Steven Gunn
Encyclopedia
Stephen K. Gunn is Chairman, Chief Executive Officer
and co-Founder of Sleep Country Canada Inc.
As of 2006, the company had 111 stores across Canada
and 32 stores in the US (Sleep America).
and Kingston
. He completed an honours BSc in Electrical Engineering
from Queen's University
and an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business
(1981).
as a Management Consultant (1981–1987). In 1987, he co-founded and was the President of Kenrick Capital, a merchant banking business. In October 1994, he co-founded the company with Christine Magee
and Gordon Lownds
. In 2005, he was a Trustee of the Connors Bros. Income Fund and the Golf Town Income Fund.
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
and co-Founder of Sleep Country Canada Inc.
Sleep Country Canada
Sleep Country Canada is a major mattress retailer in Canada, with over 140 stores operating in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario.The company was ranked one of the top 50 companies to work for in Canada by the Globe and Mail...
As of 2006, the company had 111 stores across Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and 32 stores in the US (Sleep America).
Early life
Gunn grew up in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
. He completed an honours BSc in Electrical Engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
from Queen's University
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
and an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business
Richard Ivey School of Business
The Richard Ivey School of Business is located on the University of Western Ontario campus in London, Ontario, Canada, and is consistently rated as the top business school in Canada. It is offered, along with a range of other programs, by the University of Western Ontario, but is managed separately...
(1981).
Career
After university he joined McKinsey & CompanyMcKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company, Inc. is a global management consulting firm that focuses on solving issues of concern to senior management. McKinsey serves as an adviser to many businesses, governments, and institutions...
as a Management Consultant (1981–1987). In 1987, he co-founded and was the President of Kenrick Capital, a merchant banking business. In October 1994, he co-founded the company with Christine Magee
Christine Magee
Christine Magee is a well known spokesperson for and President of Sleep Country Canada. In October 1994, she co-founded the company with Steven Gunn and Gordon Lownds. By 2004, the company had expanded to 89 stores, with over 600 employees and operations in three provinces...
and Gordon Lownds
Gordon Lownds
Gordon Lownds , co-Founder of Sleep Country Canada and Listen Up! Canada, is a successful Canadian entrepreneur.Gord Lownds was born and raised in Toronto, Canada...
. In 2005, he was a Trustee of the Connors Bros. Income Fund and the Golf Town Income Fund.
Awards
- 1998- Financial PostFinancial PostThe Financial Post was an English Canadian business newspaper, which published from 1907 to 1998. In 1998, the publication was folded into the new National Post, although the name Financial Post has been retained as the banner for that paper's business section and also lives on in the Post’s...
named him and Christine Magee the Ontario Entrepreneur of the Year, Retail/Wholesale - 2003- Inducted into the Canadian Retail Hall of Fame, Retail Council of Canada
- 2004- Inducted into the Canadian Marketing Hall of Legends
- 2006- Recipient of CIRAS Henry Singer Award for exceptional leadership in the retailing and services sectors