Valerie Ventola Honoured with Retail Council of Canada's Chase Paymentech Ambassador Award

TORONTO, May 25, 2012 /CNW/ - Retail Council of Canada (RCC) announced today that Valerie Ventola, owner of The Cuckoo's Nest Gift Shop in Ottawa, Ontario, will be honoured with the Chase Paymentech Ambassador Award.

"RCC and Chase Paymentech are delighted to present this award to Valerie Ventola in recognition of her entrepreneurship, her commitment to customer service and her outstanding support of the Ottawa community," says Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO, Retail Council of Canada. "Valerie goes above and beyond to meet the needs of her loyal customer base and to showcase the handicrafts of local artisans. Customers are drawn to the friendly and engaging atmosphere at The Cuckoo's Nest and the fundraisers she organizes to support local charities like the Royal Ottawa Hospital.  Valerie is the kind of individual who this award was intended to recognize."

The Chase Paymentech Ambassador Award recognizes the outstanding contributions of a local independent retailer to his or her community. The recipient is seen as a visionary, an innovator, and an integral part of the community that his or her business serves. Recipients are known for their community involvement, customer loyalty, and support of locally made products and services. As the name of the award suggests, this individual or business must embody the true spirit of entrepreneurship and community service required to be recognized as an ambassador of the retail industry. The award will be presented to Ms. Ventola on behalf of the retail industry at the annual Excellence in Retailing Awards Dinner held on Monday, June 4, 2012 at STORE 2012 - Canada's Retail Conference.

About Valerie Ventola

Valerie Ventola is the owner of The Cuckoo's Nest Gift Shop, located in trendy Westboro Village in Ottawa Ontario.  The Cuckoo's Nest opened for business in 2010 and specializes in trendy gift items and specialty greeting cards. Valerie began her career in the retail gift industry at Hallmark and was also the owner-operator of Dragon Claws Nail Spa in Dunrobin, Ontario.

About Retail Council of Canada
Retail Council of Canada is the Voice of Retail in Canada. Founded in 1963, RCC is a not-for-profit, industry-funded association representing more than 45,000 store fronts of all retail formats across Canada, including department, grocery, specialty, discount, and independent stores, and online merchants. We speak for an industry that touches the daily lives of Canadians in every corner of the country — by providing jobs, career opportunities, and by investing in communities.

For more information about STORE 2012, Canada's Retail Conference, visit www.storeconference.ca.

Media are invited to attend STORE 2012.

Sally Ritchie
VP Communications and Marketing, RCC
416 922-9700 ext. 228
[email protected]