Kristene K. Steed

Kristene Steed is the owner-operator of Rheo Thompson Candies and has 32 years of experience in the retail industry, starting out with the Hudson Bay Company. She was part of the team which created the concept store for Home Outfitters and then was recruited to become the Eastern Canadian Director of Photolabs and Electronics for the Loblaws Companies. She moved back to her hometown to purchase Rheo Thompson Candies in 2003 with husband Marc Johnstone. Kristene wears many hats in running a small business including leading a customer-focused retail and e-commerce operation, merchandising, sourcing giftware and packaging, procurement of all non-confection materials, human resources, financial analysis, and inventory controls. She maintains up-to-date industry knowledge through regular attendance at industry tradeshows and seminars in Canada, United States and Europe. She graduated from Western University (Bachelor of Arts, Sociology) and then received her Bachelor of Arts Business Administration degree from Wilfrid Laurier University. The Gallery Stratford, Stratford Tourism Alliance/ Destination Stratford Board and the Stratford Middle Years School's Parent Advisory Group are organizations to which she has lent her expertise. Kristene joined the Stratford Festival's Board in March 2021 and serves on the Marketing and Communications committee.