Week of April 21

Zarlink Semiconductor Inc.'s ZL70101 transceiver chip has won the RF/Microwave Ultimate Product of the Year at EE Times' fourth Annual Creativity in Electronics Awards Gala in San Jose. The ZL70101 system-on-a-chip has been designed into a range of implanted medical devices, including pacemakers, implanted cardioverter defibrillators, neurostimulators, drug pumps and physiological monitors, and associated external monitoring and programming equipment.

The Ottawa Hospital has been nominated for the 2008 Celebrating Innovations in Health Care Awards in two categories. Their Clinical Nurse Expert: A Safety Net for the Future program has been nominated in the Innovations in Human Resources category, and their Growing Up and Moving Out: Blood and Marrow Transplantation process has been nominated in the Improving Efficiency Through Process Redesign category.

Neilson Dairy has been recognized with its seventh Hydro Ottawa Companies for Conservation award. A combination of new lighting fixtures and electronic HVAC controls is expected to reduce Neilson's greenhouse gas emissions by 1,673 metric tones over the next five years. Companies for Conservation is an initiative to recognize conservation projects being undertaken by commercial electricity users in Ottawa. The program started in October 2007 and recognizes one local company or organization for their conservation leadership every month.

The Regroupement des gens d'affaires de la Capitale nationale awarded its 2008 Prix d'excellence award winners at an annual gala Saturday, April 12, held at the Hilton Lac-Leamy. Winners are as follows:

Executive of the Year, Private Sector: Stephane Parent, CEO, Cooperative des paramedics de l'Outaouais. Executive of the Year, Public Sector: Dale Schlitt, Rector, Saint Paul University. Business of the Year: R.W. Tomlinson Limited. Small and Medium Enterprise Of The Year: Ameublement Desrochers – La Detente La-Z-Boy. Small and Medium Exporting Business Of The Year: Inova Brands. Micro Entreprise of the Year: Antoine & Taillefer Designer Couturier. Self-Employed Person of the Year: Christian Villeneuve, president, H2O Services & Technologies. Entrepreneur of the Year: Steve Lachance, president, Les Traiteurs Bytown Catering. The Prix Coup de Coeur, awarded annually to a business recognized for offering exceptional bilingual services, went this year to the Epicerie Dessureault – Independent Grocer.

Week of April 7

Hydro Ottawa Limited has won the Electricity Distributors Association's Local Distribution Company Performance Excellence Award, sponsored by Ontario Power Generation. The award is presented to a member of the Electricity Distributors Association that has distinguished itself among its fellow members for performance excellence in five categories - Occupational Health and Safety, Operational Excellence, Financial Operations, Retail Strategies for Conservation and Demand Management, and Contribution to the Community.

Week of March 31

Primo Trailer Sales has been named as winner of the Fleetwood RV Circle of Excellence 2007 Customer Satisfaction Award for the eighth time by Riverside, California-based Fleetwood Enterprises, Inc. The award recognizes a commitment to customer satisfaction by Primo Trailer Sales, whose performance has resulted in an exemplary Customer Satisfaction Rating of 100% for the 2007 model year.

Spartan Bioscience Inc. has received the 2008 Frost & Sullivan Global Polymerase Chain Reaction Product of the Year Award. The company is recognized for its pioneering Spartan DX DNA analyser. The product is a portable and compact analyser that has been designed for non-batched, on-demand DNA applications with a major focus on convenience and affordability. It addresses the need for small-scale analysis as a complement to the batched PCR workflows that dominate the industry.

N-able Technologies' Partner Program has once again earned a 5-Star rating in the annual VARBusiness Partner Program Guide. N-able's Partner Program received a 5-Star Gold Overall rating, as well as Silver 5-Star ratings in several of the PPG categories, including partner profitability, channel operations, communications and partner recruitment.

The Kanata Chamber of Commerce's 9th Annual People's Choice Business Awards Winners were announced this week and the business award winners are as follows.

New Business Of The Year: Blue Bamboo Yoga, Pocopazzo Restaurant, La Diva Cookies & Sweets; Best Family Owned & Operated Business Of The Year: Forte Chocolate, Gelato, Coffee, Dragon's Lair Beads, Heart and Soul Café; Community Support /Non-Profit Organization Of The Year: Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre, Friends of Hospice, Pinhey's Point Foundation; Tourism Business Of The Year: Brookstreet, Saunders Farm, Carp Farmers' Market; Retailer Of The Year: Trillium Floral Designs, Wine Villa, Artistic Group Ottawa; Restaurant Of The Year: The Glen Scottish Restaurant, Napoli's Café & Grill, The Cheshire Cat; Business Of The Year: The Spa Day Retreat, Mahogany Salon and Spa, Footworks Dance Academy

Heliocentric Technologies Inc. has been named as the recipient of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ottawa Corp.'s $5,000 EIOC Innovation Award. These funds will be used by Heliocentric to further the commercialization of the company's transportable elemental analysis system. EIOC Innovation Awards are presented to Ottawa area entrepreneurs to assist with the commercialization of technological innovation. Heliocentric was chosen to receive this award based on the company's potential for commercial success and its potential for creating high value jobs in Ottawa.

