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Ernst & Young celebrates Ontario finalists for 2009 Entrepreneur Of The Year(R)

Firm says today's entrepreneurs are tomorrow's market leaders

    TORONTO, July 7 /CNW/ - Entrepreneurial-minded companies are growing with

incredible speed and quickly entering into the ranks of the world's largest

corporations, Ernst & Young said today when unveiling this year's finalists

for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards.

    "By embracing the entrepreneurial spirit, this year's finalists are

growing businesses, creating jobs and building communities despite daunting

economic challenges," says Colleen McMorrow, National and Ontario Director of

the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards. "Entrepreneurs who seize

the opportunities that arise in adversity can ignite a spark, and propel our

economy forward."

    Historically, economists, academics and industry leaders have agreed that

recessions foster the innovative thinking synonymous with entrepreneurship. As

referenced in Ernst & Young's publication, Entrepreneurship and innovation,

many of today's most recognizable brands were actually born during recessions.

Many of these so-called "downturn babies" now have market capitalizations in

the hundreds of millions, or even billions, of dollars.

    "Innovation stimulates economic growth, and that means there is no time

like a downturn to take advantage of entrepreneurial thinking," says McMorrow.

"Companies cannot afford to be paralyzed by fear. The global recession

represents an unprecedented opportunity for growth."

    A recent Ernst & Young survey, Seizing opportunities, shows many

entrepreneurs already have the right idea. Ninety-three percent of respondents

said that, despite the economic downturn, they are broadening their customer

base and entering new markets.

    "It's reassuring to see that many entrepreneurs are already taking bold

steps forward," McMorrow notes. "No company is ever too big to have an

entrepreneurial focus. By building the right corporate culture, even large

corporations can think outside the box and drive new ways of doing business."

    The Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards recognize the spirit and contribution

of entrepreneurs here and around the world. The Canadian program is in its

16th year of honouring the country's most impressive entrepreneurs from all

areas of business.

    The Ontario winners will be announced at a banquet on October 21, and the

overall winner will represent the region at the national banquet held in

Vancouver on November 24.

    The 2009 Ontario finalists for Entrepreneur Of The Year are:

    Business-to-business products and services

    Razor Suleman

    I Love Rewards | Toronto

    iloverewards.com

    Provides web-based rewards and recognition programs, ranging from

    employee recognition to sales incentives, as well as tailored solutions.

    Liz Scott

    Organizational Solutions Inc. | Burlington

    orgsoln.com

    Provides cost-reduction strategies pertaining to disability management.

    Kerry Shapansky

    Pareto Corporation | Toronto

    pareto.ca

    Marketing services company focused on retail and business-to-business.

    Primary services include direct marketing, retail promotions, retail

    merchandising and incentives.

    Oliver Bock, Gabrielle Chevalier, Mark Smith

    Solutions 2 GO Inc. | Mississauga

    solutions2go.ca

    Video game distributor.

    Business-to-consumer products and services

    Danièle Bertrand, Dufflet Rosenberg

    Dufflet Pastries | Toronto

    dufflet.com

    Manufacturer and distributor of premium fine pastries, desserts and

    confections across North America.

    Anthony Longo

    Longo Brothers Fruit Markets Inc. | Mississauga

    longos.com

    Family-owned grocery retailer that helps consumers create adventurous,

    genuine food experiences for their family at a fair price.

    Shaun Francis

    Medcan Health Management Inc. | Toronto

    medcan.com

    Provides a combination of outpatient preventive, diagnostic and primary

    health-care services that are typically not reimbursed through Medicare

    or conventional insurance.

    Ronnen Harary, Anton Rabie, Ben Varadi

    Spin Master Ltd. | Toronto

    spinmaster.com

    Designer, developer, manufacturer and marketer of consumer products, as

    well as the production of television and other media properties, for

    children.

    Cleantech

    Ian MacLellan

    ARISE Technologies Corporation | Waterloo

    arisetech.com

    Developer of proprietary technologies for the manufacture of high-

    efficiency photovoltaic (PV) cells and for the production of lower-cost

    7N+ high-purity silicon for PV cells. Also provides turnkey PV solutions

    for solar farms and rooftop installations.

    Timothy Haig, Kevin Norton

    BIOX Corporation | Oakville

    bioxcorp.com

    Technology and manufacturing company that employs proprietary

    technologies in biodiesel production.

    Cameron Manners

    Nu Flow Inc. | Oshawa

    nuflowtech.com

    Manufactures and installs in-place epoxy pipe lining systems to

    rehabilitate deteriorated or failing mechanical piping systems.

    George Scott

    Scott Environmental Group | Kingston

    scottindustrialservices.com

    Provider of industrial and environmental services, an eco-technology

    business with an organic waste-processing plant and electronic waste-

    collection facility.

    Emerging entrepreneur

    Naman Budhdeo

    Flight Network | Oakville

    flightnetwork.com

    Provider of discount airfare through the internet.

    Robert Deluce

    Porter Airlines Inc. | Toronto

    flyporter.com

    Regional passenger carrier serving Toronto, Ottawa, Thunder Bay,

    Montréal, Québec City, Halifax, New York and Chicago, with seasonal

    flights to Mont Tremblant.

    Cameron Piron

    Sentinelle Medical Inc. | Toronto

    sentinellemedical.com

    Diagnostic imaging company focused on breast cancer detection using

    magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

    Jason Smith

    Solidifi Inc. | Thornhill

    solidifi.com

    Technology-based provider of property valuation, collateral risk

    management and data analytic services to the North American financial

    services industry.

