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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Quebec City, Quebec -- October 19, 1999
At today's launch of Small Business Week, the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) announced the names of the winners of the Young Entrepreneur Awards. The 19 winners are founders of 13 companies-one per province and territory-and received their awards at a ceremony held at Quebec City's Le Capitole theatre.
"These young men and women have distinguished themselves by their originality and the outstanding performance of their respective businesses. They are at the forefront of a fast-changing economy driven by knowledge and information technology," stated Mr. Bernie Schroder, BDC president and CEO. "Many of them will be the leaders of tomorrow's business community and these awards are an opportunity for us to honour their achievements and their presence on the local and national scene."
The Young Entrepreneur Awards mark the accomplishments of entrepreneurs aged 30 and under from every province and territory. Winners are chosen according to selection criteria based on company growth, involvement in the new economy, innovation, community work, and export performance. The entrepreneur's age at the time the company was founded and any other exceptional achievements are also taken into consideration. The panel of judges is chaired by BDC and made up of business professionals and members of local boards of trade and chambers of commerce.
Under the Mentoring Program, sponsored this year by the Royal Bank, winners will be paired for one year with a business leader who will provide advice, help them develop their business acumen, and broaden their network of contacts.
The BDC's Young Entrepreneur Awards, held for the twelfth consecutive year, are sponsored by the Royal Bank, Rogers Cantel, Quick Books, the Export Development Corporation, Canada Post, VIA Rail, the Government of Canada, Maclean's, Profit and L'actualité magazines, and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
BDC's Small Business Week-in its 20th edition this year-is set to run throughout Canada this coming October 24 to 30.
The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) is a financial institution wholly owned by the Government of Canada. BDC plays a leadership role in delivering financial and consulting services to Canadian small business, with a particular focus on the export and emerging sectors of the economy.
1999 Young Entrepreneur Award Winners
Newfoundland
Colleen Kennedy Costello, aged 29, of Corner Brook is vice president and owner of West Coast Photo Image Centre, a Kodak photo centre specializing in film development and printing for the general public and businesses. A university graduate in photography, Colleen has always been very interested in this line of work and, with much tenacity and determination, succeeded in forming her own company in 1996 by buying out a photo development and sales business. With its staff of eight employees, West Coast Photo Image Centre now offers a greater variety of services, including everything from traditional film development and printing (specializing in digital imaging) to the sale of photographic equipment and accessories. Today the company is one the biggest suppliers and retailers of digital cameras in all of Atlantic Canada.
Prince Edward Island
Mark McLane of Charlottetown, aged 29, is a business administration graduate from the University of Prince Edward Island. He started up his own company, Printer Works, during the last year of his studies in 1993. From the beginning, Printer Works targeted a niche market: selling printers and offering service and parts. This approach has enabled the company to offer higher quality service and establish itself as the leader in its field. Printer Works is an authorized Hewlett Packard distributor and, since January 1999, has also been the authorized service outlet for Brother® International in Prince Edward Island.
Nova Scotia
Paul Wareham, 28, is a graduate in electrical and electronic engineering and president of DynaGen Systems Inc., a Sydney company specializing in the development, production, and distribution of automatic engine control microprocessors called AutoStart Engine Controllers. The company distributes a number of different models that can be used to automatically start generator engines or keep them operating when a loss or disturbance of the normal source occurs. DynaGen Systems' AutoStart Engine Controllers are so high-performing that even the United States Army uses many of them. In fact, the United States is the company's main market.
New Brunswick
Allen McCandless, 28, and Tim McCandless, 24, of Sussex are respectively president and vice president of Commercial Tent Rentals & Sales Limited, the only company in the Maritimes specializing in tent manufacturing and rentals. What originally began as a teenage hobby in 1985 has turned into a successful business offering outstanding customer service-24 hours a day-and premium quality products.
Quebec
Ariel Shlien, 30, and Ron Shlien, 28, of Montreal started their company The Mad Science Group in 1985. The Mad Science Group sends "madcap scientists" around the world to schools, children's camps, community centres, parties, and scout troops to spark curiosity in children about science. Using experiments combining bubbling potions, periscopes, and indoor fireworks, the enthusiastic instructors teach young people about science and entertain them at the same time. The company has enjoyed outstanding success, opening 115 franchises in 17 different countries and reaching over 30 million children through various school programs, as well as in parks and private homes.