Fidus Systems Inc. has debuted on Branham300's top 250 technology companies. Fidus Systems was one of 40 Ottawa companies that made the list and one of a few companies that specialize in both electronic product development and engineering design services.

Week of March 17

Brian O'Higgins, chief technology officer for Third Brigade, has been appointed by the Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of Industry for the Government of Canada, as one of two Canadians nominated to participate as a member of the High-Level Experts Group for the Global Cybersecurity Agenda of the International Telecommunications Union based in Geneva, Switzerland. ITU is the leading United Nations agency for information and communication technologies. The Global Cybersecurity Agenda is an ITU framework for international cooperation aimed at proposing strategies for solutions to enhance confidence and security in the information society. The HLEG will comprise a group of experts from governments, industry, relevant regional/international organizations, research institutes, academic institutions and individual experts from every part of the world appointed by the ITU Secretary-General.

Week of February 25

The finalists for the 2008 Businesswoman of the Year awards have been announced by the Women's Business Network. The three finalists in the professional category are: Judith Cane of Antara Financial; labour lawyer Janice Payne of Nelligan, O'Brien Payne; and Marie Fraser, a chartered accountant/financial planner and partner with the accounting firm of Hendry Warren. The finalists in the corporate category are: Lynne Clark, director of marketing with The Ottawa Citizen; Lynda Partner, president of In-Touch Survey Systems; and Robin McIntyre, Ottawa regional president of Rogers Cable Communications. In the entrepreneur category, the finalists are: Heather Maclachlan, co-owner of McKay Street Epicura; Gaye Moffett, president and CEO of GEM Health Care Services; and Dr. Sue Abu-Hakima, co-founder and president/CEO of Amika Mobile.

Bayshore Home Health has achieved requalification as one of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies. The company has been providing a range of home care and community health services to the residents of Ottawa since 1999. Applications for the 50 Best Managed Companies are reviewed by an independent judging panel that evaluates how companies address various business challenges, including new technologies, globalization, brand management, leadership, leveraging and developing core competencies, designing information systems, and hiring the right talent to facilitate growth.

Week of Feb. 18

GestureTek was named the overall winner of the Mobile Innovation Global Awards. The Mobile Innovation Global Awards form part of the GSMA's Mobile Innovation Marketplace, which encourages and promotes new ideas for the mobile industry by bringing together smaller companies developing innovative mobile products, industry investors and mobile operators.

MaxSys Consulting & Staffing and M. Sullivan & Son Ltd. have been recognized among Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies of 2007. The winners of the 2007 Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies award enjoyed the highest profit and revenues since the program's inception, boasting combined sales of $8.5 billion and average sales growth of 31%.

PIKA Technologies Inc.'s PIKA Warp has been named winner of a Best of Show Award at Technology Marketing Corporation's INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference and EXPO East 2008. PIKA Warp, the Appliance for Asterisk, provides developers with an out-of-the-box embedded computer that allows them to deploy Asterisk, trixbox and other Linux-based applications with a rich set of traditional and next-generation telephony features, optimized for the SMB environment.

Week of Feb. 11

Macadamian Technologies Inc. has been named to the Global Services 100 for 2008 by Global Services Magazine. The list represents companies who have the maturity and capability to lead the next wave of services globalization. The evaluation is based upon data provided by the service providers and third parties regarding effective operations, service offerings, client relationships and human capital.

Alex Rankin has been awarded the General Contractors Association of Canada's Integrity and Ethics Award, which honours an individual who has demonstrated a consistently high standard of integrity and ethics in dealing with local construction industry participants. He has a broad range of experience ranging from kitchen extensions to the Canadian War Museum. Mr. Rankin is recognized for understanding the industry so well as to adapt as necessary to facilitate cost plus contracts, traditional design build contracts, construction management, lump sum, or today's design/build format.

Week of Feb. 4

Bob and Barb Tuttle, owners of Boston Pizza Orléans, are celebrating their Platinum All Stars award with their staff at the Boston Pizza located at 3884 Innes Road. The award is based on a business review score and guest-survey results and recognizes excellence in guest service, operational standards, sales and menu execution. The Orleans store ranked in the top 5 per cent of all 296 Boston Pizza locations across Canada. This is the second year in a row Boston Pizza Orléans has won this award.

Julia Elvidge, president of Chipworks Inc., has been named as Trailblazer of the Year by The Canadian Women in Communications group. She leads the 15-year-old Ottawa company, which has grown to 130 employees around the world, including new branches in Asia. The private company analyses the contents of new semiconductors through reverse-engineering techniques. CWC said Ms. Elvidge is being recognized for breaking down barriers and taking risks to open new territory for women.

