Marc Dutil of Groupe Canam Inc. named 2013 Québec EY Entrepreneur Of The Year

EY celebrates 20 years of inspirational entrepreneurs

MONTRÉAL, Oct. 31, 2013 /CNW/ - EY celebrated 20 years of honouring great entrepreneurs by presenting Marc Dutil of Groupe Canam Inc. — the largest fabricator of steel components in North America — with the 2013 Québec EY Entrepreneur Of The Year award.

For over 50 years, Groupe Canam Inc. has set a high standard for innovation. But it wasn't until Marc joined the company in 2002 that Groupe Canam Inc. truly emerged ahead of the competition.

"Having an entrepreneurial mindset means thinking one step ahead of everyone else," says Luc Charbonneau, Québec Entrepreneur Of The Year program co-director. "Marc saw the opportunity to capitalize on the way digital technology was revolutionizing the construction industry — and he moved on it to really differentiate his business."

Today, Groupe Canam Inc. is a global brand with operations in Canada, the United States, Romania, India and Hong Kong. Marc attributes the company's success to their entrepreneurial culture.

"Innovation is the key to continually growing and competing at a global level," says Daniel Baer, Québec Entrepreneur Of The Year program co-director. "But you've got to foster a culture of innovation within an organization to drive the company forward. That's where Marc's leadership has set Groupe Canam Inc. apart from the competition. We can all learn from his approach."

EY's G20 Entrepreneurship Barometer 2013 reveals that while Canada scores very high on its entrepreneurial culture, relatively low levels of self-employment suggest there's room for larger numbers of people to be encouraged to capitalize on the country's supportive environment.

To support the next generation of business leaders, Marc also created the École d'Entrepreneurship de Beauce — a first-class institution of higher learning that specializes in training and preparing the next generation of entrepreneurs based entirely on the expertise of high-level business leaders.

"We all have a part to play in encouraging the next generation to pursue their entrepreneurial ambitions," says Charbonneau. "Highlighting the achievements of local business leaders through our Entrepreneur Of The Year program is just one way we can motivate talent to reach their potential."

"Stories like Marc's prove what's possible with a vision and the drive to execute it," adds Baer. "Those are the stories we've been celebrating for over 20 years and that we'll keep on celebrating for many more."

Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates the contribution and spirit of entrepreneurs everywhere. The Canadian program is in its 20th year of honouring the country's most impressive entrepreneurs from all areas of business. Award finalists are chosen based on their vision, leadership, financial success and social responsibility.

The gala also honoured Bernard, Laurent and Alain Lemaire of Cascades Inc. with the Lifetime Achievement award. The award recognizes individuals who have made an enduring impression on the Canadian business community and who continue to nurture and inspire the next generation of Canadian entrepreneurial talent.

Category winners of the 2013 Québec EY Entrepreneur Of The Year awards:

Business-to-business products and services

Gulshan Arora
Biena Inc. | Saint-Hyacinthe
biena.com
Designs and produces probiotic dairy products and enzymes.

Business-to-consumer products and services

Luc Maurice
Le Groupe Maurice | Saint-Laurent
legroupemaurice.com
Develops, manages and owns residences for retirees.

Emerging entrepreneur

Eduardo Mandri, Jérôme Guidollet
Tuango Inc. | Montréal
tuango.ca
Offers daily deals for restaurants, spas, activities, shows, hotels, products and more.

Health sciences

Ronald Reuben
A.R. Medicom Inc. | Lachine
medicom.ca
Enhances, manufactures and distributes high-quality infection-control, single-use and oral health care prepared products for the medical, dental, industrial, veterinary and laboratory markets.

Information technology

David Baazov
Amaya Gaming Group Inc. | Pointe-Claire
amayagaming.com
Designs, develops, manufactures, distributes and sells technology-based gaming solutions for the regulated gaming industry worldwide.

Media and entertainment

Eric Boyko
Stingray Digital | Montréal
stingraydigital.com
Leading provider of multi-platform music services for television service operators worldwide.

