CHFA to honor Richard Magnussen, Gallery 1/World Wide Furniture

Jan. 8 gala to salute their achievements

Michael Knell -- Furniture Today, November 2, 2009

Richard Magnussen

Joe Ramia

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario — Magnussen Home Furnishings CEO Richard Magnussen has been named the 2010 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Canadian Home Furnishings Alliance, while Gallery 1/World Wide Furniture of Halifax, Nova Scotia, has been named Retailer of the Year.

Both will be honored at a gala dinner here Jan. 8 at the International Centre on the eve of the Canadian Home Furnishings Market, which runs Jan. 9-12.

"Through his vision and leadership Richard Magnussen has developed the Magnussen Home brand as a significant resource in a highly competitive sector of our industry," CHFA board chairman Laine Reynolds said in a statement.

He said that since joining the case goods and occasional furniture importer in 1970, Magnussen has ensured that the New Hamburg, Ontario-based company has continued to grow. Under his leadership, it became a global enterprise while maintaining the core principles of a family-run business: trust, honesty and respect, Reynolds said.

He added that Richard Magnussen also works with international charities to alleviate poverty in the developing world, champion human rights, promote social awareness, and provide education and training to create greater opportunities for the less fortunate.

Gallery 1/World Wide is the first company from Atlantic Canada to receive the Retailer of the Year Award. The honor is dedicated to recognizing exemplary models of excellence and community service by Canadian furniture retailers, Reynolds said.

"Gallery 1/World Wide Furniture is one of Canada's largest and most exciting furniture retail destination stores and has built a strong brand that has a bold presence in the Atlantic marketplace," he said. "They have earned the Retailer of the Year honor through their many professional accomplishments and extensive community involvement."

Over the past 30 years, the privately held retailer - which operates one Gallery 1 store, two Worldwide Furniture outlets, a distribution center and a Brick franchise - has become a major regional player.

Company President Joe Ramia will accept the Retailer of the Year Award.

Reynolds noted that the Ramia family is involved in a number of community organizations in the Halifax area, including the Queen Elizabeth Health Science Centre and the Cancer Research Foundation.

Ramia and his family have endowed a chair in surgical oncology at Dalhousie University, and launched the Festival Angel, a program to help raise money and awareness for the Mental Health Foundation and show support for the emotional and physical sacrifices of Canadian Forces personnel. He also is a supporter of the Phoenix House for Youth, which serves at-risk and homeless youth between the ages of 12 and 24.

Last year's Retailer of the Year was Sleep Country Canada.

For more information about the Jan. 8 gala, or to obtain tickets, contact CHFA President Murray Vaughan at (905) 677-6561 or by e-mail at murray@chfaweb.ca.