For Immediate Release
(Vancouver, July 6, 2006) – Twenty-four top entrepreneurs who have demonstrated leadership, drive and innovation have been chosen from an impressive list of nominees as Pacific region finalists in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2006 awards.
“British Columbia entrepreneurs passionately grow their businesses—the enthusiasm and relentless drive of these individuals are an inspiration to us all. Their communities, the country, and even the world in many cases, are reaping the benefits of their achievements,” says Fred Withers, director of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year awards program for the Pacific region. “Celebrating the accomplishments of our homegrown visionaries and their outstanding contributions is important and Ernst & Young is proud to recognize their successes,” he says.
Canada’s most prestigious business awards program is now in its 13th year. The program considers nominees in a number of business categories before selecting finalists. Those finalists for Entrepreneur Of The Year 2006, Pacific region are:
BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
Jim Case
Travelers Leasing Corporation (Automobile financing)
Burnaby, BC
Jay Garnett
Whitefish Group (Food and beverage brand management)
Vancouver, BC
Peter Joe
Sunrise Soya Foods (Tofu and soya product manufacturer)
Vancouver, BC
BUSINESS-TO-CONSUMER PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
Roger Hardy
Coastal Contacts Inc. (Vision care product retailer)
Vancouver, BC
Kin Wah Leung
Kin’s Farm Market (Fresh produce retailer)
Richmond, BC
Brian Scudamore
1-800-GOT-JUNK? (Junk removal service)
Vancouver, BC
EMERGING ENTREPRENEUR
John DeHart, Ken Sim
Nurse Next Door Professional Homecare Services Inc. (Managed home healthcare provider)
Vancouver, BC
Todd Dunlop
Neverblue Media Incorporated (Online marketing company)
Victoria, BC
Douglas Tronsgard
Next Level Games Inc. (Videogame developer)
Vancouver, BC
HOSPITALITY/TOURISM
Len Barrie
Bear Mountain Master Partnership (Resort community)
Victoria, BC
Gordon Fitzpatrick
CedarCreek Estate Winery (Premium BC winery)
Kelowna, BC
Jeffrey Fuller
Joey Tomato’s (Canada) Inc. (Restaurant chain)
Coquitlam, BC
MANUFACTURING
Earl Hirtz
CWS Industries (Mfg) Corp. (Attachments and components for heavy industry)
Surrey, BC
Edmund Ho
Ascalade Communications Inc. (Wireless communication products manufacturer)
Richmond, BC
Robert Meggy
Great Little Box Company Ltd. (Box, display and custom foam packaging manufacturer)
Richmond, BC
TECHNOLOGY AND HEALTH SCIENCES
Art Aylesworth
Carmanah Technologies Inc. (Energy-efficient technologies)
Victoria, BC
Chris Coldwell
Mercurial Communications Inc. (R&D software and product development)
Victoria, BC
Bruce Colwill, Christopher Gallen, Terrance Snutch
Neuromed Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (Biopharmaceuticals)
Vancouver, BC
TURNAROUND ENTREPRENEUR
David Allan
Rhino Print Solutions Inc. (Commercial printer)
Richmond, BC
Jim Moore
Stork Craft Manufacturing Inc. (Juvenile product manufacturer)
Richmond, BC
David Slater
Hillsborough Resources Limited (Coal mines and resources)
Vancouver, BC
On October 4, 2006, a finalist in each business category will be presented with a regional category award during a gala celebration, with one category recipient then being awarded the title Entrepreneur Of The Year for the Pacific region. The Pacific award recipient goes on to compete with top entrepreneurs from the Prairies, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic regions for the coveted national honour of Entrepreneur Of The Year, to be announced November 2, 2006, in Ottawa. In June 2007, Canada’s Entrepreneur Of The Year moves to the world stage, joining more than 35 country recipients participating in the international competition for the title of World Entrepreneur Of The Year.
The Entrepreneur Of The Year awards honour entrepreneurs who have demonstrated excellence and extraordinary success in areas such as innovation, risk taking, company development, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Submissions are reviewed by an independent judging panel, which is composed of several distinguished Canadian business leaders and previous award recipients. The members of the Pacific region panel for 2006 are: Donna Bridgeman, vice president of investments, Growthworks Capital Ltd.; Ernie Love, dean, Faculty of Business, Simon Fraser University; Terry Lyons, chairman, Northgate Minerals Corporation; Sue Parish, senior partner, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin; Natalie Dakers, president & CEO, Centre for Drug Research and Development; and Neil Johansen, managing director, Merchant Banking, HSBC Capital (Canada) Inc.
The Entrepreneur Of The Year program was founded by Ernst & Young to celebrate great entrepreneurs and heighten awareness of the economic impact of entrepreneurial ventures. The program is nationally sponsored by Global Television Network, National Post, La Presse, RDI and Roynat Capital. Pacific region sponsors are: Western Economic Diversification Canada, BC Business magazine and The Vancouver Sun. To learn more about the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2006 awards, visit www.eoy.ca.
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