The Western Retail Lumber Association (WRLA) announced the election of Karen Clement, co-owner and controller of Edmonton-based Mission Building Supplies (1985) Ltd., as president of the WRLA Board of Directors at the Annual General Meeting during the 2010 Prairie Showcase Buying Show & Convention. Mrs. Clement is the first women to hold the position of President in the Association’s 120-year history.
“Karen has consistently demonstrated strong leadership and bold vision during her five-year tenure on the board,” says Gary Hamilton, WRLA’s executive director. “We are fortunate to have someone at the helm that is so highly skilled and dedicated to the building supply industry.”
In her first message to the association’s 1,250 members across Western Canada, Mrs. Clement said her priorities as Board President will be to build on WRLA’s past successes. “Our association is well positioned for continued growth. The building materials industry will play a significant role in building a strong Canadian economy. In terms of the challenges that lie ahead, we will need to place a stronger emphasis on succession planning and educating and retaining the future of our industry.”