LONDON, ON -- (Marketwire) -- 01/22/13 -- Three representatives of Vector Marketing Canada recently received a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal from the Direct Sellers Association of Canada (DSA) at a ceremony held Friday, October 19 in Mississauga, Ontario. Dr. Derek Hassay, Associate Dean, Executive Programs of the University of Calgary Haskayne School of Business; Rhancha Connell, National Sales Director of Vector Marketing Canada Corporation and Jim Kalil, Vector Marketing Canada's Operations Manager, received the medals commemorating Queen Elizabeth II's 60th anniversary of accession to the throne as Queen of Canada.

The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal is a tangible way for Canada to honour Her Majesty for her service to this country while at the same time honouring significant contributions and achievements by Canadians. Recipients must have made a significant contribution to a particular province, territory, region or community within Canada, or an achievement abroad that brings credit to Canada.

The DSA presented the medal to those individuals who have made a significant contribution to the growth and development of the direct selling industry in Canada. Hassay, Connell and Kalil were among 35 individuals to receive a medal from the DSA.

Connell has been a member of the DSA for since 2004. During her time with the organization, she has served as a conference committee member numerous times, conference committee chair in 2006 and has been sitting on the Direct Selling Education Foundation's (DSEF) board for four years. She also received a DSEF 2011 Distinguished Service Award.

Hassay has a long association with the direct selling industry in Canada as an advisor and guest speaker to a number of US and Canadian companies. In 2006, he received the DSEF's Circle of Distinction Award. Hassay is also the creator of Selling Smiles 101, a project included in his upper level sales management course as part of the class's experiential approach to teaching sales. During the course, students sell Cutco Cutlery as an opportunity to apply classroom concepts to the real world while making a significant, positive difference in the local community. All income earned by the students is donated to the Children's Wish Foundation.

Kalil has been involved in DSA activities since the mid-90s. He served on the DSEF board for several years, including as chairman, and he continues to serve as a director. He also served on the DSA board with positions of vice-chair and acting chair. In 2004, Kalil was honoured as an Ivan P. Phelan recipient. This honour recognizes outstanding contributions to the DSA and the direct selling industry. In 2007, he was honoured with the Circle of Distinction Award in recognition of his contributions to the DSEF.

Vector Marketing Canada Corporation (www.vmcanada.ca), headquartered in Oakville, Ontario, is the exclusive Canadian marketer of Cutco Cutlery and accessories, which are sold directly to consumers via in-home demonstrations.

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