Since 2012, we have honoured more than 100 women in communities across Canada and the U.S. through the BMO Celebrating Women program. We will continue to recognize women who lead and contribute to the success of their communities because it’s time women’s accomplishments were seen.
Ottawa Honourees
Dr. Penina Lam, Founder & CEO, eLearning Innovators Inc. (ELICE) – Innovation & Global Growth
Dr. Lam is the Founder and CEO of eLearning Innovators Inc. (ELICE), an EdTech consulting and digital learning solutions firm. Dr. Lam is a pioneer in the eLearning field, specializing in on-demand training, organizational development (OD), and knowledge management (KM). As a learning solutions consultant and coach, she works internationally to support organizations seeking to start, scale or sustain digital learning and performance improvement interventions. Dr. Lam is passionate about advancing learning and performance and loves to work on collaborative, social impact projects with global reach.
Tara Shannon, President, Willow Sound Records Inc. – Community & Charitable Giving
Tara Shannon is the president of Willow Sound Records Inc., a membership co-op record label and publishing company dedicated to the development and distribution of independent music. Ms. Shannon is a singer and songwriter and is well known for supporting and giving a voice to local and national charitable campaigns including LYME Hope, the Butterfly Child Project, and BeYou.
Tammy Giuliani, Owner, Stella Luna Gelato Café – Expansion & Growth in Small Business
Tammy Giuliani is the Owner of Stella Luna Gelato Café and an Italian-trained master gelato chef. Ms. Giuliani opened her first location in Old Ottawa South in 2011. The success of her business has led her to open two additional locations, in Ottawa and Merrickville. Stella Luna Gelato Café was awarded Best Gelato in Canada and Top Three Gelato Shops in The Americas at the prestigious Gelato World Tour (Chicago 2016) and also received the International Journalist’s Choice Award (Italy 2017).
Halifax Honourees
Jennie Dobbs, Owner & Manager, Morris East Restaurant and Wine Bar – Expansion & Growth in Small Business
Jennie Dobbs is the owner and manager at Morris East Restaurant & Wine Bar, a pizzeria that serves award winning gourmet, wood-fired pizzas. After spending six years in the United Kingdom working in finance, Ms. Dobbs left her career to return to her hometown of Halifax to fulfill her dream of opening a restaurant. The restaurant is best known for its ‘pear pizza’, which won third place in the Non-Traditional (International Regional) category at the 2015 International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. Today, Morris East Restaurant & Wine Bar has three locations across the Greater Halifax area.
Monique Fares, CEO, Signature Health – Expansion & Growth in Small Business
Monique Fares is the CEO of Signature Health, Atlantic Canada’s first proactive and preventative health services clinic. This business is unique to the Maritimes and services Atlantic Canadians who typically travel out of the province to visit similar wellness clinics in Ontario, Quebec and the U.S.
Sue Siri, Founder & CEO, Iris Booth Inc. – Innovation & Global Growth
Sue Siri is the Founder and CEO of Iris Booth Inc., a provider of self-serve photography studios. After being a professional photographer for 30 years, Ms. Siri opened the first Iris Booth in 2015. In only three years, the success of her business led Ms. Siri to expand operations to 10 locations, including Halifax, Toronto, select cities in the U.S., and Dublin.
Cassidy Megan, Founder, Purple Day – Community & Charitable Giving
Cassidy Megan is the founder of Purple Day, a grassroots campaign started in Halifax that spreads awareness about epilepsy. Ms. Megan began what is now the largest epilepsy awareness initiative in the world when she was only nine years old. Today, Purple Day is celebrated in over 100 countries. Ms. Megan is a recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and a winner of the Nova Scotia Red Cross Young Humanitarian Award.
