New President and CEO appointed for PIJAC Canada

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 8, 2018, OTTAWA, ON: PIJAC Canada is pleased to announce the appointment of Stéphanie Girard as the new President and CEO of PIJAC Canada, effective May 28, 2018.

Ms. Girard comes to PIJAC Canada having spent over two decades in the fields of public relations and media. The former Director of Marketing, Communications and Community Engagement for Bruyère Continuing Care , is a seasoned leader, having worked with over 40 teams for one of the largest organizations of its kind in Canada. In combination with her business background, Stéphanie has a love of animals stretching back to her early years where she began volunteering for local shelters. Her combination of compassion, business leadership and communication savvy will take PIJAC Canada into the future with a renewed commitment to a healthy industry and ongoing growth in animal welfare. “I am honored and humbled by the trust placed in me to be the new President and CEO of PIJAC Canada. As an active player in an international network of pet industry associations, I’m thrilled to lead an organization that provides critical resources, training and growth opportunities to pet business owners across Canada and in turn, positively impact the lives of pets from coast-to-coast.”, says Ms. Girard.

PIJAC Canada’s search for a successor centered around candidates that understood the diversity of needs within its membership. Stéphanie Girard’s entrepreneurial background and strategic approach made her the obvious choice. “The pet industry has reached a critical point in its history. The landscape regarding the sourcing of pets, products and health care is rapidly becoming a hybrid of online and in person transactions. It’s critical that PIJAC Canada stay nimble in order to serve our members and be of assistance to pet families across the country. Stéphanie’s innovative leadership style will not only steer the association towards growth and diversity in the resources it can offer, but also continue our philosophy of collaboration with all stakeholders., explains Mike Campbell, Board Chairman and owner of MarCam Pet Nutrition.

Retiring President and CEO, Louis McCann will continue in an advisory role until later this year, to ensure a smooth transition. “Louis built PIJAC Canada into the strong national voice for responsible pet business it is today. His legacy will be the Animal Welfare is Everyone’s Business Campaign which highlights the responsibility all businesses hold for improving the wellbeing of Canada’s pets. We cannot thank him enough for his strong and visionary leadership over the last 27 years.” says Campbell.

About PIJAC Canada – The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council of Canada provides leadership and communication between all sectors of the pet industry. Their job is to offer guidance and resources to pet businesses and help advance the wellbeing of Canada’s animals. As a not for profit, member based organization they believe working together is the key to positive pet experiences and successful pet businesses.

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For more information:
Stephanie Renaud
Member Services Coordinator, PIJAC Canada
memberservices@gabrielsenn.com