Ernst & Young names Robert Little of Regency Fireplace Products the 2011 Pacific Entrepreneur Of The Year
Ernst & Young recognizes entrepreneurs who exemplify vision and innovation (Vancouver, 6 October 2011) Robert Little, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Regency Fireplace Products — a leader in hearth product design, manufacture, and marketing — is this year’s Pacific Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® winner.
“Great entrepreneurial leaders have the drive and tenacity to generate successful ideas in the face of many obstacles,” says Ron Voyer, Pacific Director of Entrepreneur Of The Year. “While other companies were pulling back during the financial downturn, Robert honed his vision, and continued investing time and money in research and development.”
That kind of forward-looking approach can be critical to an entrepreneur’s success. Nature or nurture? Decoding the DNA of the entrepreneur, Ernst & Young’s global survey of leading entrepreneurs, found 76% of those polled cited vision as the top quality necessary to achieve success.
While Voyer agrees that true entrepreneurs are architects of their own vision, he underlines the importance of pairing that outlook with the right kind of innovation. With a keen sense of design and strong sense of consumer awareness, Little continues to reinvent the wheel and take Regency to new heights of market leadership.
His constant pursuit of perfection has resulted in some of the most unique, realistic and efficient fireplaces on the market. From the introduction of the first natural gas fireplace to the complete modernization of the industry’s distribution model, Little’s innovations have irrevocably changed the face of hearth manufacturing.
“Innovation isn’t just a best practice, it’s a mentality,” says Voyer. “It underpins the entrepreneur’s ability to turn new ideas into products and services that contribute to the bottom line. Inspired ideas like Robert’s are the fuel that turns a fast-growth company into a market leader and propels them from startup to stand-out.”
Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year recognizes the spirit and contribution of entrepreneurs here and around the world. The Canadian program is in its 18th year of honouring the country’s most impressive entrepreneurs from all areas of business. Award winners are chosen based on a number of factors, including their vision, leadership, financial performance and social responsibility.
Category winners of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2011 Pacific Awards:
Business-to-business products and services
Darby Kreitz
Allnorth Consultants Limited l Prince George
allnorth.com
Provides engineering and consulting services to clients in the mining, pulp and paper, chemical, oil and gas, marine, transportation, power and municipal sectors.
Business-to-consumer products and services
Attila Koronczay, Boldijarre Koronczay
Éminence Organic Skin Care Inc. l Vancouver
eminenceorganics.com
An award-winning skin and body care provider distributing natural, organic and biodynamic products and services to the spa and wellness industry worldwide.
Cleantech/information technology
Donald McInnes
Alterra Power l Vancouver
alterrapower.ca
Identifies, develops and operates clean power projects in a safe, reliable and efficient manner.
Hospitality/tourism
Vikram Vij
Vij’s Restaurant Inc. l Vancouver
vijs.ca
Fine, modern Indian cuisine. Vij’s Rangoli is a casual modern Indian restaurant and retail store selling Vij’s Insprired Indian Cuisine, a line of pre-packaged gourmet Indian meals.
Manufacturing
Robert Little
Regency Fireplace Products l Delta
regency-fire.com
Strives to be a world leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of hearth products.
Mining and metals
Keith Neumeyer
First Majestic Silver Corp. l Vancouver
firstmajestic.com
Committed to building a senior silver-producing mining company based on an aggressive development and acquisition plan, with a focus on Mexico.
Professional/financial services
John Nicola
Nicola Wealth Management Ltd. l Vancouver
nicolawealth.com
A premier financial planning firm serving high-net-worth executives, business owners and incorporated individuals, offering a full-service, integrated approach to advice — from investments and insurance to estate planning and tax minimization.
Real estate/construction
John Tilstra
Centra Construction Group Ltd. l Langley
centra.ca
Construction company.
Young entrepreneur
Joshua Huen
Dr. Battery l Richmond
DrBattery.com
Leading battery distributor serving North America with high-quality batteries, battery packs and AC adapters.
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.
Diane Johnson
Descriptive Video Works Inc. l Vancouver
descriptivevideoworks.com
Canada's leading provider of described video narration of television and feature films to broadcasters and producers, making programming accessible to blind and vision-impaired audiences.
What’s next?
As the Pacific region’s 2011 Entrepreneur Of The Year, Robert will compete with top entrepreneurs from the Prairies, Ontario, Québec and Atlantic region for the national honour of Canada’s Entrepreneur Of The Year 2011, to be presented at a gala celebration November 23, 2011, in Toronto. In June 2012, Canada’s Entrepreneur Of The Year 2011 will move to the world stage to compete with 50 country recipients for the title of Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur Of The Year®.
- 30 -About Entrepreneur of The Year
The Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards honour the spirit and contribution of entrepreneurs here and around the world. Nominees are reviewed by an independent judging panel, which is composed of several distinguished business leaders and previous award recipients. The 2011 Pacific region judging panel consisted of Bev Briscoe, president of Briscoe Management, Ltd.; Jim Case, CEO of Travelers Financial Group; Grant Weaver, partner at Bull, Houser and Tupper LLP; Amar Doman, chairman and CEO of Canwel Building Materials Ltd.; and Ryan Beedie, president of The Beedie Group.
For more information on the program, FAQs, and key dates please visit ey.com/ca/EOY.
This year’s national program sponsors are National Post, La Presse and RDI. Pacific region sponsors include Canada Wide Media, the Vancouver Sun, Hunt Personnel/Temporarily Yours, the Royal Bank of Canada and patron sponsors the Four Seasons Hotel and UBC Sauder School of Business.
About Ernst & Young LLP’s Entrepreneurial Services practice
Ernst & Young LLP’s Entrepreneurial Services practice serves Canada’s entrepreneurs by delivering integrated business advisory services in assurance, tax, transactions, and advisory services to help them drive growth and create value. Our team of professionals has a track record of focusing on the issues and needs of companies as they grow from early stage to become market leaders. Ernst & Young has long worked with and celebrated the achievements of Canadian men and women who create the products, services and jobs that propel Canada’s economy and communities forward. For more information, please visit ey.com/ca/Entrepreneurs.
About Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. Worldwide, our 152,000 people are united by our shared values and an unwavering commitment to quality. We make a difference by helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve their potential.