Vancouver Honourees
Shannon Rogers, President and General Counsel, Global Relay – Innovation & Global Growth
Shannon Rogers is the President and General Counsel for Global Relay, a leading technology services company providing cloud-based compliance messaging and message management. In her role, Ms. Rogers oversees business development and heads up all legal, corporate and regulatory compliance issues for the company and its 23,000 financial customers around the globe. Ms. Rogers has received previous recognition for her work, including the Canadian General Counsel Award for Business Achievement; and ‘Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year’. Ms. Rogers was named ‘#1 Female Entrepreneur in Canada’ three times, and ‘Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women’ twice.
Dr. Dionne Laslo-Baker, Founder and Owner, DeeBee’s Organics – Expansion & Growth in Small Business
Dionne Laslo-Baker is the founder and owner of DeeBee’s Organics, a corporation that manufactures natural tea-based treats. As a medical scientist with a PhD in maternal fetal toxicology from the University of Toronto, Ms. Laslo-Baker garnered international attention for her doctoral thesis on the effects of exposure to environmental toxins during pregnancy. She also studied the effects of chemicals and toxins on child development. Inspired by her children, DeeBee’s Organics product line includes frozen treats made with tea. ‘FruitPops’ is the first certified non-GMO, organic, vegan, tea-based treat that is also gluten-, dairy- and soy-free. DeeBee’s Organics can be found in more than 2,000 stores across North America.
Jing Wen, Owner, Columbia Academy Inc. – Expansion & Growth in Small Business
Jing Wen is the Owner of Columbia Academy Inc., a private high school in Vancouver. During her years spent working at various private independent schools, Ms. Wen cultivated her passion for helping students succeed. Despite facing a saturated market, in 2015 she ventured out to start her own private school. With a student-centric approach, the Columbia Academy has grown to welcome more than 150 students in three years. It has created a nurturing learning environment for students from around the world providing a successful base to prepare students to gain admission to top universities worldwide.
Phoenix Honourees
Carolyn Loder, President, California Construction and Industrial Minerals Association – Women Who Lead
For the past 30 years, Carolyn Loder has been leaving her mark in a male-dominated industry and working her way up the corporate ladder. Loder works in construction and was the first female to be named president of the California Construction and Industrial Minerals Association, while also earning a Red Card license in the United States Forest service. She’s been a recipient of the Doc Weiler/Marvin Watts Award for professionalism and the 2010 Crystal Vision Award by the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC).
Lanette Veres, Founder, Gray Matters – Women Who Inspire
Lanette Veres is the founder of the Gray Matters foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports and empowers brain tumor patients and their loved ones with encouragement and support. She is the recipient of the 2017 Hon Kachina Award and was recognized in the Phoenix Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list.
Pam Gaber, Founder & CEO, Gabriel’s Angels – Women Who Serve
Pam Gaber is the founder and CEO of Gabriel’s Angels, a nonprofit organization that has over 185 registered volunteer pets and owners who provide therapy intervention to abused, neglected and at risk children in the metropolitan Phoenix and Tucson area. Over the years, Gaber has received several honors including being named the Woman of Excellence by the YMCA in the nonprofit sector, most influential nonprofit executive, and Woman of the Year by a number of publications in Arizona.
Kitchener-Waterloo Honourees
Cristiane Thé, Co-founder and Director of Software Quality, Lakes Environmental Software – Innovation & Global Growth
Ms. Thé is the co-founder and Director of Software Quality of Lakes Environmental Software, a tech company supplying robust and easy-to-use software, training, and services to consulting companies, industry, governmental agencies, and academia. Started in 1995 by Ms. Thé and her husband, Jesse, Lakes Environmental is recognized internationally for its technologically-advanced software and exceptional expertise in the area of environmental science. Lakes Environmental developed the first commercial atmospheric pollution model for Windows OS, AERMOD View. The company is most prominent in Canadian and Latin American markets. Lakes Environmental was ranked one of the Top 25 Governance, Risk, and Compliance Technology Providers in 2017 by CIO Applications Magazine. Silicon Review listed the tech firm one of 50 Most Admired Companies of the Year in 2017.
