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Art DeFehr, Dufresne Retail Services Group to receive top Canadian awards

Will be honored at gala celebration Jan. 13

Michael Knell -- Furniture Today, November 7, 2011

Steve Braniff

Art DeFehr

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario — Canada's fastest-growing furniture buying group and the CEO of the country's largest upholstery manufacturer and will be honored by the Canadian Home Furnishings Alliance at its annual gala celebration Jan. 13, kicking off the 2012 edition of the Canadian Home Furnishings Market.

Dufresne Retail Solutions Group, the Cambridge, Ontario-based furniture buying group operated by The Dufresne Group, is the alliance's Retailer of the Year.

Art DeFehr, CEO of Winnipeg, Manitoba-based Palliser Furniture, will be the 2012 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

In addition to operating the buying group, Dufresne Group also owns and operates the 11-unit Dufresne Furniture & Appliances as well as 12 Ashley Furniture HomeStores in western Canada. Scheduled to accept the award on behalf of the group is its longtime director, Steve Braniff.

Dufresne Retail Solutions Group, which goes by dRSG, was founded in 2006 and today has members operating 84 stores around the country. According to Braniff, the group's mission is to provide independent furniture and appliance retailers with information, advertising and merchandising solutions to enable them to succeed in their markets.

"Our promise to our members is to always be on the leading edge of upcoming retail trends and interpret them in such a way as to ensure our members take full advantage of these opportunities," he said.

CHFA Chairman Laine Reynolds said in a statement, "In a few brief years dRSG has become a significant retail group, which has had a very positive impact on independent furniture retailing in Canada."

DeFehr, CEO of family-owned Palliser Furniture, has a long record of business, civic and charitable accomplishments. He was named an officer of the Order of Canada in 2004 and earlier this year was named an officer of the Order of Manitoba, the highest accolade his home province can accord one of its citizens.

"Art DeFehr is a highly respected industry titan who is a visionary business entrepreneur known not only for his wisdom, integrity, innovation and tireless work ethic but also for his many generous philanthropic activities and his humanitarian involvement," Reynolds said.

Last year's Lifetime Achievement Award recipient was Jean Deveault, who retired as executive vice president of casual dining powerhouse Canadel Furniture. Other recipients have included the late Guy Laflamme of South Shore Furniture, Richard Magnussen of Magnussen Home and the late Orville Mead of Durham Furniture, among others.

The 2011 Retailer of the Year was Easyhome, Canada's largest big ticket leasing merchant. Other award winners have included Sleep Country Canada, The Brick, Leon's and Dufresne Furniture & Appliances, among others.

For tickets to the Jan. 13 gala in International Centre here, or for more information, contact CHFA President Murray Vaughan at (905) 677-6561 or by e-mail at murray@chfaweb.ca.

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