Duncan Shaw of Cogsdale earns top spot as Atlantic Entrepreneur Of The Year

Ernst & Young recognizes innovative Canadian entrepreneurial leaders

HALIFAX, Oct. 20 /CNW Telbec/ - Duncan Shaw of Cogsdale has been named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year^® 2010 for the Atlantic region.

"The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in Atlantic Canada, as our entrepreneurs continue to thrive and act as a driving force behind the economic recovery," said Joyce Hoeven, Director of Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year for the Atlantic region. "With the unique ability to address the forever changing landscape of the software industry, Duncan continues to prevail within the complex information and technology market."

Founded in 1997, Cogsdale maintains a reputation for client devotion and proactive solutions. From its humble beginnings in PEI, Cogsdale has become the foremost trusted software developer for local governments and utilities.  

Duncan attributes Cogsdale's business strategy and inspiration for new software solutions to two-way communication with his customers. "Systems without Boundaries," an innovative concept that integrates business processes across various operations, has driven market success and distinguishes Cogsdale from competitors.

Extensive growth over the years has led to the expansion of the company's client list that now includes six of the largest cities in the US. By raising the bar, Duncan has been recognized by Microsoft, who named Cogsdale its Dynamics GP Partner of the Year and member of their "Inner Circle."

Duncan's ambition is not limited to accomplishing his business goals. He is an active member of the Advisory Board for the School of Business at the University of Prince Edward Island as well as vice president of the Green and White Booster Club for men's and women's basketball teams. Duncan is also a board member of Innovation PEI, a business development agency, and dedicates his time as a coach for the St. Margaret's Bay "Slam" program, a non-profit youth basketball league. By mentoring the next generation, Duncan aspires to shape the experiences and opportunities of future business and community leaders.

"Top entrepreneurs continuously challenge themselves to reach new heights and strive to influence change," said Hoeven. "Canada's spectacular group of Entrepreneur of the Year Award winners symbolize how diligence and sharp business sense transcend in challenging economic times and have the power to make a lasting impact on our communities. It is an honour for us to recognize these outstanding individuals."

Also honoured by Ernst & Young was head of BioVectra Inc., Dr. Regis Duffy, who received the Lifetime Achievement 2010 Atlantic Award in recognition of his contribution to the Atlantic business community and his outstanding entrepreneurial achievements. Since 1970, Regis has been making entrepreneurial strides and has established BioVectra Inc. as a leading bioscience manufacturing business, helping put PEI on the map of bioscience innovation.

Category winners of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2010 Atlantic Awards:

Business-to-business products and services
Jean-Guy Bourgeois, Mathieu LeBlanc, Andrée Savoie, David Savoie, Regan Steeves
Acadian Construction (1991) Ltd. | Dieppe, New Brunswick
acadianconstruction.com

A family-owned, bilingual commercial construction general contracting and project management services company that operates throughout the Maritime provinces.

Business-to-consumer products and services

Steven Kay
The Orb Factory Limited | Halifax, Nova Scotia
orbfactory.com

Designs, manufactures, retails and distributes children's crafts and activities to international markets.

Information technology
Duncan Shaw
Cogsdale | Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
cogsdale.com

Develops software solutions for local governments and utilities to address the complex and changing needs of their operations.

Manufacturing
Mike Timani
Fancy Pokket Corp. | Moncton, New Brunswick
fancypokket.com

A manufacturer of bakery products such as pita bread, bagels, tortillas, pizza crust, panini and flatbread.

Media and entertainment
Andrew Ayre
Other Ocean Interactive | St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
otherocean.com

Develops games and enterprise software for all platforms, and has development studios in Canada and the US.

Special recognition
Jocelyn Greene
Stella Burry Community Services | St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
stellaburry.ca

A leading social services agency providing support and programs for adults and youth who face personal and health-related challenges.

What's next?
As the Atlantic region's Entrepreneur Of The Year 2010, Duncan will compete with top entrepreneurs from the Pacific, Prairies, Ontario and Québec regions for the national honour of Canada's Entrepreneur Of The Year 2010, to be presented at a gala celebration November 17, 2010, in Toronto. In June 2011, Canada's Entrepreneur Of The Year 2010 will move to the world stage to compete with 50 country recipients for the title of Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur Of The Year^®.

About the awards program
The Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards honour the spirit and contribution of entrepreneurs here and around the world. This year, the Canadian program is proudly celebrating 17 years of honouring Canada's outstanding entrepreneurs from all areas of business. For more information on the program, please visit ey.com/ca/eoy.

Nominees are reviewed by an independent judging panel, which is composed of several distinguished business leaders and previous award recipients. The 2010 Atlantic region judging panel consisted of  Mark Dobbin, President and CEO, Killick Capital; Dr. Colin Dodds, President and Vice Chancellor, St. Mary's University; Gerry Pond, Partner and Chairman, Mariner Partners; Kent Scales, Partner, Advantage Communications; and Shelley Simpson-McKay, Executive Director, Centre for Women in Business, Mount Saint Vincent University

Entrepreneur Of The Year is sponsored nationally by Global TV, National Post, La Presse and RDI. Atlantic region program sponsor is Progress, and the table patrons are Marriott Halifax Harbourfront and McInnes Cooper.

About Ernst & Young
Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. Worldwide, our 141,000 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.

Ernst & Young refers to the global organization of member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients.