2012 CWEA Finalist: Catherine Buckingham

Catherine Buckingham, President & CEO, TNR Industrial Doors Inc.

Cathy helped found TNR Industrial Doors in 2003 when Albany International announced its plans to close its industrial door manufacturing plant in Barrie, Ontario and move to the US. She brought her passion for keeping manufacturing in Canada and her concern for the impact on Barrie and Canadian suppliers to the table. The result: TNR thrived and is now the largest high performance industrial door manufacturer in Canada.

 Cathy is highly regarded as an innovative leader and expert in high performance industrial doors. In 2005, she was elected to the Board of Directors of the International Door Association and has held the position of Treasurer since 2007. Cathy was awarded the IDA Director Service Award in 2009 AND 2012. In 2005, TNR won the Bell Canada and Barrie Chamber of Commerce New Business Award. Cathy was a Quantum Shift Recipient in 2009.

  TNR’s driving force: Cathy is the driving force behind initiatives that include:

• the expansion of TNR’s facility and purchase of a competitor
• growth into the US, South America and Africa
• employee profit sharing and charitable giving plans

  An inspiring and empathic leader: Cathy walks her talk by practicing the core values of TNR in every aspect of doing business. Each year, her staff score how well the company does in living up to its vision and mission statements. “People—how we listen to our people—how we work together as a team—how everyone contributes and is recognized for it. That’s the secret sauce to our success. I believe that it’s important that people should like to come to work every day,” says Cathy.

 An active contributor to the community: Over the years Cathy has raised over $5 million as Campaign Chair for the United Way of Greater Simcoe County. She fosters community involvement and charitable giving as part of TNR’s culture and employee benefits. She assists the Business program at Georgian College by working with students, is a fund raiser for the University of Western Ontario and active giver to Gilda’s Club. This November she travels to China as part of the GTA Mayor’s trade mission.

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