Dianne Moser, Former President, Tire Supplier Distribution, Inc. – Community & Charitable Giving
Ms. Moser is the former president of Tire Supplier Distribution, Inc. (TDI), one of Ontario’s leading tire distributors. Ms. Moser has held numerous leadership and volunteer positions in health care, education, and non-profit sectors. Ms. Moser teamed up with Marion Thomson Howell, CEO of Shaughnessy Howell Consulting, and Dr. Hazel Markwell’s team at Toronto’s Centre for Clinical Ethics to write the first Catholic Health Association Governance Leadership training modules. Ms. Moser’s charitable attributes are described as “an inspiration to all”. Ms. Moser has and continues to serve as a mentor to many charitable foundations, including Kitchener-Waterloo Big Sisters, St. Mary’s General Hospital, St. Joseph’s Health System, and the Waterloo Catholic District School Board. She is a current board member of the Hospice of Waterloo Region. Ms. Moser was the recipient of both the 2013 Conestoga College Alumni of Distinction Award and the 2016 Mission Legacy Award by St. Mary’s General Hospital.
Chloe Hamilton, Founder, Warm Embrace Elder Care – Expansion & Growth in Small Business
Ms. Hamilton is the founder of Warm Embrace Elder Care, a support service company for seniors who wish to remain living in their own home for as long as possible. The service provides multiple homecare options across Waterloo Region and Wellington County. Ms. Hamilton was inspired to create Warm Embrace after seeing the lack of services available when her grandmother needed home care. Starting with four employees, the company has grown to a dedicated team of 35, filling a gap in the current support programs provided to our aging population. Ms. Hamilton was recently awarded the 2018 Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Award (Young Professional of the Year).
Burlington Honourees
Cathy Alexander, Co-founder, OKE Polumer Systems Inc. and Blake Medical Group Inc. – Expansion & Growth in Small Business
Ms. Alexander is the co-founder of OKE Polymer Systems Inc. and Blake Medical Group Inc., a distributor and manufacturer of medical products including mattresses and wheelchair accessories. A nurse by profession, Ms. Alexander was interested in bringing wound care solutions to health care and costs savings to acute care. Her vision is to continue to develop effective solutions to reduce the number of preventable injuries (musculoskeletal disorders and pressure injuries/ulcers). Ms. Alexander recently completed a three-year study on the Managed Pressure Injury Prevention Program (MPIPP) in long-term care settings.
Angela Marotta Melissa Marotta Paolicelli, Co-proprietors, Two Sisters Vineyards
Ms. Marotta and Ms. Marotta-Paolicelli are co-proprietors of Two Sisters Vineyards, a private, family owned corporation with a purpose of offering a full-service, prestigious destination in Niagara’s wine country. After four years of development, the first grapes were ready for processing with the inaugural vintage in 2010. The winery and restaurant officially opened to the public in 2014. The restaurant, Kitchen 76, has been critically acclaimed and the winery has quickly become a go-to destination in the region. Two Sisters Vineyards has received many accolades and awards, recently winning several Gold Medals at the 2017 All Canadian Wine Championship for the 2016 Unoaked Chardonnay, 2016 Sauvignon Blanc and 2013 Cabernet Franc.
GTA Honourees
Nadine Artemis, Co-owner and Creator, Living Libations – Innovation and Global Growth
Ms. Artemis is the co-owner and creator of Living Libations,a Haliburton, Ontario company offering beauty and wellness products that bring out the strength of pure botanicals without reliance on synthetics. Ms. Artemis works with individuals in several countries, including Madagascar, Peru, Brazil, India, Argentina, and the U.S. to create essential oils, serums, elixirs, and dental care products that promote healthy oral care. All products are synthetic-free, organic, GMO-free, gluten-free, and animal friendly. They are available across North America, Europe, and Australia. Ms. Artemis is also a speaker, educator and the author of Holistic Dental Care: The Complete Guide to Healthy Teeth and Gums and the forthcoming book Renegade Beauty.
