Leeza picks up two Accolades

Leeza Distribution, a supplier of premium surfacing material founded by two West Islanders in 2000, has the distinction of winning two Accolades this year.

The company, located in St. Laurent just off Highway 40, won in the Human Resources and Business Services categories in the 24th annual Accolades competition held by the West Island of Montreal Chamber of Commerce. The winners were announced at a gala last Thursday night. Leeza had won an Accolade in the distribution category last year.

Leeza was founded and is owned by Mark Hanna (president), a Hudson resident and West Island native, and Jack McDonald (vice-president) of Beaconsfield.

“We are specialists as distributors of premium surfacing materials, such as countertops, across Canada and northeast United States,” Hanna said.

Leeza distributes across Canada and 12 states and supplies about 900 countertop fabrication shops. Some of the company’s primary lines include Staron, an acrylic solid surface made by Samsung, HanStone, a fine quartz surface made by Hanwa, as well as Eclipse stainless steel sinks.

“We supply to retail, the commercial market and to home builders,” Hanna said. “We also supply slabs and sheets, good quality raw materials, to manufacturers.”

Hanna said marketing their goods to build demand is a key to doing business.

“We deal with architects and designers who specialize in commercial applications,” he said, adding they also set up programs with retailers to promote the products they distribute. “We go to them and show our great products and their benefits.”

Leeza has about 35 employees, with reps across Canada. It has a warehouse in St. Laurent as well as one in London, Ont. It plans to open another one in Connecticut, Hanna said.

Hanna said he and McDonald worked together in the chimney business, selling high-end designs, before founding Leeza. “We were into distribution then (with chimneys),” he recalled. “Another similarity (with our current business) was that we were dealing with the end customer. We understand how to deal with the particular issue of end customers, be better suppliers. We know late delivers will put people under the gun with their customers.”

Hanna said Leeza’s strategy of success is to provide an excellent level of service and deliver orders on time.

Other Accolade winners are: Les Serres de Chez Nous (retail service); Greenlite Lighting Corp. (distribution); Aesus Labelling Systems (manufacturing); Omniglobe Networks (high tech/innovation); Bellatrx (markets outside Quebec); Conseil de la banlieue ouest pour les besoins (Community shares award); G.E. Technology Inc. (small business); Les Services KD (business services) and Matrix Energy (eco-sustainable production/design)

For more information on the Accolades or the Chamber of Commerce, check www.ccoim.ca.