Canadian entrepreneurs raising the bar on business success

(Halifax, 3 July 2008)—Today’s entrepreneurs continue to fill a critical role in the success of the Canadian economy, Ernst & Young said today when unveiling this year’s finalists for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards.

“We truly admire the entrepreneurial spirit we see in Atlantic Canada,” said Joyce Hoeven, Director of the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards program for the Atlantic region. “Entrepreneurs provide the innovative breakthroughs that create a thriving business environment here and often give us a competitive advantage on the global stage.”

The Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards honour the spirit and contribution of entrepreneurs here and around the world. This year, the Canadian program is proudly celebrating a milestone anniversary — 15 years of honouring the country’s most impressive entrepreneurs from all areas of business.

In 2007, Canada’s own Guy Laliberté (founder of Cirque du Soleil) brought home top honours, winning the Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award. This year’s finalists embark on the same path, providing great examples of entrepreneurism at its best. The Atlantic region winners will be announced at a gala awards banquet at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel on Thursday, October 9. The overall winner will represent the region at the national banquet in November.

The 2008 Atlantic region finalists for Entrepreneur of the Year are:

Business-to-Business Products and Services

George Armoyan
Clarke Inc./Geosam Investments Limited | Halifax, NS
www.clarkeinc.com
Investment companies that identify businesses with potential for improved performance and uncovering value.

Art Garland
Orphan Industries Limited | St. John's, NL
www.dfbarnes.com
Manufacturing facility that provides contract manufacturing, machining and fabrication of steel structures and systems.

David Richard
PV Inspection Services Limited | Dartmouth, NS
www.pvinspection.com
Independent third-party company offering inspection, management and procurement support services to a diverse range of companies in many industry sectors.

Business-to-Consumer Products and Services

Armand Haché, Pauline Haché
Haché Services Techniques Ltée. | Caraquet, NB
www.hachets.ca
Provider of shop drawings to steel frame manufacturers.

Sheila Blair-Reid
Metro Guide Publishing | Halifax, NS
www.metroguidepublishing.ca
Publishing house producing 14 publications in seven market sectors, with over three million readers.

Wadih Fares
W M Fares Group | Halifax, NS
www.wmfares.com
Multidisciplinary design and development company combining all facets of development, construction and management.

Emerging Entrepreneur

Trevor Cookson, Mary Goggin, Al MacDonald
Accreon Inc. | Fredericton, NB
www.accreon.com
Information technology service provider to government, health-care and financial business sectors.

Bill Sanford
Bluewave Energy L.P. | Dartmouth, NS
www.bluewaveenergy.ca
Petroleum products supplier with 55 branches across Canada.

Aly Rajab
CLLC — Canadian Language Learning College | Halifax, NS
www.cllc.ca
College that teaches English as a second language to an international clientele.

Doreen Driscoll
Early Achievers Educational Centre | St. John's, NL
www.earlyachievers.com
Private enrichment facility focusing on educational experience to stimulate and enrich children's lives.

Manufacturing

Andrew Webber
Armament Technology Incorporated | Halifax, NS
www.armament.com
Developer and marketer of defence-related equipment for military and security customers.

Ronald MacDougall
MacDougall Steel Erectors Inc. | Borden-Carleton, PE
www.macdougallsteel.com
Fabricator of structural steel and miscellaneous metals and installer of design–build structures, including visual media products.

Harvey Stewart
Trout River Industries | Coleman, PE
www.troutriverindustries.ca
Manufacturer of live-bottom truck trailers used mainly for road construction.

Michael Speraw
Uplift Technologies Inc. | Dartmouth, NS
www.up-lift.com
Manufacturer of specialty seating products for those with mobility restrictions and bright-light therapy systems for the seasonally daylight deprived.

Services

Alyson Townsend
Canadian Cable Systems Alliance Inc. | Quispamsis, NB
www.ccsa.cable.ca
Purchasing group and regulatory advocate for Canadian independent cable television companies.

Michael Brien
Macdonald Chisholm Trask Insurance | Bedford, NS
www.mcti.ca
Insurance brokerage delivering personal, commercial, marine and specialized insurance products.

Gregory Roberts
Pilley's Island Enterprises Group | Roberts Arm, NL
www.marybrowns.com
Owner and operator of eight companies, including Mary Browns franchises, retail operations and real estate.

Technology

Nathan Kroll
Ad-Dispatch | Dartmouth, NS
www.ad-dispatch.com
Creator, producer and deliverer of traditional and interactive promotional web video content, radio ads and interactive web-based training.

Dale Robertson
Enerscan Engineering Inc. | Halifax, NS
www.enerscanengineering.com or www.enerscan.ca
Engineering company with two divisions: one specializing in energy management and one producing special products for electric utilities.

Curtis Howe
Mariner Partners Inc. | Saint John, NB
www.marinerpartners.com
Consulting and IT products and services company focusing on the IPTV and business productivity solutions markets.

The national program sponsors are Global Television Network, National Post, La Presse and RDI. The Atlantic regional sponsor is Progress magazine.

About Ernst & Young

Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. Worldwide, our 130,000 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 potential. For more info, visit www.ey.com/ca.