Jody Steinhauer, Owner, The Bargains Group – Community & Charitable Giving
Ms. Steinhauer is the owner of The Bargains Group, an award-winning discount wholesale & promotional products company.Ms. Steinhauer is the creator of the “Give Back Where You Live” initiative. For over 15 years, The Bargains Group team has dedicated time and intellectual resources in the support of multiple initiatives that help the homeless. Ms. Steinhauer is also the founder of Engage and Change, a national charity “all about good people working together for the good of people.” The charity has taken over the operation of Project Winter Survival and Project Water – two annual projects that help the homeless by providing necessities for Canada’s extreme weather conditions.
Nancy Adamo, President and Co-Owner, Hockley Valley Resort – Expansion & Growth in Small Business
Ms. Adamo is the president and co-owner of Hockley Valley Resort in Orangeville, Ontario. Hockley has created a unique niche within the provincial market and regularly records occupancy rates over 70 per cent – well above market average in the hotel industry.Since purchasing the resort in 1985, Ms. Adamo and her team have evolved the property to include golf, skiing, a spa, wedding receptions and conference facilities. In 2016, they further expanded to create the Adamo Estate Winery. Ms. Adamo has been listed six times in Profit Guide’s “W100: Canada’s Top Female Entrepreneurs.”
Christine Manning, Owner, Manning Canning Kitchens, Inc. – Expansion & Growth in Small Business
Ms. Manning is the owner of Manning Canning Kitchens, Inc., a preserves company and independent food hub in Toronto. Her mother and grandmother taught her how to preserve but started the practice as an adult to relax in her off hours. Due to the overwhelming response from friends and neighbors, she quit her day job as a marketing executive to open Manning Canning Kitchens. Ms. Manning’s marmalades have won numerous awards at The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Mad for Marmalade, and The World’s Original Marmalade Awards. After a few years of success, she had the idea to create a 24/7 rentable commercial kitchen space in downtown Toronto. Ms. Manning raised $35,000 in 35 days via Kickstarter to make her dream a reality.In 2014, Manning Canning Kitchens became the first dedicated rental commercial kitchen space for small food producers in the GTA. They provide space for people to bring their food ideas to market as well as storage, kitchen access, and consultations.
Saskatoon Honourees
Rene L’Heureux, Owner, Beauty Spot Lash Bar – Community & Charitable Giving
Ms. L’Heureux is the owner of the Beauty Spot Lash Bar – North Battleford’s first eyelash extension studio. Inspired by a client, Rene spearheaded the “Buddy Bench” project – an initiative to help raise awareness about bullying and give children a safe spot if they were feeling lonely or needed a friend. Through a generous donation of supplies from Discovery Co-op North Battleford, along with her husband’s carpentry skills, Rene was able to create 11 benches. At the start of the 2017/18 school year, she delivered a “Buddy Bench” to every school in the Battlefords. Rene has inspired many young local residents to get involved in bettering their communities and is an example of the impact that just one person can have on many lives regardless of their social situation or age.
Betty Anne Latrace-Henderson, President, Airline Hotels and Resorts – Expansion & Growth in Small Business
Ms. Latrace-Henderson is the president of Airline Hotels & Resorts, a Canadian hotel company with nine properties from Edmonton to Kingston, Ontario. In 2000, Ms. Latrace-Henderson stepped into the role as President, taking over from her ailing father (the company’s founder). She changed the company to get it ready for growth, including a major restructuring of the board of directors and employing her own spirit of entrepreneurship and vision. The company is now 900 associates large – all carrying out Ms. Latrace-Henderson’s vision using ‘R.I.T.E. Values’ (Respect, Integrity, Teamwork and Entrepreneurship).
Dr Carla Matz, President, Grosvenor Park Optometry P.C. Inc., Owner, The Eye Gallery – Expansion & Growth in Small Business
Dr. Matz is the president of Grosvenor Park Optometry P.C. Inc. and the owner of The Eye Gallery, a full service optometric practice in Saskatoon. Over the years, the company has grown significantly with the strong demand for optometrists in Saskatchewan’s largest city. In December 2013, they relocated and expanded the practice to The Eye Gallery – Doctors of Optometry on College Drive. As well, Dr. Matz and employees started “The Eye Gallery” – a commercial art gallery inside the office focusing on printmaking and photography by local artists.
