The OBJ is pleased to announce this year's recipients of the Forty Under 40 awards – 40 diverse and successful young businesspeople who will be recognized at a gala event in June.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the event seeks to identify the region's top businesspeople under the age of 40 who embody the region's entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen while at the same time giving something back to the community.
The judging panel assessed all nominations using a 40-point system, with a maximum of 20 points for business accomplishments, 10 points for professional expertise and 10 points for community involvement.
The judging panel included OBJ publisher Michael Curran and OBJ editor Leo Valiquette.We would also like to recognize and thank our three guest judges for their time and indispensable insights: Stephen Daze, director of OCRI's Entrepreneurship Centre; Robin McIntyre, regional president for Rogers Cable Com-munications, and Nick Quain, president of Cellwand Communications and a 2003 Forty Under 40 recipient.
Despite Ottawa's reputation as a town with a heavy emphasis on technology and professional services, this years recipients once again hail from a variety of fields. Among this year's group is the owner/operator of a supermarket franchise, the president of a security and investigation firm, the founder and managing partner of a development company specializing in "green" projects, and the founder of a general contracting firm that caters to big box retailers.
"It's really a difficult job to narrow it down to 40 – some quality applicants just fell short – but this bodes well for Ottawa in that we have such a dynamic group of young business people in the pipe," said Mr. Quain.
In fact, the judging panel agreed that the 2006 list features more entrepreneurs that have taken the leap of faith to found and grow their own business than in recent years.
"The caliber of candidate is as impressive as I've ever seen," said Mr. Daze. "We should be proud and encouraged by the type of business leaders the community can lay claim to."
This year's recipients are:
Nemer Abourizk, principal, general counsel, Abourizk Law
Richard Auger, partner, Auger Hollingsworth
John S. Baizana, principal broker/ vice-president, Baizana Insurance Brokers Ltd.
Renaud Brault, president, Brofort Inc.
Mike Burns, CEO/chief creative officer, Fuel Industries
Bruce Calder, president, Ageus Solutions Inc.
George Chamberlain, president, Pleora Technologies Inc.
Erin Clatney, owner/operator, Dish Catering
Carlos Conde, director business technology optimization, Mercury Interactive Canada
Pamela Louise Cross, partner - tax law, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Sunny Daljit, CEO/team leader, Keller Williams Ottawa Realty (KWOR)
Sam Damm, president, FoxWise Technologies Inc.; vice-president of business development, SONA Computer Inc.
Alain Desmarais, vice-president of office leasing, Cushman & Wakefield LePage Inc.
Patrick Dion, vice-president of consulting, Summa Strategies Canada Inc.
Michael Ennis, managing partner, TDV Global Inc.
Jacqueline Ethier, owner/teacher, Pilates Space
Matt Ficner, president, Matt Ficner Productions Inc.
Jason Flick, president/CEO, Flick Software
Allan Ghosn, CEO, Grade A Student Inc.
Brian Henry, president/co-owner, Quality Entertainment Services Inc.
Leanne Labelle, owner, Fenix Solutions Inc.
Bruce Linton, president/CEO, Clearford Industries Inc.
Keith Loiselle, co-founder/VP, Creative Operations, EasyWrapLines/INPRODUCTION COMMUNICATIONS
Jonathan Martin, executive director, Retire-At-Home Services Inc.
Dan Moorcroft, CEO/COO, QMR Staffing Solutions Inc.
Shawn Mountain, sr. account manager, PROCOM
Stephen D. Panciuk, vice-president/manager, ENCON Group Inc.
Guido Patrice, owner, Patrice's Independent Grocer
Pierrette Raymond, founder, Women Moving Forward; co-owner, 1-800- Got- Junk, / 1-800-GOT-JUNK
Sheldon Rice, investment advisor, Canaccord Capital
Domenic Santaguida, president, Vittoria Trattoria
Martin Sendyk, president/CEO, AmberCore Software Inc.
Sanjay Shah, founder/president, ExecHealth Inc.
Chris Stanton, co-founder/president, Capital Technology Partners Inc.
Robin St.Martin, president, Iron Horse Corporation
Lara Vaarre, owner/CEO, Truffle Treasures
Jonathan Westeinde, founder/managing partner, Windmill Development Group,Ltd.
J. Bradley White, partner, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Patrick Whittaker, CEO/CFO/president, Reset Electronics Inc.
Huw Williams, president, Impact Public Affairs
The 2006 Forty Under 40 recipients will be feted at a gala reception June 28 at the Ottawa Congress Centre. Profiles of the recipients will be published in the June 26 issue of the Ottawa Business Journal.
For ticket information, call Sue Perry at 744-4800, ext. 225 or email sue.perry@transcontinental.ca