Week of January 21

Lansdowne Park has been recognized by Hydro Ottawa with a 'Companies for Conservation' award. Lansdowne Park made lighting changes, implemented a new building automation system, and will soon be using a new heat recovery system. 'Companies for Conservation' is an initiative to recognize conservation projects being undertaken by commercial electricity users in Ottawa. The program recognizes one local company or organization for their leadership every month.

Week of January 14

The Telfer School of Management, at the University of Ottawa, placed 2nd overall at the 2008 JDC (Jeux de commerce) national competition. The 14 trophies won represent an all time record for the Telfer School of Management. It is the third time in the history of the Jeux du commerce that the University of Ottawa has placed in the top 3 in the overall standings. The goal of JDC is to highlight business students' knowledge and excellence on the academic and athletic levels, while encouraging interaction between universities.

MyFax Internet fax service has been named as a recipient of the 2007 Product of the Year Award from Technology Marketing Corporation's INTERNET TELEPHONY magazine. MyFax sends and receives faxes using an email account, removing the need for a dedicated phone line and fax machine.

Week of January 7

Cognos has placed in the leaders' quadrant in Gartner Inc.'s recently released Corporate Performance Management Suites 2007 Magic Quadrant, for its Cognos 8 Planning 8.2. Vendors are evaluated annually based on their completeness of vision and ability to execute.

BelAir Networks-powered Wireless Minneapolis network received the Digital Cities Best Practices award for e-Government Applications. The wireless network was awarded the honour in part because of its usefulness in supporting the emergency response following the I-35W Bridge collapse in August 2007.

Week of December 10

Huguette Labelle and Barbara Vanderhyden from the University of Ottawa have been named to the Women's Executive Network's Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada list. Each year, since 2003, the Women's Executive Network has honoured 100 women in eight categories. Huguette Labelle is chancellor of the University of Ottawa. She was nominated in the Trailblazers and Trendsetters category. An alumna of the University of Ottawa, Ms. Labelle holds six degrees from uOttawa, setting her apart as the woman who holds the most degrees from our institution. Dr. Barbara Vanderhyden is a professor in the department of cellular and molecular medicine in the faculty of medicine. Dr. Vanderhyden is the Corinne Boyer Research Chair in Ovarian Cancer. She was nominated in the Champions category.

Week of Dec. 3

The winners of the 2007 Ottawa Business Achievement Awards have been announced by the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce. The Business Person of the Year Gold Award went to Ward Griffin, of The Lowe-Martin Group, the Silver award to Chris Henderson, of The Delphi Group, and the Bronze to Michael LeClair, of Ottawa Business Interiors. For Company of the Year, the Gold went to Cactus Commerce, Silver to S&S/Bolton Group, and Bronze to MaxSys Staffing & Consulting. The Mid-Market Business of the Year Gold Award went to ProSlide Technology Inc., Silver to Deslaurier Custom Cabinets, and Bronze to ExitCertified Corporation. For New Business of the Year, the Gold went to DISTIL Interactive Ltd., Silver to Art-Is-In Bakery, and Bronze to Tracy Arnett Realty Ltd. The Professional Services of the Year Gold Award went to Augustine Bater Polowin, LLP, Silver to inRound Innovations, and bronze to QMR Staffing Solutions Inc. For Small Business of the Year, the Gold went to Luzchem Research Inc., Silver to Amika Mobile Corporation, and Bronze to Stoneworks Technologies, Inc.

Rosemarie T. Leclair, president and chief executive officer of the Hydro Ottawa Group of Companies, has received a 2007 Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award in the Professionals category. The Top 100 Awards are awarded annually by the Women's Executive Network to celebrate the success and achievements of women. Under the leadership of WXN, an independent advisory board selected winners in eight categories: Corporate Executives, Entrepreneurs, Public Sector Leaders, Trailblazers & Trendsetters, Champions, Professionals, Future Leaders and Arts & Communications.

The Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest organization has been recognized by the Recycling Council of Ontario with a Gold Award for Waste Minimization for the second consecutive year. The award is in recognition of Bluesfest's efforts, in tandem with Molson Canada and Rothsay Biodiesel, to 'green' the festival with strategies like the use of compostable beer cups, encouraging people to bicycle to the event by providing supervised bike parking, as well as using bio-diesel to power generators.

Kris Woodbeck has received a uOttawa Innovator of the Year Award for developing a revolutionary image search technology. Mr. Woodbeck, a master's student in uOttawa's computer science program, has begun work on a high-speed, high-accuracy object recognition system based on the visual processing system of the brain.

George Vuicic, a partner with Hicks Morley LLP in Ottawa, has been named one of Lexpert Magazine's Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40. The award highlights young lawyers across Canada who are recognized leaders in the practice of law, as a result of significant cases in which they have been involved, pro bono work, demonstration of business acumen, contributions to their organization and other professional achievements.