-mail: spetroff@retailcouncil.org; or Meredith Smith, Account Manager, Pipeline Communications, (416) 694-2777, ext. 223; e-mail: meredith@pipelinecommunications.ca.