Shirin Behzadi is Chief Executive Officer of Home Franchise Concepts (HFC), which recently celebrated its 26th year as the top-selling family of direct-to-consumer brands in the home-related goods and services space. Under Behzadi’s direction, HFC has grown into one of the largest and most respected franchisors in the U.S., on track to reach $700 million […]
Katja Iversen is the President and CEO of Women Deliver, a leading global advocate for investment in gender equality and the health, rights, and well-being of girls and women, with a specific focus on maternal, sexual and reproductive health and rights. She is an internationally recognized expert on development, advocacy and communications, with more than […]
Shirin Behzadi is Chief Executive Officer of Home Franchise Concepts (HFC), which recently celebrated its 26th year as the top-selling family of direct-to-consumer brands in the home-related goods and services space. Under Behzadi’s direction, HFC has grown into one of the largest and most respected franchisors in the U.S., on track to reach $700 million […]
Victoria Sopik and Jennifer Nashmi Co-founders, Kids and Company Finalists, Award for Excellence in Entrepreneurship, CENTRAL When Victoria Sopik and Jennifer Nashmi cofounded Kids & Company in 2002, their aim was to disrupt the traditional way child care had been offered by launching as an emergency back-up centre. Their success came after a […]
Melanie Normandin Vice President, Arctic Consultants Inc. Finalist, Award for Excellence in Entrepreneurship, EAST Arctic Consultants has been meeting the procurement needs of remote communities in Nunavik and Nunavut since 1984. Melanie Normandin took over the family business with her husband in 2009, and now works not only to ensure the day-to-day runs […]
Mandy Farmer President and CEO, Accent Inns Inc. Finalist, Award for Excellence in Entrepreneurship, WEST When Mandy Farmer’s father started Accent Inns Inc. in 1987, he didn’t plan on having any of his children go into the business. But Mandy took over as president and CEO in 2008, bringing with her an innovative, […]
Debbie McGrath is an award-winning business strategy and marketing and communications expert with deep experience in professional services, financial services, real estate services and consumer retail industries. Best described as a visionary and architect of winning marketing campaigns and developer of client-first business initiatives this University of Western Ontario graduate and three-time RBC Canadian Women […]
Elen Steinberg President and CEO, SPP Marketing Services Inc. Finalist, TELUS Trailblazer Award, CENTRAL SPP Marketing Services Inc. (SPP) had already been in operation as a promotions and experiential marketing agency for ten years when founder Elen Steinberg saw her winning opportunity: creating an innovative program using Canadian airports for marketing credit cards […]
Caroline Roberts President and CEO, Thoth Technology Inc. Finalist, TELUS Trailblazer Award, CENTRAL When Caroline Roberts co-founded Thoth Technology in 2001, she saw a market opportunity in Canada’s vibrant space sector, providing services to validate equipment for spaceflight. The space and defense company now has three divisions — Space Tracking and Navigation, Space […]
Toni Desrosiers Founder and CEO, Abeego Finalist, TELUS Trailblazer Award, CENTRAL In 2008, Toni Desrosiers was looking for a natural way to store her food — and ended up discovering a way to disrupt the fully mature, billion-dollar industry of plastic wrap. Through extensive experimentation (and looking to lemon peels, cheese rinds and […]
Heather Modlin Provincial Director, Key Assets Newfoundland and Labrador Finalist, Social Change Award, EAST Heather Modlin established Key Assets Newfoundland and Labrador (KANL) in 2009 to provide therapeutic family-based care (foster care). Their mandate has since expanded; in partnership with government, KANL offers residential care and support services to young people and families […]
Latha Sukumar Executive Director, MCIS Language Solutions Finalist, Social Change Award, CENTRAL When MCIS Language Solutions was incorporated as a non-profit in 1995, its mandate was to provide interpretation services for victims of domestic violence in Scarborough. Latha Sukumar was hired as Executive Director in 1996, expanding the mission to improving access to […]
Ching Tien Founder and President, Educating Rural Girls in China Finalist, Social Change Award, WEST As the founder of Educating Girls of Rural China (EGRC), Ching Tien’s deepest belief is that educated women have educated children — so providing education opportunities to women has a long lasting ripple effect and is a fundamental […]