Lisanne Pajot, President and Co-founder, Blinkworks – Innovation & Global Growth
Ms. Pajot is the president and co-founder of BlinkWorks, a production company that makes documentaries, films, and commercials about people in technology and video games. As the co director, producer, editor, and distributor of Indie Game: The Movie, Lisanne is also a frequent speaker about documentary filmmaking, crowdfunding and digital distribution.
Winnipeg 2018
Margaret Von Lau, Co-founder and Executive Director, Newcomers Employment and Education Development Services (N.E.E.D.S. Inc.) – Community & Charitable Giving
Ms. Von Lau is a co-founder and executive director of Newcomers Employment and Education Development Services (N.E.E.D.S. Inc.), a non-profit charitable organization founded in 1999 that assists refugees and new immigrants to Canada. Working with youth aged 6 to 18, N.E.E.D.S. aims to enhance the integration of immigrant and refugee youth into Canadian society, and provides employment, education and social programs to develop life skills. As an immigrant herself, Margaret is thrilled that more than 2,000 youth have been helped by N.E.E.D.S. to date.
Giovanna Minenna, Owner, Brows By G – Expansion & Growth in Small Business
Ms. Minenna started Brows by G Inc. out of her house in 2015. An award-winning microblading and micropigmentation specialist, brow stylist and makeup artist, she currently runs two studios in Winnipeg, and teaches seminars in nine Canadian cities. Ms. Minenna is working on franchising Brows by G, showcasing her technique and providing her services to more communities across Canada. Through her services, Ms. Minenna helps recovering cancer patients look and feel their best.
Lisanne Pajot, President and Co-founder, Blinkworks – Innovation & Global Growth
Ms. Pajot is the president and co-founder of BlinkWorks, a production company that makes documentaries, films, and commercials about people in technology and video games. As the co director, producer, editor, and distributor of Indie Game: The Movie, Lisanne is also a frequent speaker about documentary filmmaking, crowdfunding and digital distribution.
Edmonton 2018
Lori Pecorilli, President and Co-founder, Latium Group of Companies – Innovation & Global Growth
Ms. Pecorilli is the president and co-founder of Latium Group of Companies, a fleet management company offering end-to-end transportation and mobile assets technology solutions. Growing up in resource-rich Alberta, Ms. Pecorilli noticed there was a gap in the industry in regards to managing vast amounts of company vehicles and assets. In 1996, Ms. Pecorilli and her husband, Tony, created Latium Consulting – a new approach to fleet management and consulting that reduced costs around repair and maintenance for vehicles. Today, Latium is made up of five companies: Latium Consulting, Latium Equipment & Vehicles, Latium Technology, Latium Connected Asset and Latium Manufacturing. In recent years, the company has created proprietary GPS technology, Latlogix, as well as revolutionary fleet & asset management software. Under Ms. Pecorilli’s leadership, Latium has grown to become a multi-national organization, servicing companies throughout Canada and the United States. Over the last two years, Latium’s business and leading-edge technology expanded into several African nations and more recently Mexico – resulting in a number of exciting business opportunities and partnerships on a global scale. Ms. Pecorilli is a member of the Edmonton Chapter of the Women President’s Organization (WPO) – a non-profit membership organization for women presidents, CEOs and managing directors of privately held, multimillion-dollar companies.
Debbie Michael, Principal, Emineskin Elementary School – Community & Charitable Giving
Ms. Michael is the principal of Ermineskin Elementary School, an institution providing Nêhiyawewin education for approximately 470 students from the four nations in Maskwacis, Alberta. As principal, Ms. Michael introduced several initiatives and programs to foster and support the success of her students. Ms. Michael introduced The Leader in Me program, a method of teaching students to see themselves as capable leaders. Since the implementation of the program, students have become more active, engaged partners in their education and have gained greater self-confidence as leaders. In 2016, the school applied for the Martin Family Initiative’s Model Schools Literacy Project (MSLP), a program that supports literacy education and achievement for Indigenous students from kindergarten to Grade 3. All First Nations schools across Canada were eligible, but only six were selected. Ermineskin Elementary was selected due in part to the strength and commitment of Ms. Michael’s leadership. With humility and an unwavering commitment to excellence, Ms. Michael continues to be an inspiration to her students and an outstanding community leader.
