The annual BMO Celebrating Women event in Halifax honoured four women for their remarkable contributions to business and the community. The event included welcoming remarks from Hon. Kelly Regan, MLA, Minister of Community Services and Minister Responsible for the Advisory Council on the Status of Women.
The program honours female leaders in local communities as part of BMO’s commitment to drive the advancement of women and recognizes contributions in one of three categories: Innovation and Global Growth, Community and Charitable Giving, and Expansion and Growth in Small Business.
The following honourees were recognized:
- Innovation and Global Growth: Sue Siri
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. - Community and Charitable Giving: Cassidy Megan
Cassidy Megan is the founder of Purple Day, a grassroots campaign started in Halifaxthat 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. - Expansion & Growth in Small Business: Jennie Dobbs
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. - Expansion & Growth in Small Business: Monique Fares
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.
“We are pleased to honour these leaders who have shown the importance of inspiring, encouraging, and connecting our communities through the spirit of entrepreneurship,” said Lynda Taylor, Senior Vice President, Atlantic Provinces, BMO Financial Group. “BMO is committed to developing programs that support the advancement of women in communities nationwide.”
