Our mission
Through our proactive and transparent approach, we promote and defend the interests of beverage alcohol representative agencies by influencing and educating stakeholders on business issues that impact the Quebec market.
Our values
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We use our collective experience and expertise to influence with courage and determination. Because as a team, we bring together long-standing experience, a memory. But also because of the diversity of our members, we have a very strong know-how.
We represent the interests of our members with fairness and inclusiveness. The key to every issue we advocate for is fairness. Fairness is everywhere in everything we do. Fairness is natural justice and impartiality.
We are honest and transparent. A3 defends the interests of advocacy agencies with courage and determination. It is through integrity that we can make a difference.
Information sharing and communication are at the heart of our interactions with our members. We communicate to feed our members and our members feed us through their exchanges and information sharing. All this collaboration is what makes us strong and united.
We act with conviction and enthusiasm. These values are inherent in our industry, through the products we share, through our love for our industry, as agents. No one can say otherwise, our industry is passionate! Within the association, there is no room for indifference. In everything we do, it is passion that drives us. We continue to believe in our positions, we stand our ground, with conviction and passion!
Permanent team
Catherine Lessard
Lyne Beauregard
Board of Directors 2023-2024
Francis Martin
PRESIDENT
Maitre de Chai
Elected to the A3 Board of Directors in 2020, Francis has been in the industry for over 10 years. With a background in finance and a great passion for wine, he heads the family agency Maitre de Chai. Displaying a great deal of wisdom and a keen sense of analysis, he inspires the confidence of all industry stakeholders.
Étienne Bezard
PRESIDENT EX-OFFICIO
Noble Sélection
Etienne has been a member of the A3 Board of Directors since 2017. He has been with Noble Sélection for over 10 years and is now a partner and general manager. He brings to the association his experience in marketing, his knowledge of the international market and the workings of the SAQ. He is appreciated for his dynamism and his ideas which bring a breath of fresh air to the board of directors.
Christine Fréchette
VICE PRESIDENT
Fréchette Vins d'exception
Christine is president of the family-owned agency Fréchette, Vins d'exception, where she has worked for over 20 years. Her industry experience and public relations skills make her the ideal person to hold the title of Vice President of the Board of Directors. She has a global vision, a sense of neutrality and a great dynamism. She was elected to the A3 Board of Directors in 2017 as a Director and has been Vice President since 2018.
Daniel Lavergne
VICE PRESIDENT
La Céleste Vin et Spiritueux
After more than 15 years of experience as a regional manager for Treasury Wine Estates, Daniel is now a partner and CEO at La Céleste. His expertise in Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces as a supplier with Treasury, and now as an agency, gives him a global view of our industry. His vision, focused on marketing strategy, brings a lot of innovation to all of A3 projects.
Maxime Auger
SECRETARY TREASURER
Groupe Charton Hobbs
Elected to the A3 Board of Directors in 2022. As a young senior executive in a national agency and with over 10 years of agency experience in operations, technology development and continuous process improvement, Maxime has held a variety of roles since he started and has a strong understanding of the issues and challenges facing the industry.
Catherine Allard
DIRECTOR
Groupe ReZin
Elected to the Board of Directors in 2022, Catherine has been working in the agency world for more than 15 years, more specifically in procurement for 13 years. She is a reference in both private importation and the SAQ network. Recognized for her mediation skills, she also has extensive knowledge in procurement and logistics as she is currently completing a certificate in supply chain management at HEC Montreal.
Stéphanie Fortier
DIRECTOR (Spirits sector)
Campari Canada
Elected to the A3 Board of Directors in 2022 to represent the spirits sector, Stephanie has held executive positions in both marketing and sales. During her career, she has had access to both national (Canada-wide) and provincial roles. She has a broad range of expertise and a large pool of knowledge which gives her the necessary skills to have a 360 vision.
Annie Fournier
DIRECTOR
Brown Forman Canada
Elected to the A3 Board of Directors in 2023, Annie has more than 20 years of experience in the industry, having held various positions in major account management, operations, representation and sales. She is now Sales Manager Eastern Canada. At the heart of day-to-day relations with the SAQ, Annie is an important asset within the board with regard to the reality - and evolution - of the role of the agent.
Eric Deguire
DIRECTOR
LBV International & Agence Trinque
Eric has been in the industry for almost 20 years, starting his career at Constellation Brands and quickly moving up the ranks. He has managed various agencies in several Canadian markets. He is currently Vice President of Sales & Marketing and Business Partner for LBV International and President and Founder of Trinque Agency. He has extensive market experience, great diplomacy and a contagious passion for his profession. He has been a member of the A3 Quebec Board of Directors from 2020 to 2023 and was reelected in 2024.
Maxime Balthazard
DIRECTOR
Vins Balthazard