Isabell Ringenoldus, President and Owner, TAWS Security – Expansion & Growth in Small Business
Ms. Ringenoldus is the president and owner of TAWS Security, an Indigenous-owned, Alberta-based security company that specializes in oil sands gate and mobile patrol security solutions. Ms. Ringenoldus was 23 and a recently laid-off security guard when she started TAWS in 2007. The company is named in honour of her nephew, Tanner Alan William Sitybell, who died of leukemia. As the business grew, Ms. Ringenoldus continued her practice of taking care of all administrative work. She hired a bookkeeper after bringing on 30 employees. Shortly after the 2016 wildfire that devastated many residential areas of Fort McMurray, TAWS Security immediately volunteered their services. They showcased their ability to promptly deploy both management and trained guards. Today, TAWS works with some of Alberta’s largest corporations and employs more than 130 people. Ms. Ringenoldus was the 2012 recipient of the Alberta Chamber of Commerce’s Aboriginal Woman Entrepreneur Award of Distinction. In 2017, the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business awarded her the National Youth Aboriginal Entrepreneur of the Year Award – which recognizes up-and-coming Indigenous entrepreneurs under the age of 35.
Glenise Harvey, Co-owner and Principal, A&H Steel Ltd. – Community & Charitable Giving
Ms. Harvey is the co-owner and principal of A&H Steel Ltd., a fully integrated, full-service rebar provider specializing in the supply, fabrication and installation of reinforcing steel in the commercial and industrial sectors. An elementary school teacher for 29 years, Ms. Harvey became principal of A&H in 2008. A&H supports the community with involvement in the United Way, and by donating rebar for projects by organizations such as iHuman Youth Society and Amiskwaciy Academy. Following her personal passion for the arts, Ms. Harvey saw the need for a community based art gallery. In 2017, she started the Dandi-Lines Art Gallery – a not-for-profit foundation that exhibits and sells art produced by students and others under the creative mentorship of the gallery. The profits generated from the sales are reinvested to go toward funding art programs for people of all ages. An active member of the Edmonton Chapter of the Women President’s Organization (WPO), Ms. Harvey also mentors and supports other women business leaders in the community.
Milwaukee Honourees
Carmen Pitre, Executive Director, Sojourner Family Peace Center – Women Who Inspire
Carmen Pitre is the Executive Director of Sojourner Family Peace Center, an organization providing services for families dealing with domestic violence. She played a key role in supporting the merger of Sojourner Truth House and The Task Force on Family Violence, as it transitioned into a state-of the-art center that offers victims fleeing from abusive households’ shelter, medical and wellness services, housing police and prosecutors assigned to domestic violence crimes.
Cecelia Gore, Executive Director, Brewers Community Foundation – Women Who Serve
For over 30 years Cecelia Gore has dedicated her time to philanthropy, community affairs and the nonprofit sector. She is currently the Executive Director of the Brewers Community Foundation and has helped obtain over $27 million in the past eight years to help the Milwaukee community thrive in important areas. Gore is a current member of many different boards of directors in the Milwaukee area and is the recipient of the 2015 Alverno Outstanding Alumna Award. In addition, she was featured on the Milwaukee Business Journal’s top 40 Under 40 list and was named 2017 Business Champion by the African American Chamber of Commerce.
