Ernst and Young Names Quebec Entrepreneur of the Year Finalists
Entrepreneurs are poised to drive the next major wave of economic growth, but the wider community must do more to support these creative-minded innovators, Ernst & Young said today when revealing this year’s finalists for Ernst & Young Quebec Entrepreneur Of The Year®.
“Quebec needs entrepreneurial role models,” explains François Dufresne, Quebec Director of Entrepreneur Of The Year. “That’s why it’s essential that we highlight their success, and reward them. Paying tribute to entrepreneurs shows them that society appreciates their achievements. What’s more, successful entrepreneurs can inspire young Quebeckers and encourage them to go into business.”
The Quebec winners will be announced at a banquet on October 6, and the overall winner will represent the region at the national banquet held in Toronto on November 23.
The 2011 Quebec finalists for Entrepreneur Of The Year:
Business-to-business products and services
Claude Bigras – Groupe Distinction Inc. – Lasalle – A leading provider of building maintenance services with 9,000 employees and 17 offices in Canada.
André Gaumond – Mines Virginia Inc. – Quebec City – Mining exploration company that works with many projects in various stages of growth in order to develop mineral resources.
Sean Roosen – Osisko Mining Corporation – Montreal – A development-stage gold mining company, Osisko is currently completing the construction of the Canadian Malartic gold mine in the Abitibi mining district.
Business-to-consumer products and services
Sanjay Bakshani, Vicken Kanadjian – Cesium Telecom, Inc. – Mont-Royal – One of North America’s leading distributors of wireless products, Cesium introduces the latest technology from the world’s top manufacturers to the North American market.
Guy Bessette, Manon Duplantie – Fix Auto – Blainville – Franchisor specializing in autobody collision with key customers such as insurers.
Sylvie Myre – Voyages à rabais – Trois-Rivieres – Travel provider that offers vacations, flights and travel insurance.
Health sciences
Frank Baylis, Krishan Shah – Baylis Medical Company Inc. – Saint-Laurent – Recognized around the world for high tech cardiology, radiology and pain management products.
Eve-Lyne Biron – Biron Groupe Santé Inc. – Brossard – A leader in health services in Quebec, BGS is recognized as the partner of choice in health management, offering a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic services.
Danny Minogue – Minogue Medical Inc. – Montreal – A health-care organization offering medical supplies and equipment, energy supplements and nutrition.
Information technology
Gilles Létourneau – Groupe GFI Solutions Inc. – Montreal – A leader in consulting, development and integration of technology solutions for business, accounting and banking using both traditional methods and software as a service (SaaS) in the cloud.
Mario Bouchard – iBwave – Saint-Laurent – A Canadian-based company created in 2003 from a need to standardize the emerging in-building wireless market. Its software suite and certification programs have been adopted by over 270 telecom leaders in over 70 countries.
Marc-André Roy – R3D Conseil inc. – Montreal – An independent consultant in management and information technology, the company is distinguished by its expertise in offering customers combined business and technology services.
Manufacturing
Jean-Robert Leclerc – Groupe Biscuits Leclerc – Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures – Designs, produces and markets quality and innovative food products, including cookies, granola bars and crackers.
Louis Veilleux – Groupe Mundial – Saint-Lambert-de-Lauzon – Sheet metal transformation, moulding and machining of rubber and other polymers.
François-Xavier Souvay – Lumenpulse Inc. – Montreal – Designs and manufactures cutting-edge architectural solid-state lighting for both interior and exterior applications.
Service business
David Marotte – Groupe conseil FXinnovation Inc. – Montreal – Provider of consulting services and business optimization solutions in information technology and communications.
Marcel Dallaire – L-IPSE Services conseil inc. – Quebec City – An information technology consulting firm.
Robert Frances – PEAK Financial Group – Montreal – A network representing more than 1,000 independent financial advisors to over 135,000 Canadian investors.
Technology solutions
Isabelle Bettez, Jean-Sébastien Bettez – 8D Technologies inc – Montreal – A world leader in developing advanced, intelligent wireless, machine-to-machine, multi-function solar-based point-of-sale solutions.
Patrick Ostiguy – Accedian Networks – Saint-Laurent – A leading provider of High Performance Service Assurance™ solutions for carrier ethernet networks.
Vincent Chornet – Enerkem Inc. – Montreal – A leading garbage-to-biofuel and chemicals company. It builds, owns and operates its compact facilities that employ its clean, proprietary technology.
Special citation – Social entrepreneur
This special citation is a unique category among the awards. It’s given in recognition of an entrepreneur whose achievements have driven large-scale social change and improved people’s lives or quality of life.
Gabriel Bran Lopez – Fusion Jeunesse – Montréal – Youth Fusion establishes innovative partnerships between high schools and universities to counter high school dropout by creating and implementing projects that engage youth.
