Ernst & Young celebrates Ontario finalists for Entrepreneur Of The Year 2010

Firm recognizes high-achieving entrepreneurs who make a difference in the global economy

TORONTO, July 6 /CNW/ - Canada's most successful entrepreneurs improve the quality of life for people across the globe, Ernst & Young said today as the firm announced the finalists for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year(R) 2010 Awards.

"This year's outstanding Ontario finalists share an unwavering determination to realize their dreams and change lives," says Colleen McMorrow, National and Ontario Director of the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards. "As world markets become increasingly connected - and the global economy begins to rebound from the recent downturn - the success of entrepreneurs in Ontario can quickly spread to communities in other parts of the world."

According to a recent Ernst & Young publication, A world of opportunity: Entrepreneurial perspectives on the impact of globalization, entrepreneurs have been quick to seize opportunities presented by the opening of new markets.

"It's the most flexible and agile organizations that are set to thrive in the new economic landscape, and not necessarily the bigger and long-established ones," says McMorrow. "Surviving in today's fast-paced business environment demands openness to new ideas, speed, creativity, perseverance and excellence in execution."

In another recent report, Ambitious, adept and agile, Ernst & Young finds that just over two-thirds of entrepreneurs surveyed agree that globalization has opened the door to new and unforeseen competitors. Companies are suddenly finding a new generation of rivals from both local and international markets.

"The key to staying above the competition is to be relentlessly innovative, create better products and services, maximize efficiency and make use of the best talent available," McMorrow says. "Companies that can achieve these requirements are poised to succeed and make a difference - to themselves, and to people the world over."

Entrepreneur Of The Year recognizes high-achieving entrepreneurs in Canada and around the world who drive growth, build communities and transform industries. The Canadian program is in its 17th year of honouring the country's most impressive entrepreneurs from all areas of business.

The names of the Ontario winners will be announced at a gala banquet in Toronto on October 13, and the overall winner will represent Ontario at the national banquet in Toronto on November 17. For ticket information regarding the regional and national banquets, please contact Linda Starr at 416 943 3053.

The 2010 Ontario finalists for Entrepreneur Of The Year:

