Walter Hachborn, is a Canadian

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...

 businessman who is the co-founder of Home Hardware

Home Hardware

Home Hardware is a privately held Canadian home improvement, construction materials, and furniture retailer. Co-founded in 1964 by Walter Hachborn and headquartered in St...

, a Canadian home improvement

Home improvement

Home improvement, home renovation or remodeling is the process of renovating or making additions to one's home.-Types of home improvement:...

 and construction retailer which supplies to contractors and individual consumers.

Born in Conestogo, Ontario

Conestogo, Ontario

Conestogo is a community in the Canadian province of Ontario, located in the township of Woolwich in Waterloo Region.The community is located at the junction of the Grand and Conestogo Rivers....

, he has lived in St. Jacobs, Ontario

St. Jacobs, Ontario

The community of St. Jacobs is located in southwest Ontario, just north of Waterloo in Woolwich Township, Waterloo Region. It is a popular location for tourism, due to its Mennonite heritage and retail focus. The Conestogo River, which powered the village's original gristmill, runs through the...

 most of his life. He started working in the hardware industry in 1938 and created Home Hardware in 1964 with two partners, Henry Sittler and Arthur Zilliax. He has been its President since the beginning and the company has grown from 122 dealers to over 1100 stores. He retired from day-to-day operations in 1988, but still retains the title of President.

In 1988, the Retail Council of Canada

Retail Council of Canada

The Retail Council of Canada was founded in 1963. It is a Canadian not-for-profit association representing more than 40,000 stores of all retail formats, including independent merchants, regional and national mass and specialty chains, and online merchants...

 recognized Hachborn's success at Home Hardware. In recognition of this accomplishment he was presented with the Distinguished Canadian Retailer of the Year Award. He was also awarded the distinction of Retailer of the Century in 1999

In 1999, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada

Order of Canada

The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...

. In 1985, he was awarded an honorary doctor of laws degree from Wilfrid Laurier University

Wilfrid Laurier University

Wilfrid Laurier University is a university located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It also has campuses in Brantford, Ontario, Kitchener, Ontario and Toronto, Ontario and a future proposed campus in Milton, Ontario. It is named in honour of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the seventh Prime Minister of Canada....

, where he served as a member of WLU's board of governors for 10 years.