Woman
on the Move
Annette Verschuren’s parents
arrived in Canada, 1951, migrating from their home in Oploo, in Noord Brabant,
the Netherlands, for a dairy farm in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Shortly
after her parents arrived, Annette was born, the middle of five children.
At an early age this farmer’s daughter knew she would eventually have to
leave the beautiful rural surroundings of Cape Breton for opportunities
awaiting her in a wide-open business world. Upon graduating Business Administration
from St. Francis Xavier, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Ms. Verschuren’s destiny
with business success came quickly. Gaining employment with senior level
responsibilities at business establishments such as Canada Development
Investment Corporation and Imasco, Annette grasped early that innovative
retailing concepts in Canada were lagging. After acquiring the Canadian
rights for Michaels, a series of arts and craft chain stores in the USA,
she became founding President, 1993, and quickly became known as an executive
with business smarts whose star was rising fast. Romanced by The Home Depot
offering her a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, she left Michaels of Canada,
1996, after much consideration, to head up, as President, the fast expanding
Canadian division of the largest American hardware retail chain. She has
been honoured with the Women on the Move Award, 1994, the Canada 125 Medal,
and an honorary Doctorate from Mount Saint Vincent University. [Photo,
courtesy The Home Depot]
