South Shore's Guy Laflamme part of flagship furniture family
By Michael J. Knell -- Furniture Today, January 9, 2005
Toronto — Guy Laflamme, chairman of South Shore Inds., is the 2005 recipient of the Ontario Furniture Manufacturers Assn.'s Lifetime Achievement Award.
He became managing director of South Shore in 1963, succeeding his father, who founded the company 23 years earlier after buying what was a bankrupt wooden toy manufacturing business. Not satisfied with the seasonal nature of the toy business, Eugène Laflamme diversified production to include kitchen tables and chairs, adding bedroom in the early 1950s.
Today, South Shore is one of Canada's largest producers of ready-to-assemble and fully assembled furniture, and employs over 1,000 people in three factories near its headquarters in Ste-Croix de Lotbinière, Quebec, not far from Quebec City.
Carrying on the family tradition, Laflamme named his son, Jean, president and CEO in 1999.
Throughout his business career, the elder Laflamme has been active in the industry and the community.
He has been a director of the Quebec Furniture Manufacturers Assn. since 1977 and served as the Montreal-based factory group's president from 1977 to 1979. He also served as chairman of the Conseil du Patronat du Québec (Quebec Business Council) for four years beginning in 1990.
He also has served as a director of several other Quebec-based companies, including metal furniture maker Amisco from 1994 to 2001.
Laflamme has a broad range of political interests, serving two terms as mayor of Ste-Croix in the 1970s, and as chairman of the Quebec Business Council's "No" Committee during the 1995 referendum on separation. He remains a director of the Council for Canadian Unity.
His community activities range from membership in the Ste-Croix Optimist Club to co-chairman of the Quebec Alzheimer Society, director of Ducks Unlimited and vice president of the Fondation Général Roméo Dallaire and La Maison Michel Sarrazin, an organization that provides assistance to people with cancer.
"Guy Laflamme was chosen for the 2005 Lifetime Achievement Award for his 36 years of leadership of the very successful South Shore," said Hugh Owen, president of Kingsdown Canada and OFMA chairman. "His community service and tireless work on various boards ... makes Guy Laflamme an excellent choice for the furniture industry to honor."
Jean François Michaud, president and CEO of the QFMA, said, "Through keen insight, unwavering determination and strong leadership, Guy Laflamme knew how to excel in the business world and consistently earned the respect of his peers and colleagues.... As a home-grown family business, the company encompasses local values and is a proud flagship of our industry."
This is the fifth year the OFMA has presented the award. Last year's winners were Sam, Harry, Joe and Lou Sklar, founders of Sklar-Peppler Furniture. Previous winners were the late Orville Mead, president of Durham Furniture; Serge Racine, founder of Shermag; Bruce McPherson Sr., president of Gibbard Furniture; and Pat Thody, retired CEO of Simmons Canada.
The award will be presented on Sunday, Jan. 16, during a gala honoring the winners of the third annual Canadian Home Furnishings Awards at the Pearson Convention Center. Tickets are $150 each and available by calling the OFMA at (905) 677-6561.
-
Singapore council names Goh president
Jan 10, 2011 -
Guy Laflamme, south shore chairman
Sep 3, 2011 -
Gillies CEO of Calvin Klein Licensee Z3
Dec 23, 2010
Featured Company
-
FurnitureCore.com
FurnitureCore.com is a dynamic web application aimed at the furniture industry. Retailers and manufacturers alike will find our deep reserve of tools to be exactly what their furniture business needs.www.furniturecore.com... more
VIEW ALL GALLERIES