Prior to 2014, Eva Wong had never started a business. Today, she is the leading lady of one of Canada’s largest fintech companies. By Kristen Sears Eva Wong doesn’t have the technical background or entrepreneurial experience that one might expect of a fintech startup founder. Before she launched the Toronto-based credit education […]
Joanie Metivier’s career started with a passion for wine, one that soon became rather irrational. Now a sommelier, wine writer and the first women to acquire her Whisky Ambassador title in Quebec, Joanie accumulated the accreditations including Certified CMS, WSET level 3 with distinction and ISG all while managing her personal blog dedicated to wine […]
Jennifer Hamilton CEO, Oxygen Yoga & Fitness Finalist, RBC Momentum Award, CENTRAL When Jen Hamilton opened her first Oxygen Yoga and Fitness location, her goal was to create an environment where any person could come, regardless of age, gender or level of fitness, to channel their energy and focus back on themselves. Their […]
Francine Brûlé Founder, Les enfants terribles brasserie Finalist, RBC Momentum Award, EAST Brasserie Les Enfants Terribles is a family-run restaurant group guided by a “just like home’’ concept, with a welcoming atmosphere and a menu featuring local products and unique spins on more traditional dishes. Francine Brûlé opened her first location at 53 […]
Marjorie Dixon Founder, Anova Fertility Finalist, RBC Momentum Award, CENTRAL Founded in 2016, Anova Fertility and Reproductive Health is committed to making the right to family accessible to everyone. As a doctor in reproductive medicine who had been through the system for assisted fertility personally, Marjorie Dixon saw inequality for different segments of […]
When Heather Stewart took over at BBE Expediting — a supply chain service provider and logistics company serving the Canadian North — she knew she needed to diversify the “feast or famine” business. So they developed the GoBox app to enable carriers to bid live on shipping jobs, with the expectation it would be used […]
As the Chair of the Scotiabank Alliance for Mental Health (SAMH), Karen Jordan is helping to deliver the message that mental health issues can impact us all — either directly or through a family member, friend or colleague. She’s also working to reduce the stigma around getting help, and making sure everyone at Scotiabank (and […]
Allison Dore started her career in the entertainment industry as an actor. It wasn’t until her older brother, renowned comedian Jon Dore, encouraged her to try stand-up that she got introduced to the world of comedy. Eventually she started a podcast, and in six months, after completing 100 episodes, was offered a spot on SiriusXM’s […]
Joanna Griffiths Founder and CEO, Knix Finalist, Staples Start-Up Award, CENTRAL Knix is a direct-to-consumer women’s intimate apparel company that is reinventing intimates for real life. Having launched in 2013 with leak proof and absorbent underwear, their assortment now includes comfortable wire-free bras and tanks, t-shirts that block sweat, loungewear, a line for […]
Jennifer Denouden President and CEO, Avana Homes Finalist, Staples Start-Up Award, WEST When Jennifer Denouden first started in real estate investing, she was looking to replace her income as a Private Banker so that she could spend more time with her children. Just over four years later, the Avana Group has built or […]
Ella Choi Founder, Playtime Pediatric Dentistry Finalist, Staples Start-Up Award, WEST Before starting her own clinic, pediatric dentist Ella Choi had worked at three different dental offices, learning a lot about how the business should be run. In 2015, she founded Playtime Pediatric Dentistry to bring her own vision to life: a nurturing […]
Glain Roberts-McCabe Founder, The Roundtable Finalist, Micro Business Award presented by Diversity Institute & Magnet Export Business Portal, WEST Launched in 2007, The Roundtable is reimagining the traditional consulting firm model through an approach where participants share knowledge through group and team coaching programs. Founder Glain Roberts-McCabe designed the program to increase individual […]
Luann Baker-Johnson Founder, Lumel Studios Finalist, Micro Business Award presented by Diversity Institute & Magnet Export Business Portal, CENTRAL It took four years of struggle, perseverance, and long conversations with safety authorities for Luann Baker- Johnson to build Lumel Studios, a Yukon glass blowing and hot glass facility that offers lessons as well […]
Kathleen Quinlan Founder, Fiore Botanica Finalist, Micro Business Award presented by Diversity Institute & Magnet Export Business Portal, EAST After a life-threatening illness, over 20 years ago Kathleen Quinlan made the decision to limit her exposure to the dangerous chemicals that can be found in personal care products. This eventually led to the […]
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