The Lifeblood of our Nation

Canada’s spirit of entrepreneurship impacts communities across our country. They are dedicated, fearless and relentless.

In celebration of Global Entrepreneurship Week Canada, the Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) will be celebrating 20 remarkable Canadians, and their outstanding contributions to entrepreneurship.These exceptional individuals will be honoured at the 2009 CYBF Chairman’s Awards Celebration on November 16^th, 2009 at the Carlu, Toronto, Ontario. The award celebration is proudly sponsored by RBC, with national media partners the National Post and the CBC.

“Entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of this nation,” said Vivian Prokop, CEO of the Canadian Youth Business foundation. “We need more producers, more innovators and more risk-takers to continue to build a stronger Canada.On Nov 16^th CYBF will honour these brilliant new entrepreneurs, who are the future of Canada, as well as the role models who inspire them.”

Honouring their outstanding contributions to Canada’s entrepreneurial spirit, Mr. David Aisenstat, President & CEO, The Keg Steakhouse & Bar and Mr. W. Brett Wilson, Managing Director & President, Prairie Merchant Corporation will each receive the 2009 CYBF Nation Builder Award at the celebration.

“I am humbled that CYBF would choose to honour me with the Nation Builder award this year,” said Mr. David Aisenstat. “Throughout my career, I have been mentored by incredible entrepreneurs that have provided guidance and wisdom along the way. I believe passionately in the value of mentoring, and wholeheartedly support the work that CYBF is doing to ignite the entrepreneurial mindset in young Canadians.”

“The CYBF Nation Builder award is particularly meaningful because it recognizes two of my biggest personal passions — entrepreneurship and mentoring,” added Mr. W. Brett Wilson. “I am an enthusiastic promoter of entrepreneurship because I believe running a business can be one of life’s great adventures. Mentoring young business leaders does more than build better employees or business partners, it builds better people who become better parents, friends, and community builders. By celebrating individual strengths and passing on skills and knowledge, we make our business sectors, and whole communities, stronger.”

Leaders in business and government, along with students and aspiring entrepreneurs, will celebrate the great achievements of CYBF’s outstanding young entrepreneurs, mentors and community partners from across the country. One of these top entrepreneurs will receive the National Best Business Award, winning $20,000 for business expansion.* The winner will be announced at the celebration.

The award winners from the west to east coast of Canada are as follows:

2009 CYBF British Columbia Best Business Award

GumDrops Wet Weather Boutique

www.gumdropsonline.com

Shanda Jerrett

2009 CYBF British Columbia Outstanding Mentor Award

Fi Dastoor, Mentor to Shanda Jerrett, GumDrops Wet Weather Boutique

2009 CYBF British Columbia Outstanding Community Partner Award

Self Employment Entrepreneur Development Society (SEEDS)

www.seedsbdc.com

Monika Laul Verma

2009 CYBF Alberta Best Business Award

Douglas Square Physiotherapy Centre

Bryan Shopka

2009 CYBF National and Alberta Outstanding Mentor Award

Rosemarie Enslin, Mentor to Sarah Khallad, she was stunning and Melanie Breitkreutz, Be’ato Coffee Company Inc.

2009 CYBF Alberta Outstanding Community Partner Award

Small Business Resource Centers Inc.

www.bizwhiz.com

Linda Griffioen

2009 CYBF Central Prairies Best Business Award

Hoopla Clothing

www.hooplaclothing.ca

Jessica Williamson

2009 CYBF Central Prairies Outstanding Mentor Award

Albert Norman, Mentor to Jessica Williamson, Hoopla Clothing

2009 CYBF Central Prairies Outstanding Community Partner Award

Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth

www.edu.gov.mb.ca

Shaun Hampton

2009 CYBF Ontario Best Business Award

BioPed North Bay

www.bioped.com

Crystal Kaufman

2009 CYBF Ontario Outstanding Mentor Award

Shevaun Voisin, Mentor to Janine Keller Ng, Blue Skies Yoga & Eco Store

2009 CYBF National and Ontario Outstanding Community Partner Award

Hamilton Small Business Enterprise Centre

www.investinhamilton.ca/small-business

Chris Farrell/Kristin Huigenbos

2009 CYBF Québec Best Business Award

GG Telecom

www.spypoint.ca

Yan and Sébastien Gagnon

2009 CYBF Québec Outstanding Mentor Award

Michel Girard, Mentor to Pierre-Alexandre Villeneuve Tremblay and Mélanie Larin, Lavéco Mobile Inc.

2009 CYBF Québec Outstanding Community Partner Award

Développment économique – CLD Gatineau (DE-CLDG)

www.directiongatineau.ca

Gérald Lanoix

2009 CYBF Atlantic Canada Best Business Award

The Brooklyn Warehouse

www.brooklynwarehouse.ca

George Christakos

2009 CYBF Atlantic Canada Outstanding Mentor Award

Lana Pinsky, Mentor to Kim Dao, Bang Dao, and Chitsanupong Prathumma, Talay Thai Restaurant Limited and Cha Baa Thai Restaurant Limited

2009 CYBF Atlantic Canada Outstanding Community Partner Award

CEED Centre for Entrepreneurship Education & Development

www.ceed.info

Shawn Cunningham

* The award money is privately funded by an anonymous third party.

To read about these amazing award winners, or to find out more about CYBF, please visit www.cybf.ca.