    Financial services

    Alan Grujic, Sergei Tchetvertnykh

    Infinium Group Inc. | Toronto

    infiniumgroup.com

    Independent electronic trading firm specializing in alternative

    quantitative and arbitrage strategies.

    Wesley Hall

    Kingsdale Shareholder Services Inc. | Toronto

    kingsdaleshareholder.com

    Provides strategic shareholder communication and consulting services.

    Vincent Beretta

    Walkaway Canada Incorporated | Toronto

    walkawayprotection.com

    Develops, markets and administers innovative, web-enabled, credit-related

    products for the retail automotive and recreational vehicle industry. A

    pioneer in the "vehicle return program" insurance category.

    Information technology

    Mark Leonard

    Constellation Software Inc. | Toronto

    csisoftware.com

    International provider of software and services to select industries in

    both the public and private sectors.

    Kevin North

    Dyadem International Ltd. | Richmond Hill

    dyadem.com

    Provider of risk management software solutions for products and

    processes, with a focus on the development of quality lifecycle

    management and risk lifecycle management solutions.

    Tom Jenkins

    Open Text Corporation | Waterloo

    opentext.com

    Developer of enterprise content management software, used by corporations

    and government agencies in 114 countries.

    Manufacturing

    Felix Comeau

    Alcohol Countermeasure Systems Corp. | Toronto

    acs-corp.com

    Manufacturer of alcohol interlocks and breath alcohol testers.

    Steve Mai

    Eclipse Automation Inc. | Cambridge

    eclipseautomation.com

    Designer and manufacturer of custom turnkey automated systems for various

    industries.

    Allan Carswell

    Optech Incorporated | Concord

    optech.ca

    Develops, manufactures and markets support of advanced laser-based survey

    instruments.

    Media and entertainment

    Aldo Cundari

    Cundari Group Ltd. | Toronto

    cundari.com

    Canada's second-largest independently owned and operated communications

    agency.

    Darren Throop

    E1 Entertainment | Toronto

    entertainmentonegroup.com

    Independent entertainment content owner that acquires film, television

    and music rights, and exploits these rights in all media in more than 190

    countries.

    Christina Jennings

    Shaftesbury Films Inc. | Toronto

    shaftesbury.ca

    Independent film and television production company.

    Martin Perelmuter, Farah Perelmuter

    Speakers' Spotlight (Ad-Mar Consulting Ltd.) | Toronto

    speakers.ca

    Speakers' bureau representing and booking extraordinary speakers, leading

    thinkers, expert trainers and inspiring individuals.

    Mining and metals

    Ronald Little

    Orezone Resources Inc. | Ottawa

    orezone.com

    Junior mining industry, gold exploration and development company

    operating in west Africa.

    Peter Marrone

    Yamana Gold Inc. | Toronto

    yamana.com

    Gold producer engaged in mining and related activities, including

    exploration, extraction, processing and reclamation. Yamana has

    significant properties in Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Mexico and Central

    America.

    Social entrepreneur

    Robert Drynan

    Camp Oochigeas | Toronto

    ooch.org

    Privately funded, volunteer-based organization that provides kids with

    cancer and kids affected by childhood cancer with a unique opportunity

    for growth through challenging, fun, enriching and magical experiences.

    Camp Oochigeas provides year-round camp programming at their site in

    Muskoka, at the Hospital for Sick Children, as well as at various

    locations throughout the Greater Toronto Area.

    Kathryn Babcock, Beverley Wybrow

    Canadian Women's Foundation | Toronto

    canadianwomen.org

    Funds, researches and shares the best approaches to ending violence

    against women, moving low-income women out of poverty and building

    strong, resilient girls.

    Diane Dupuy

    Famous PEOPLE Players | Toronto

    fpp.org

    Theatre group dedicated to the integration of people who have

    developmental disabilities.

    Julie Toskan-Casale

    Toskan Casale Foundation | Toronto

    toskanfoundation.org

    Committed to supporting and strengthening community-based grassroots

    organizations that reach out to at-risk people and provide them with

    immediate relief and long-term stability.

    Technology and communications

    Osama Arafat

    Q9 Networks Inc. | Toronto

    Q9.com

    Provider of outsourced data centre infrastructure services.

    Marzio Pozzuoli

    RuggedCom Inc. | Woodbridge

    ruggedcom.com

    Develops communications networking equipment for use in harsh

    environments.

    Christopher Cawston

    SCI Ltd. | Markham

    scitorque.com

    Developer and provider of retail process solutions for the automotive

    retail channel, through a current offering of lead consolidation,

    processing and delivery systems, lead and lifecycle management and multi-

    channel marketing products.

    Young entrepreneur

    Sam Zaid

    Apption Software Corporation | Ottawa

    apption.com

    Provides artificial intelligence solutions for enterprise modernization

    and business automation.

    Tina Gokstorp, Stephanie McLarty

    CTAR Corp. | Ailsa Craig

    ctarcorp.com

    Provides asset recovery for cable/telecom companies (e.g., resale,

    donation, recycling of obsolete/excess equipment).

    Greg Overholt

    Students Offering Support | Waterloo

    studentsofferingsupport.ca

    Raises marks (through university peer review sessions) and raises money

    to raise roofs (funds sustainable development projects around Latin

    America).

    Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year is sponsored nationally by Global

Television Network, National Post, La Presse and RDI.

    About Ernst & Young

    Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and

advisory services. Worldwide, our 135,000 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. For more information, please visit ey.com/ca.

For further information: Amanda Olliver, amanda.olliver@ca.ey.com, (416)

943-7121; Brooke McLachlan, brooke.mclachlan@ca.ey.com, (604) 899-3597;

Marie-Eve Graniero, marie-eve.graniero@ca.ey.com, (514) 874-4313