Tina Lee, HBA ’03, named 2025 Ivey Alumni Achievement Award Recipient
Tina Lee, HBA ’03
In celebration of Global Ivey Day, the Ivey Alumni Network Board presents the Ivey Alumni Achievement Award to recognize the amazing accomplishments of our alumni community. Our 2025 award recipient, Tina Lee, HBA ’03, will be honoured on May 8 at the GID Power Lunch at TIFF Lightbox in Toronto.
Ivey Business School is proud to announce Tina Lee, HBA ’03, as the 2025 recipient of the Ivey Alumni Achievement Award (IAAA). As CEO of T&T Supermarkets, Lee has been a trailblazer in the grocery retail industry, spearheading the company’s expansion while championing women in leadership and making significant contributions to the business community.
Under Lee’s leadership, T&T Supermarkets has grown to become Canada’s largest Asian food retailer, with 37 stores and more than 8,500 employees across Canada and the United States. Her vision to bring fresh Asian foods to a broader audience has shaped the company’s strategy and fueled its rapid expansion. Most recently, she celebrated the opening of T&T’s first store in London, Ontario—a full-circle moment for Lee.
“Wow! What an honour!” said Lee. “My Ivey education helped shape the leader that I am today. It gave me the confidence and business acumen that propelled me through all the stages in my career. I am honoured to be recognized, receiving the Ivey Alumni Achievement Award, and I share it with the amazing team at T&T Supermarkets, who together have taken the business through its fastest growth stage. Just last September, I finally opened T&T to London, Ontario, serving the students, faculty, and residents food I wished I had when I was there. Now, in 2025, to be recognized by Ivey for community impact is simply wonderful.”
Beyond her corporate success, Lee has been a strong advocate for diversity in leadership. In 2017, she was appointed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to join the Canada-United States Council for the Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders. Her contributions to the retail industry have been widely recognized, earning her accolades such as the Grand Prix Trailblazer Lifetime Achievement Award from the Retail Council of Canada. In 2021, Lee was inducted into the inaugural Grocery Business Hall of Fame and was listed as one of British Columbia's Top 500 Most Influential Business Leaders. And in 2024, WXN (Women’s Executive Network) named Lee as one of Canada’s Most Powerful CEOs.
Lee’s leadership was also instrumental in navigating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. As Co-Chair of the COVID-19 Business Recovery Leadership Council for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, she played a key role in supporting businesses and communities through economic recovery efforts.
A proud Ivey graduate, Lee holds an HBA from the Ivey Business School and an MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Business. Her global perspective, shaped by her experiences living and working in Canada, the United States, and Asia, has been a driving force in her career.
The Ivey Alumni Achievement Award recognizes outstanding alumni who have made a significant impact in their industries and communities while embodying the leadership, excellence, and commitment to service that define Ivey graduates. Lee’s remarkable achievements in business and her dedication to giving back exemplify these values.
As Ivey celebrates Lee’s accomplishments, her story serves as an inspiration to the next generation of business leaders, demonstrating the power of vision, resilience, and a commitment to making a difference.
About the Ivey Alumni Achievement Award
The selected Ivey Alumni Achievement Award recipient has contributed significantly to their companies and communities throughout their career, while upholding the highest standards set forth by the Ivey Pledge. Simply put, they represent the best of our alumni community. An inspiring leader whose accomplishments and influence outpace their tenure, this individual truly brings to life Ivey’s mission. They are thought leaders and catalysts for change whose efforts are creating significant business and social impact.
For more information about the Award, please contact alumni@ivey.ca.