Julia Taylor, President, Greater Milwaukee Committee (GMC) – Women Who Lead
Julia Taylor is president of the Greater Milwaukee Committee (GMC), which promotes collaboration on regional issues and opportunities through its initiatives in education, economic development and effective government. Before GMC, Taylor was president of the YWCA of Greater Milwaukee for 16 years and managed a $40 million annual budget. During her tenure at the YWCA, she led initiatives resulting in national models for employment training and placement, affordable housing, women’s leadership and racial justice. She was the first woman to be appointed as President of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, and was honored in the 40 Under 40 Hall of Fame list by the Milwaukee Business Journal last year.
Saint John Honourees
Anne McShane, Owner, The Feel Good Store – Community & Charitable Giving
Anne McShane toyed with the idea of starting her own company while working at a Saint John IT firm. Always interested in health and well-being, Anne began making a spreadsheet of the products she was looking for but couldn’t find in one place. Inspired by this research, Anne opened The Feel Good Store in 2001. Anne always had a bit of an activist side, but running her own business helped her to become more in touch with the community. Anne devotes her time and energy to improving the community. She was Chair of Uptown Saint John’s environmental Green Feet Committee and part of one of the main advocacy groups involved in bringing the “Campus Harbour Connection” Bike Route to Saint John. Anne has also served on the YMCA of Greater Saint John Board of Directors, the Saint John Human Development Council, the Planning Advisory Committee for the City of Saint John, as well as the Citizen Advisory Committees for both the city’s municipal plan and Central Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan.
Montreal Honourees
Diana Ferrera Scalia, Co-owner and Strategic Advisor, Samcon Inc. – Community and Charitable Giving
Ms. Ferrara Scalia is the co-owner and strategic advisor of Samcon Inc., a residential construction firm established in 1991. Ms. Ferrara Scalia has been actively involved in the development of Samcon through each stage of its progress, with a focus on business development and public relations.Through the Samcon Foundation, Ms. Ferrara Scalia and her husband have donated to associations and foundations that contribute to the well-being of their community: In 2012, the foundation committed to donating $250,000 to the “Café Mission” project at the Old Brewery Mission – a new Internet-style café for the homeless to go during the daytime.In 2015, the foundation donated $300,000 to launch a sustainable real estate program at Concordia University. The university’s Sam and Diana Scalia Sustainable Real Estate and Built Environment Program coaches students on the future of real estate, as sustainability becomes an increasingly important consideration.In 2017, they donated $300,000 for the new MBA Building at McGill University. Ms. Ferrara Scalia is currently a board member with the Cedars Cancer Foundation at the McGill University Health Centre and Les amis de la montagne.
Elaine Paquin, Co-founder and President – Quinco & Cie Inc. – Expansion & Growth in Small Business
Ms. Paquin is the co-founder and President of Quinco & Cie Inc., a company specializing in designing, manufacturing and distributing self-adhesive Smart Tiles. Founded in 1999, the company created the first 4″x 4″ adhesive tile known at the time as “S’tics Deco”. Proudly made in North America, Smart Tiles continues to be the leader in peel and stick wall tiles.Composed of an adhesive substrate topped with a gel component called Gel-O, Smart Tiles have a 3D effect and come in several modern designs. In 2006, the Smart Tiles trademark was used for the first time to prepare the upcoming Mosaik collection. The launch of this collection in 2008 was associated with a major shift in interior decorating trends. In 2010, the company expanded and developed long-term relationships with European and U.S. retailers. In 2013, the company moved into a new 15,000- square-foot building located on Rene-Patenaude Street in Magog, Québéc.
Rose Marie Beaulieu, Owner, Modécole – Expansion & Growth in Small Business
Ms. Beaulieu is the owner of Modécole, a dynamic company specializing in exclusive clothing designed to adapt to today’s students. Modécole produces a range of tailor-made clothing, a special customer approach to promote the successful implementation of a new school wardrobe.Modécole is the uniform supplier for several institutions, including Séminaire Sainte-Marie, Collège Regina Assumpta, and Académie François-Labelle. Though 2017 was a challenging year for some of her competitors, Mrs. Beaulieu managed to capitalize and increase the number of schools she supplies by 38 per cent.