     <<     Cleantech      Stephen Carpenter     Enermodal Engineering/Kitchener     enermodal.com      Enermodal Engineering is Canada's largest consulting firm exclusively     dedicated to green buildings and communities.      Scott Monteith     Monteco Ltd./Toronto     monteco.com      Monteco is a cleantech firm that develops and launches environmental     products in the water, air and energy sectors.      David Hatherton     NextEnergy Inc./Elmira     nextenergy.ca      NextEnergy is a leading Canadian designer and marketer of geothermal     technology.      Cameron Manners     Nu Flow.Oshawa     nuflowtech.com      Nu Flow manufactures and installs innovative green technologies to     rehabilitate the inner infrastructure of deteriorated or failing water     piping systems.      Consumer products and services      George Warren     Centennial Windows Ltd./London     centennialwindows.com      Centennial Windows manufactures and installs custom replacement windows     and doors. They also provide warranty and service for customers for as     long as they own their homes.      Orazio Civello     Collega and Civello Salon - Spas/North York     borntostyle.ca      Collega Education offers classes in product knowledge, hair colour, cut,     spa, retailing and business-building programs to salon owners, managers     and operators.      John Bitove     Obelysk/Toronto     obelysk.com      Obelysk is one of Canada's largest private equity firms, providing     capital to and overseeing the strategic management of diversified     businesses.      Emerging entrepreneur      Mark Cahsens     Great Circle Works/Oakville     greatcircleworks.com      Great Circle Works is an innovator, manufacturer and global distributor     of toys and sporting goods articles for kids young and old.      John Morgan     Morgan Solar Inc./North York     morgansolar.com      Morgan Solar created the Sun Simba, a solar panel for utility-scale,     grid-connected solar farms.      Michael Scissons     Syncapse/Toronto     syncapse.com      Syncapse is a global leader in digital consulting and measurement, and     helps its clients leverage the power of social media.      Energy and natural resources      Larry Ciccarelli     GlobeStar Mining Corporation/Toronto     globestarmining.com      GlobeStar is a copper and gold producer with operations in the Dominican     Republic, and is also engaged in the acquisition of copper and gold     properties in major Latin American mining districts.      Jim Temerty     Northland Power Income Fund/Toronto     NPIFund.com      Northland Power Income Fund is a Canadian open-ended income trust that     indirectly owns equity interests in six power facilities, including three     power plants and three wind power projects.      Laurie Stanton     Stanton Farms/Ilderton     holsteinworld.com/stanton      Stanton Farms is a state-of-the-art dairy farm business that uses     technology to maximize its energy efficiencies and minimize its     environmental impact.      Health sciences      Jan Oudenes     Alphora Research Inc./Mississauga     alphoraresearch.com      Alphora Research provides active pharmaceutical ingredient technology     development services for the scale-up of complex small molecules with     pharmaceutical and biotechnological applications.      Connie Clerici     Closing the Gap Healthcare Group/Mississauga     closingthegap.ca      Closing the Gap provides high-quality community-based health-care     services, including rehabilitation therapy, nursing, personal support,     health-care consulting and driveable services.      Lee McDonald     Southmedic Inc./Barrie     southmedic.com      Southmedic is a forward-thinking medical manufacturing and distribution     organization with a focus on innovation.      Hospitality/tourism      Naman Budhdeo     FlightNetwork.com/Oakville     flightnetwork.com      Flight Network is a privately held company focused on providing discount     airfare through the internet to the Canadian market.      Charles Khabouth     INK Entertainment/Toronto     ink-00.com      INK is the parent company of successful entertainment complexes in the     hospitality industry.      Rita Tsang, Annie Tsu     Tour East Group/North York     toureast.com      Tour East provides integrated travel and business solutions to both     travel agencies and consumers, including fulfillment, technology, travel     contents and tours.      Manufacturing      Sabine Veit     Backerhaus Veit Ltd./Woodbridge     backerhausveit.com      Backerhaus Veit is a manufacturer and supplier of premium European-style,     artisan par-baked (frozen) breads to the retail and foodservice market in     North America.      Dani Reiss     Canada Goose Inc./Toronto     canada-goose.com      Canada Goose is committed to producing the best extreme cold weather     outerwear in the world.      Howard Singleton     Trimaster Manufacturing Inc./Guelph     trimastermfg.com      Trimaster's in-house capabilities include manufacturing engineering,     precision high-speed computer numerical control (CNC) milling, CNC     Swiss-style turning, CNC turning, grinding, elastomer moulding and     grinding, sheet metal fabrication and precision assembly.      Media and entertainment      Shan Chandrasekar     Asian Television Network International Limited/Newmarket     asiantelevision.com      Asian Television Network is Canada's largest South Asian broadcaster,     operating 23 television channels, including three Chinese channels.      James Schmalz, Michael Schmalz     Digital Extremes Ltd./London     digitalextremes.com      Digital Extremes created the Evolution Engine(TM), a proprietary     middleware technology that offers a variety of unique tools and processes     to help AAA console game developers make better games.      Pierre Morrissette     Pelmorex Media Inc./Oakville     pelmorex.com      Pelmorex Media blends technology, science and creativity to manufacture     content to serve the weather needs of all Canadians on TV, web, desktop     and mobile.      Professional/financial services      Sam Bouji     Global Group of Companies/Richmond Hill     globalfinancial.ca      Global is a financial services firm that offers an array of financial     solutions, including education savings plans, life and disability     insurance, mutual funds, stocks, bonds and other investments.      Sergei Tchetvertnykh     Infinium Group Inc./Toronto     infiniumgroup.com      Infinium Group is a leading independent electronic trading firm     specializing in alternative quantitative and arbitrage strategies.      David Shaw     Knightsbridge Human Capital Management Inc./Toronto     knightsbridge.ca      Knightsbridge provides human capital advice and customized solutions     through integrated teams of specialists.      Vladimir Stritesky     Trow Global/Brampton     trow.com      Trow Global is one of Canada's largest engineering and consulting firms,     providing engineering, project management, environment and urban planning     services.      Social entrepreneur      Robert Drynan     Camp Oochigeas/Toronto     ooch.org      Camp Oochigeas is a privately funded, volunteer-based organization that     provides year-round camp programming to kids with and affected by     childhood cancer.      George Roter, Mitchell Parker     Engineers Without Borders Canada/Toronto     ewb.ca      Engineers Without Borders engages 50,000 members in 35 chapters to     promote the idea that lasting change in Africa will stem not from     charity, but from helping foster opportunity.      Greg Overholt     Students Offering Support/Waterloo     studentsofferingsupport.ca      Students Offering Support is a student-led charitable association that     raises money to help children in Latin America gain access to quality     education.      Technology and communications      Kevin North     Dyadem/North York     dyadem.com      Dyadem provides enterprise operational risk management and quality risk     management through industry-leading software solutions.      Rick Watkin     Kubra Data Transfer Ltd./Mississauga     kubra.com      KUBRA provides business process outsourcing solutions that support the     entire customer communication management lifecycle across digital and     paper-based channels.      Ashok Kalle     Pathway Communications/Markham     pathcom.com      Pathway Communications is a Canadian company and is part of the Pathway     Group of Companies, which offers a broad range of high-quality internet     and telecommunications services.      Young entrepreneur      Neil Spivack     Direct Sales Force Inc./Toronto     directsalesforce.ca      Direct Sales Force provides clients with an outsourced sales solution.     The company hires, trains and manages its own staff to market its     clients' products face to face.      John Carbrey     Intrafinity/Toronto     intrafinity.com      Intrafinity software services and products enable organizations to get     the most value out of their digital content by effectively managing their     websites, documents, collaboration and online learning.      Chris Pavlovski     Jolted Media Group Ltd./Toronto     jmg.com      Jolted Media Group is one of the largest online media companies, and     oversees one of the biggest entertainment properties on the web:     Jokeroo.com.      Ali Asaria     Well.ca/Guelph     Well.ca      Well.ca is Canada's largest online health and beauty store, providing     convenient online shopping and a selection of over 31,000 products.      The Ontario regional judges are:      Andrew Bergstrom, Managing Director     Cossette      Sandra Bosela, Partner     EdgeStone Capital Partners      Ginny Dybenko, Dean, School of Business and Economics     Wilfrid Laurier University      Steve Gupta, President and CEO     Easton's Group of Hotels Inc.      Piyush Patel, CEO     AllerPharma Inc.      Joe Prosperi, Managing Director     Beringer Capital      John Young, Managing Director     Temple Street Productions Inc.     >> 

Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year is sponsored nationally by Global TV, National Post, La Presse and RDI.

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