The board of directors
sees to the happiness of families
L’Aubainerie Foundation’s board of directors manages the foundation, protects its positioning, supervises its fundraising activities, approves provided donations and endorses communications, all the while ensuring that the foundation’s mission is followed.
The foundation’s board of directors is made up of the following members:
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Catherine Venne
chairperson
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Denis Massey
secretary and treasurer
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Norman Décarie
director
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Danika Croteau
director
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Marc Hébert
director
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David Hébert
director
David Hébert, director
David Hébert obtained his baccalaureate in administration at Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières. Working with L’Aubainerie since 1998, he is now co-owner and general manager for the six locations found on Côte-Nord and in the lower Saint-Lawrence region. Member of the Club of young entrepreneurs since 2008, he also sits on the board of administration for Rimouski’s retailers’ association. David has always been keenly involved in various community endeavours, such as the Entre Deux Vagues perinatal centre (services for pregnant women, future and new parents, as well as babies), UQAR’s Foundation (helping the children of students who are the head of a single-parent family) and Maison Marie-Élizabeth (end-of-life residence).
Norman Décarie, director
CEO, L’Aubainerie
A graduate of Montreal’s HEC, Norman Décarie also studied law and finance before choosing, nearly 30 years ago, to build his career in the retail sector. He rose up to numerous challenges for Canadian companies, occupying various positions related to operations, marketing and business development. He has been vice-president of sales and marketing for a pan-Canadian furniture company, and worked as a consultant on several occasions. His expertise in franchise environments was notably consolidated with a noted stint at Groupe Forzanni, for which he was chief of operations and director of the franchise network before he joined L’Aubainerie in 1998. Through his career path, Norman was able to develop a vast expertise pertaining to the management of companies and franchises and to ways of moving corporations forward. Today, as CEO of L’Aubainerie—the Quebec fashion icon for the entire family, with 56 point-of-sale in Quebec—he is in charge of the company’s expansion. Throughout the years, Norman Décarie was a board member for various organizations and foundations, and it’s with great pride that he has joined L’Aubainerie Foundation’s board of directors.
Catherine Venne, chairperson
After obtaining her degree in arts and media technologies in 1999, Catherine quickly directed her career toward the world of advertising agencies. She built her professional experience working on various marketing projects involving advertising, promotions, contests, media, press relations, web, and sponsorships. In charge of several accounts, Catherine was able to develop her expertise regarding B2B and B2C strategies—which allowed her to dive into retail with L’Aubainerie in 2006. As soon as she arrived, she leveraged her experience to improve the banner’s positioning and help it take a turn toward fashion, which brought L’Aubainerie into a new marketing era. As of her arrival within the network of franchisees, Catherine got involved in the banner’s local marketing and she witnessed firsthand the great generosity and local involvement from stores. When one of L’Aubainerie’s franchisees suggested that a foundation be created, Catherine immediately saw a great opportunity to showcase the network’s generosity and give back more to the community. She’s honoured to be chairing the new L’Aubainerie Foundation, which will put our efforts in common for the benefit of Quebec families.
Denis Massey, secretary and treasurer
Having graduated in accounting at Université du Québec à Montréal, Denis Massey went on to study law at University of Montreal. A member of the Ordre des comptables en management accrédités du Québec (CMA), Denis has worked for various companies, spending 8 years in the manufacturing sector and 8 more in the field of international transport. He joints L’Aubainerie Foundation to ensure the healthy redistribution of funds for the benefit of Quebec families.
Danika Croteau, director
Danika’s studies in administration technology (with a specialty in accounting) and her accounting certificate obtained at UQAM allow her to understand the retail industry by which she’s been surrounded since her early childhood. Granddaughter of Jean-Noel Croteau, who founded the company in 1944, Danika Croteau co-owns three stores: L’Aubainerie in Plateau Mont-Royal, L’Aubainerie in Lasalle and L’Aubainerie Entrepôt on Ontario Street, in Montréal. Danika Croteau is currently vice-chair of the board of administration for Lanaudière’s Fin à la Faim organization. This non-profit maintains an annual food bank for over 650 families from the region. Danika is happy to have this opportunity for concrete action in favour of Quebec families through the work of L’Aubainerie Foundation.
Marc Hébert, director
Marc Hébert’s adventure with L’Aubainerie started in 1985, when he bought his first store in Grand-Mère. He later pushed his experience with the matter further, acquiring three other stores: in Valleyfield in 1994, on Île-Perrot in 2004, and finally in Vaudreuil-Dorion in 2008. Through the years, Marc acquired an in-depth understanding of retail, which has led him to be head buyer for the entire L’Aubainerie network for nearly 15 years. While he is very active within various L’Aubainerie committees, he’s also an active volunteer for children. He’s pleased to join L’Aubainerie Foundation to support Quebec families and children in need.