Bestbuy makes annual gift to Family Heart Centre

Bestbuy Distributors Ltd. has donated $35,000 to The Family Heart Centre at the Hospital For Sick Children in Toronto.

The donation brings the cumulative total raised by Bestbuy shareholders since 1986 to $680,000.

The cheque was presented to Dr. Robert Hamilton, director of cardiology for the Hospital for Sick Children, at Bestbuy’s 60th Annual Shareholder Meeting held in Mississauga at The Westin Bristol Place Toronto Airport on Feb. 21.

The event also featured the announcement by Bestbuy president Jeff VandeSande and chairman Dale Devlin that VISION-OE had won the company’s 2013 Horace J. Pratt Award. The honour, which goes to the company’s supplier of the year, was received by Terry Howard and Chris Holder.

There was a strong turnout of 185 for the annual gala dinner, which featured entertainment by The Jerry Enns Comedy Hypnosis Show.

Shareholders from across Canada proclaimed their 2014 Board of Directors.

*  Chairman, Dale Devlin of Halton & Hamilton Automotive;

*  Vice-Chairman Doug Squires, Colonial Auto Parts & A.P.M. Limited;

*  Secretary/Treasurer Don Harvey, Central Transport Refrigeration;

*  Claudio Sceppacerqua, The Young Automotive Professionals;

*  Brad Nahorney, Sapphire Auto (IDL);

*  Ghazi Mankal, Canadian Auto Parts Suppliers;

*  Gino Morelli, Pièces d’auto G.C.M.; and

*  Scott Manz of Den-Paul Distributors.

During the evening, Bestbuy had the pleasure of formally welcoming Roger Gould of George Solomon & Sons, a new Bestbuy Shareholder. Gould was presented with the Bestbuy Code of Ethics plaque.

*  McNeil Auto Supply, 25 years;

*  Auto Magic, 25 years;

*  Dash Distributors, 20 years;

*  The Young Automotive Professionals, 20 years;

*  Horvath Auto Corp., 10 years; and

*  Camions Lague Inc., 10 years.

The weekend also featured the AGM Trade Event at Bestbuy’s head office and warehouse. Over 80 vendors were on site ready to discuss their new business developments with shareholders.