(Offer valid to Oakville Beaver "Shop Locally" card holders) FREE MEDIUM SOFT DRINK With Purchase of a Salad Bar 2304 Royal Windsor Dr. (Ford at Royal Windsor) Oakville, Ont. 844â€"2200 West, 48, is a softâ€"spoken guy, but he radiates certain coiled energy. Apparently, he has no trouble assertâ€" ing himself when necessary. Born and "Walâ€"Mart is astute enough to know you cannot run a business in Canada out of Bentonville, Arkansas." Walâ€"Mart‘s Canadian head office in Toronto is staffed 100% by Canadians, he noted. "But," he said, "I‘ve worked as a Canadian for an American company (Woolworth‘s) all my working life. Walâ€"Mart isn‘t any different from other great American corporations operating in Canada â€"â€" they all take on the flavor of the country." The former Woolco chief made no bones about the thoroughly American nature of Walâ€"Mart, the legacy of Arkansan Sam Walton. "There is excitement at all levels of the organization," West mainâ€" tained. "It‘s a new beginning for us." (Continued from page 4) There are about 16,000, former Woolco employees, who are now Walâ€"Mart ‘associates‘ in stores across the country. West is an avowed people person "I guess my ability to work with people is my biggest asset," he said. "All retailers think they‘re great merâ€" chants, but the truth is we‘re all pretty much the same when it comes to moving merchandise. It‘s how we deal with people that makes the difâ€" ference." The secret to his success? No secret really. While he admits her parents might have been disappointed over his leavâ€" ing school when he did, his rapid rise in the retail business soon allayed their fears. Eventually, he would avail himself of the Business Management Program for Executives at the University of Western Ontario. "I got into retail by coâ€"incidence," he noted. "But I realized I loved it the first day â€" so I stayed with it. I must say, I never had any trouble getting up for work in the mornings, in the 28 years I‘ve been involved." raised in Quebec City, he married his high school sweetheart 26 years ago. He is something of a selfâ€"made man; a summer job at Woolworth‘s after high school expanded into a career. He smiled, "I‘ve always tried to Then, hesitating only briefly, he added, "to live here in Oakville. Yeah, I guess that would be my idea of hapâ€" piness." "To have a full life, happy family, a good job," he mused, "to have a few dollars in my pocket â€" and some set aside for the golden years..." Perhaps, he is just a teensyâ€"weensy bit sensitive about his thinning locks and the flippant remarks of some Toronto reporters who suggested he might have picked up an American accent. (Yes, his hair is thinning; no, he has no accent.) He has a simple philosophy of life and his idea of happiness is just plain, Sam Walton corny. "I think it‘s just a desire to do things well," he explained. "I have a lot of energy and the things I do â€" working with people â€"I enjoy." There isn‘t much Bruce would change about his life, he said. His wife has been his greatest support and influence. Sure, he‘s an ambitious guy, but what exactly is it that drives him? Hard to say. In his off hours, the executive enjoys a rousing set of tennis and, in the winter, downhill skiing. He finds music stimulating, as well, classical and jazz, though each in its place. "I suppose it was a bit like being drafted by the Blue Jays, if you‘re a baseball player," West enthused. "Yeah, I call that fun." "What we needed was a new investor who really wanted to be there," said West. "What we got was Walâ€"Mart â€" the world‘s best discount retailer â€" to buy most of our stores." About twoâ€"andâ€"aâ€"half years ago, West was asked to take the tiller at Woolco Canada, but it was already a sinking ship. Woolworth‘s had essenâ€" tially given up on this branch of the business, the past president said. His career at Woolworth‘s Canada was approaching meteoric until he reached the vice presidency, at which point he moved laterally into the speâ€" cialty store division, where he spent "a few good years" helping to develâ€" op "Northern Reflections" â€" one of the rare Canadian retail concepts to find success in the United States, with over 200 stores currently operating south of the border. West said he‘s always been a good listener and a good judge of character, adding modestly, "I probably didn‘t do much more than pick good people over the years. People have really brought me along." concentrate on people‘s finer qualiâ€" ties, not worried too much about their faults. God knows, we‘ve all got a few." Use real robots, rockets, satelâ€" lites, . telescopes, lasers and much more. Great residence, good food with land and water sports in weekly coâ€"ed sessions June to September. A unique, . excmng, educational space adventure for all! For brochure 20. ALGONQUIN SPACE CAMPUS: FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS! How can you argue with that? TINTING From $30 Per Winpow Scratch Resistant â€" All Shades CALL For APPOINTMENT 844â€"5556