Professional/financial services

Jeff Mitelman
Advanceit Financial Corporation | Montréal
advanceit.com
Provides cash advances to small and medium-sized businesses.

Real estate and construction

Marc Dutil
Groupe Canam Inc. | Saint-Georges
groupecanam.com
Provides component design and manufacturing services for the construction industry.

Technology and communications

Constance Raymond, Jean-Françoys Brousseau
Outbox Holding CRB Inc. | Montréal
outboxtechnology.com
Manages and processes worldwide high-volume ticket sales for venues and shows over an easy-to-use, innovative technology platform.

Young entrepreneur

Simon De Baene
Groupe GSoft | Montréal
gsoft.com
Montréal's leader in agile software development.

Special citation — Social entrepreneur

Social entrepreneur is a unique category that awards a special citation to an entrepreneur whose achievements have driven large-scale social change and improved people's lives or quality of life.

Claudine Labelle
Fillactive | Sainte-Thérèse
fillactive.ca
Helps teenage girls discover the advantages and the enjoyment that come from taking part in physical activity in an environment that is positive, promotes a healthy self-image and is open to all teenage girls.

What's next?
As the Québec region's 2013 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year, Marc Dutil will compete with top entrepreneurs from the Pacific, Prairies, Ontario and Atlantic regions for the national honour of Canada's EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2013, to be presented at a gala celebration on 27 November 2013 in Toronto. In June 2014, Canada's EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2013 will move to the world stage to compete with more than 50 other country recipients for the title of EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year.

About Entrepreneur Of The Year
Entrepreneurs turn us on. To new ideas, new ways of thinking and new possibilities. We've shone the spotlight on entrepreneurs for 20 years — and we've only just begun. Nominees are reviewed by an independent judging panel composed of several distinguished business leaders and previous award recipients. The 2013 Québec judging panel consisted of Isabelle Bettez, President and CEO, 8D Technologies Inc.; Claude Champagne, Entrepreneur in residence, Cycle Capital Management; Jean Cloutier, 2010 Québec Entrepreneur Of The Year Manufacturing category winner and Vice President, Operations and Finance, Outdoor Gear Canada (OGC); Martin Deschênes, 2003 Québec Entrepreneur Of The Year Business-to-business products and services category winner and President and CEO, Groupe Deschênes Inc.; Michel Gendreau, 2012 Québec Entrepreneur Of The Year and Manufacturing category winner and President, Garaga Inc.; Nathalie Marcoux, Vice President, Finance, Capinabel Inc.; Sam Scalia, 2009 Québec Entrepreneur Of The Year Real estate/construction category winner and President, Samcon Inc.; and Étienne Veilleux, 2010 Québec Entrepreneur Of The Year Cleantech category winner and President and CEO, Distech Controls Inc.

For more information on the program, FAQs and key dates, please visit ey.com/ca/EOY.

For more information about our National Entrepreneur Of The Year awards gala on 27 November 2013, please contact Julie Olden at 416 943 2062 or [email protected].

Follow us on Twitter @EYCanada: #EOY20, #EOYQuébec.

This year's national program sponsors are National Post, La Presse, RDI, Merrill DataSite and Pandora Jewellery. In Québec, Entrepreneur Of The Year is sponsored by Fonds de Solidarité FTQ.

About EY's Strategic Growth Markets practice
EY's Strategic Growth Markets practice guides Canadian entrepreneurs by delivering integrated services tailored to their goals and needs at every stage of the business lifecycle. We are the world's leader in advising, guiding and recognizing the entrepreneurs who propel the economy — and community — forward.

For more information, please visit ey.com/ca/Entrepreneurs.

About EY
EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

For more information, please visit ey.com/ca.

EY refers to the global organization and may refer to one or more of the 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. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

SOURCE: EY (Ernst & Young)

Sarah Shields
[email protected]
604 648 3607 

Erika Bennett
[email protected]
416 943 5497 

Julie Fournier 
[email protected]
514 874 4308