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14 LBMAO Reporter - January-February 2026 www.lbmao.on.caINDUSTRY NEWSRONA Partners with Skilled Trades College and Offers a Scholarship to a Deserving StudentRONA inc. is proud to offer a $15,000 scholarship, in partnership with Skilled Trades College (STC), established to provide individuals with the hands-on skills and knowledge required to begin a career in the skilled trades industry with its six campuses located in the Greater Toronto Area, to Tumsifu Goodluck Nyaki, a deserving student from the Introduction to Home Renovation program at the Toronto East campus. %u201cRONA is committed to building the future of skilled trades and supporting the talent pool that will build tomorrow%u2019s living environments. While providing concrete support to Canada%u2019s future workforce, this collaboration also strengthens our position as a retailer of choice for construction and home improvement professionals,%u201d says Jamal Hamad, Senior Vice-President, Professional Services at RONA inc.A scholarship to build the future%u201cAs demand for a qualified workforce continues to grow in Canada, we are honoured to partner with RONA to support students who are at the start of a promising career. This partnership is a testament to RONA%u2019s commitment to building stronger communities by supporting the future of skilled tradespeople,%u201d adds Mike Di Donato, Chief Operating Officer at Skilled Trades College.Tumsifu Goodluck Nyaki has been awarded the 2025 RONA scholarship, along with tools and materials offered in collaboration with RONA vendor partners BOSCH and Tilley Tuff. Mother of two and active in community projects supporting youth and women, she impressed the jury with her inspiring story and determination. Tumsifu is just beginning her journey in the skilled trades and hopes to build a meaningful career in construction and home improvement, working with her hands, solving real problems, and contributing to her community.About Skilled Trades College of CanadaFounded in 2008, the Skilled Trades College of Canada (STC) is a registered career college under the Private Career College Act, 2005. STC has earned a reputation for excellence in construction training and is acknowledged as best in class for its industry-relevant programming. As the Canadian leader in training youth for the skilled trades, STC offers year-round, handson pre-apprenticeship programs in Electrical, Plumbing, Home Renovation, and HVAC. Training takes place across six campuses in the Greater Toronto Area, preparing students to be job-ready from day one %u2014 with expansion now underway into the U.S. market.RONA Accelerates Its Digital Transformation and Omnichannel Experience Through Strategic PartnershipThe retailer is collaborating with Google Cloud to position itself at the digital and technological forefront of its industry RONA inc. is positioning itself as a technology leader in its industry. After investing in streamlining its supply chain, developing its private brands, establishing a strong position among construction professionals and RONA affiliated dealers, and increasing the RONA brand awareness through marketing and store conversions, the company is collaborating with strategic partners such as Google Cloud and DoorDash to propel its shift to artificial intelligence and enhance its omnichannel experience.A high-level technological collaboration with Google CloudRONA chose Google Cloud to maximize the impact of artificial intelligence across all its operations and accelerate its growth through the cloud. %u201cWe are very proud to reach this milestone with Google Cloud. We are automating our processes, modernizing our retail operations, and enhancing the customer experience by integrating cutting-edge technologies such as Google Distributed Cloud Edge and AI. This collaboration allows us to position ourselves at the digital and technological forefront of our industry,%u201d said J.P. Towner, President and Chief Executive Officer at RONA inc. This relationship with Google Cloud will enable RONA to succeed in an everchanging retail sector. %u201cWe are rethinking the ways our stores operate, how our teams interact with customers, and how technology can support every stage of the in-store experience. Google Cloud%u2019s expertise will be of great benefit to us, to our customers and to our employees,%u201d said Martin Thibodeau, Senior Vice-President and Chief Information Officer at RONA inc.RONA is recognized for its remarkable strides in search engine marketingIn recognition of its search engine marketing efforts, the home improvement and construction retailer won the Rising Star Award in the Performance Marketing Excellence category at the 2025 Google Search Honours Awards ceremony, which was held in Toronto on November 13, 2025. The Rising Star Award is a new series of awards introduced by Google this year to recognize companies that have made remarkable strides in the Measurement and Analytics Leadership and Performance Marketing Excellence categories.Changes to RONA's Affiliated Dealer Support TeamRONA is announcing changes to its affiliated dealer support team in order to focus on its growth strategy while continuing its efforts to be a partner of choice for dealers. Indeed, RONA%u2019s dealer recruitment team will now be led by Bernie Gauthier, who has been named VicePresident, Business D e v e l o p m e n t , RONA Affiliated Dealers. In this role, Bernie will draw on his vast knowledge of the business sector and the unique realities of entrepreneurs in our industry to focus on growing RONA%u2019s network of affiliated dealers. Fran%u00e7ois Fournier, for his part, has been promoted to the position of Vice-President, Operations, RONA Affiliated Dealers. With nearly 14 years%u2019 experience as District Manager in RONA%u2019s network of corporate stores, Fran%u00e7ois has indepth knowledge of operations, a major asset for RONA dealers who will benefit from his expertise.