• The Greater Stouffville Chamber of Commerce has inducted inaugural members of the new Greater Stouffville Business Hall of Fame.
  • The initiative recognizes local pioneers who have played pivotal roles in shaping Stouffville’s business community.
  • The 2024 honourees include Marvin, Keith, and the late Ken Betz of Betz Pools; Percy and the late Harry and Wesley Schell of Schell Lumber; Graydon Card of Card’s Appliances; Jay Reesor of Reesor’s Market; and sisters Patti Thompson, Debbi Conzelmann, Robin Kelly, and Jackie Fisher of King Cole Ducks.
  • To honour the inductees, the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville will create a commemorative wall at Town Hall in 2025.
  • A celebratory dinner hosted by the Chamber on Nov. 26 introduced the Hall of Fame members and highlighted their contributions to Stouffville.

 

“The Greater Stouffville Business Hall of Fame was created to recognize the trailblazers who helped shape Stouffville’s business landscape,” Chamber President David Elie said in his opening remarks. “It serves as a testament to the enduring impact of leadership, vision, and hard work, celebrates the spirit of entrepreneurship, and drives the community forward.”

The event drew more than 230 attendees, including Mayor Iain Lovatt, Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti, York Region Chairman Wayne Emmerson, Stouffville’s Ward Councillors, and senior Town Staff, as well as local business owners and residents. Lovatt, Scarpitti, and Emmerson joined Chamber board members to introduce the Hall of Fame inductees.

“Stouffville has been incorporated for 147 years, and in that time there have been significant businesses established that have become foundational to our local identity,” Lovatt told Bullet Point News. “The inaugural inductees to the Business Hall of Fame are and will continue to be synonymous with Stouffville, and I was proud to play a small role in honouring them last evening.”

Marvin and Keith Betz of Betz Pools, alongside their late father Ken, were inducted for their regional and international successes in pool construction and custom backyard design. The company was founded by Ken in 1945 after a client’s request for a custom pool during a home-building project, and they were recognized for their efforts in hiring locally whenever possible.

Graydon Card was honoured for his customer-focused approach through nearly six decades as owner of Card’s Appliances, a family business established in 1968. Originally a hardware store, the business transitioned its focus to appliances in 1994 and has become a community fixture. Now 84, Card is a founding member of the Whitchurch-Stouffville Chamber of Commerce and remains active in the business, which is now run by the next generation of the Card family.

Jay Reesor, a prominent figure in the Markham and Stouffville communities, was recognized for his contributions to local agriculture and business. Building on his family’s farming legacy dating back to 1804, Reesor founded Reesor’s Farm Market and Reesor’s Market & Bakery. He began his career in 1984 and has recently passed the business to younger members of the Reesor family.

Percy and the late Harry and Wesley Schell were welcomed to the Hall of Fame for their contributions to Stouffville through Schell Lumber, originally founded in 1922 as the Stouffville Planing Mill. Now operated by the fourth generation, the business has been instrumental in home construction throughout the community and is well known for supporting local sports teams and events.

Sisters Patti Thompson, Debbi Conzelmann, Robin Kelly, and Jackie Fisher, granddaughters of King Cole Ducks Ltd. founder James Murby, were awarded their place for growing the family business into Canada’s largest producer of duck products. Processing approximately 2.5 million ducks annually, the company has earned accolades for its sustainable agricultural practices, environmental efforts, and global reach, as well as their downstream production of compost.

Nominations and selections for the Hall of Fame were made by the Greater Stouffville Chamber’s board of directors and staff through community consultation. The Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville has also offered a wall in the Municipal Offices building to recognize Hall of Fame members.

“I’m excited to announce that we have a permanent home for the Hall of Fame in the new year,” said Christian Buhagiar, the Chamber’s Executive Director. ““Our inaugural inductees, along with all of our future inductees, will be showcased and honoured right outside Council Chambers. So our business community can make sure it keeps an eye on Council, as well,” he joked.

The dinner also marked the Chamber’s formal rebranding announcement. Formerly known as the Whitchurch-Stouffville Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Stouffville Chamber now boasts a membership of approximately 400 businesses and organizations. Its updated identity is meant to reflect its growing place within the region’s business community.

“This new identity will serve as a beacon for the collaborative spirit we strive to represent,” Buhagiar said. “It captures the spirit and ambition of the Chamber and our community and aligns with our mission to unlock greatness and shine a spotlight on all the potential that lies within the greater Stouffville region.”

*Cover image taken by Valeria Mitsubata Photography, courtesy of the Greater Stouffville Chamber of Commerce