Ontario
Dave Zakutin, aged 27, is president of Zakutin Technologies Incorporated, a Waterloo company that produces and sells the Radar Ball, a unique baseball that can time the speed of a pitch. A graduate in mechanical engineering, Dave started his company in 1996 while finishing his university degree. His efforts paid off when he obtained a license from Rawlings Sporting Goods Company allowing him to launch his product. The official recognition from Rawlings, which holds the biggest market share in the baseball industry, gave his product the kind of distribution it absolutely needed. His Radar Ball has been so successful that most major league baseball clubs now use it for pitcher training. This high-tech ball was also named 1998 Sporting Good Product of the Year by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association.
Nunavut
Kirt Eliza Kootoo Ejesiak, 30, is the president of Uqsiq Communications Inc. in Iqaluit, a visual communications and graphic design company he founded and the only entirely Inuit-managed firm specializing in the communications needs of Inuit organizations. The company offers its services in graphic design, multimedia, copywriting, and marketing. Its loyal customers are 80% Inuit organizations and 19% government.
Manitoba
Chris Bond, 28, and Ken Zorniak, 29, are respectively president and vice president of Frantic Films in Winnipeg. The partners, both with a solid track record in 3D animation and graphic design, founded the firm in 1997. The company specializes in the production of high quality visual effects for film. Frantic Films offers its services to TV stations, advertising agencies, and film production companies. It was recently nominated for a 1999 Emmy Award for its work on the Stephen King "Storm of the Century" miniseries broadcast on ABC.
Saskatchewan
Daniel Weber, 28, and Garnette Weber, 26, of Saskatoon, are respectively president and vice president of Interactive Tracking Systems Inc., an Internet research and market study company. The Webers are pioneers in their field in Canada and were among the first in the world to specialize in this new type of research. Among their clients are leading firms such as AT&T, Harris Interactive, and IBM.
Alberta
Ian Andreasen and Alan Andreasen are 29-year-old twins and the founders and owners of Fortius Natural Nutrition in Calgary. The two brothers are graduates of Montreal's McGill University in microbiology and immunology. In 1996, they set up their own company to develop nutritional products, not just for humans, but for pets and livestock, too. Fortius Natural Nutrition was a big hit right from the start and the company is growing fast. At first it had only two consumer products. Today, thanks to the efforts of its team of researchers, it now has 32 different offerings in its product lineup. Last summer alone, the company developed 18 new products. In Canada, its products can be found on the shelves of supermarkets like Loblaws and Superstore. The Andreasen brothers also work with various distributors, who sell their products under different names. Fortius Natural Nutrition also exports to a number of European countries, including Belgium and Germany.
Northwest Territories
Susan Ireland, 28, is the founder of Click It!, the only company in the Northwest Territories to offer computer training courses in Word, Excel, Power Point, and other software using its own training guides. Another competitive advantage is the company's after-sales service. Click It! offers as many free telephone consultations as necessary. The Northwest Territories government is its biggest client.
British Columbia
Daniel Sacks, 23, and Johan Arnet, 24, of North Vancouver are respectively president and vice president of Imaginative Computer Solutions Inc (ICS). The two partners were aged 18 and 19 when they formed the company in 1994. ICS offers a complete range of computer services, including Internet connections, Website hosting, and custom assembly, software installation, and maintenance of business computers. What's more, the company offers reassuring round-the-clock customer service.
Yukon
Samson Hartland, aged 20, is the owner of Big Grizzly Sportcards & Collectibles in Whitehorse and is this year's youngest winner. In 1998, the young man opened a store specializing in the sale of collectibles of all sorts-sportscards, moviecards, film posters, stamps, coins, Walt Disney products, figurines, and even relics. The company's electronic boutique on the Internet attracts buyers from the United States, Europe, and even Asia. The summer season also brings in tourists.
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CANAPRESS subscribers may consult a photo of BDC's President as well as logos for BDC and Small Business Week at the following address: cparchive.cp.org.
Serge Laliberté
Media Relations
Business Development Bank of Canada
Phone: (514) 283-7929
For more information or a photo of winners, contact:
Outside Quebec: Jennifer Field
Hill & Knowlton
(613) 277-5912
In Quebec: Nathalie Demers
Hill & Knowlton/Ducharme Perron
(418) 523-3352, ext. 234
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