Maureen Chant, admin assistant to Jimmy Pattison for 61 years

March 8 is International Women’s Day, and as part of the celebration, Grocery Business is spotlighting Maureen Chant, who has been the administrative assistant to Jimmy Pattison, chairman and CEO of the Jim Pattison Group for 61 years.

She began working with Pattison on Sept. 3, 1963, as a switchboard operator at his used car dealership on Cambie Street in Vancouver, B.C.

Grocery Business’ Jim Slomka and Mary Scianna had the privilege of meeting Chant twice at the company’s head office.

Jim Slomka connected with Chant this week, and she shared that, “There is no typical day. My role is the same as it’s always been: to give the best service I can to our customers, employees and company management. I wouldn’t change one minute of my last 61 years.

Slomka says of meeting Pattison and Chant: “They are two of the nicest people I have ever met in my 50-plus year career. When I asked her what type of boss Jimmy is, she said, ‘He’s the absolute best in every way; firm but fair generous to a fault.’ Congrats Maureen. You are a legend and one in a million.”

Pattison Companies include Pattison Food Group (11 retail banners and almost 300 food and drug retail locations), Ocean Brands, Canfisco Group, TNG Canada, Genpak, Montebello Packaging, Ripley Entertainment, Great Wolf Lodge, Guinness World Records. The Jim Pattison Auto Group, Jim Pattison Lease, Peterbilt Pacific, Pattison Agriculture, Pattison Sign Group, Pattison Media (50 radio stations), Pattison Outdoor Advertising, Canfor Corporation and Westshore Terminals.

Read more about Maureen Chant in an article by Jan Jones, author of “The CEOs Secret Weapon: How Great Leaders and their Assistants Maximize Productivity and Effectiveness.”