Community News

PETERBOROUGH GROCERS SEE PEOPLE AS THEIR BEST INVESTMENT

THE MORELLOS WILL BE INDUCTED INTO THE JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF NORTHERN AND EASTERN ONTARIO BUSINESS HALL OF FAME MAY 26

BARBARA-ANN MACEACHERN bmaceachern@mykawartha.com

"Success doesn't come by chance, it comes from surrounding yourself in good people," according to Dave Morello who, alongside his wife Kimberley, will be inducted into the Junior Achievement of Northern and Eastern Ontario Business Hall of Fame May 26.

Morello's entire working life has been dedicated the grocery industry beginning with his first part-time job working at Miracle Food Mart.

"At a very young age I experienced pride in the work," says the Morello's Your Independent Grocer owner.

Getting his start with a people-focused company provided comprehensive, intensive training and influenced Morello's own approach to employee development. His department and store manager training included working in each of the store's departments to get hands-on experience in all aspects of the job.

He worked for several years as store manager before the opportunity to take his career to the next level came along. His mentor Greg Hanley bought a Loeb franchise in Burlington and he wanted Morello to run it, giving him the chance to really put his leadership skills to the test.

"He allowed me to do my thing, run the store and learn the business."

Morello says his mentor shared his experience and business know-how and as much as he learned from Hanley's strengths, he also had the benefit of learning from his mentor's weaker area; people.

"It really started for me the understanding of people, and the effort you need to put into people and how you hire and how you train," he says.

"I've tried very hard in my career to bring it all together and that was thanks to the mentorship."

Morello moved to Peterborough in 1996 to run a new Loeb location where he could hire his own staff and be hands-on with their training from the ground up.

Though he was recruited back to manage Loeb's flagship store in Mississauga in 1998, everything changed later that year

when the company was bought by Loblaw, leaving his future uncertain.

The uncertainty turned to opportunity in 2000 when the couple were able to purchase the store Dave established just a few years before under the new Your Independent Grocer banner.

Morello says he was thrilled to be taking the helm at the store he helped build, but with such a huge leap, he admits he did question if he was up to the task.

"What brought me comfort and made me feel good about it was my recollection about what made me successful in the past: a focus on the people."

His mission became making Morello's Your Independent Grocer a good place to work, which supported and trained its people with care, and setting an example with his own work ethic.

"Twenty-plus years later I'm still here basically every day because I love who I work with and working with my wife every day, I love what I do and wouldn't change a thing," says Morello.

Morello says he was overwhelmed when he learned of the Hall of Fame induction.

"We do what we do, not for show, but to build a business and support the great community we live in."

In addition to the Morellos, inductees include Vanessa Oake Hogan from Century 21 United Realty; Michael Santos from Mercedes-Benz Peterborough; Ken Blow and John and Glenda Lavery from Kadex Aero Supply; Ray Kapoor, formerly of The Black Horse Pub; Eric and Marlaine Bennett of Bennett's Furniture and Mattresses; Ian Scates of Central Smith; Peter Norris, formerly of Holiday Ford; Bill Lockington from LLF Lawyers LLP; Mary LaRocque of Marlin Travel and Peter McLean of McLean, Simon & Associates.

BUSINESS

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2022-05-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-05-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://communitynews.pressreader.com/article/281586654204894

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