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Entrepreneur Of The Year 2019: Pacific Region Winners

As it turns 26, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year's Pacific Region program keeps moving from strength to strength.

By BCBusiness /

Credit: Adam Blasberg

As it turns 26, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year’s Pacific Region program keeps moving from strength to strength

The latest edition of our annual partnership with Ernst & Young honours 42 women and men, representing 30 companies, who exemplify business excellence.

Including the overall Pacific Region champ, there are winners in eight categories, from technology and environmental products and services to business disrupters and natural resources and energy.

Congratulations to all of the winners and to the runners-up, whose stories of facing down challenges and harnessing opportunities are equally inspiring. Let them show you how it’s done.

BUSINESS TO BUSINESS

Geoff Chutter (Pacific Region Overall Winner)
Founder, President and CEO, WhiteWater West Industries

Jay Evans
Co-founder and CEO, Keirton

Danny Chase
Founder and CEO, Chase Office Interiors

Haresh Bhatt
President, Natu’Oil Services

ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCTS + SERVICES

Thomas Ligocki
President and CEO, Clevest

Raminder Grewal
President, Keystone Environmental

EMERGING ENTREPRENEUR

Tara Bosch
Founder and CEO, SmartSweets

Don Konantz
CEO, Hops Connect Hop Trading Co.

Christina Marcano
Founder and CEO, Silver Icing

BUSINESS DISRUPTER

Kristi Miller
Founder and National Managing Director, First West Capital

Monty Sikka + Mark Catroppa
Co-founder and President + Co-founder and Executive Vice-president, Monark Group

Karm Sumal
CEO, Daily Hive

Stephen de Jong
CEO, Vrify Technology

FOOD + BEVERAGE

Dan Wilson + Kyle Tweter
CEO + President, Warehouse Group

Ryan Moreno
Co-founder, CEO and Principal, Joseph Richard Group

Aaron Chin
CEO, Organika Health Products

TECHNOLOGY

Laurie Schultz
President and CEO, Galvanize

Zeeshan Hayat + Karina Hayat
Co-founder and CEO + Co-founder and President, Prizm Media

Morgan Carey
Founder and CEO, Real Estate Webmasters

Greg Smith
CEO, Thinkific Labs

SOCIAL IMPACT

Derrick Emsley, Kalen Emsley, Stephen Emsley, Arthur Kononuk + David Luba
CEO, VP Content, VP Digital, Creative Director + VP Sales, Tentree International

Peter van Stolk
CEO, Spud.ca

Taylor Gemmel
President, Anita’s Organic Grain & Flour Mill

CONSUMER PRODUCTS + SERVICES

Jack Nicholson
CEO, Otter Farm and Home Co-Operative

Amin Shivji
CEO, 123Dentist

Vern Milani
President, Milani Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning

Caitlin Dunne, Jon Havelock, Jeff Roberts + Ken Seethram
Co-directors, Pacific Centre for Reproductive Medicine

NATURAL RESOURCES + ENERGY

Kamal Sanghera + Suki Sanghera
CEO + President, San Group

Steven Dean + Maryse Belanger
Chair and CEO + President and COO, Atlantic Gold Corp. 

Todd Nicklin
President and CEO, Enex Energy Corp.

How the Winners Were Chosen

The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year is an annual global awards program administered by Ernst & Young (EY). Canada’s Pacific Region program is overseen by EY, which selects judges from among business leaders and past EOY winners. Judges evaluate the nominees based on several factors, including vision, leadership, innovation, financial performance and social responsibility. The Pacific Region overall winner is one of five regional winners who compete for Canada’s EY Entrepreneur Of The Year; the Canadian winner advances to an annual competition, held in Monte Carlo, that sees World Entrepreneur Of The Year chosen from among 60 country winners. Details of the nomination process and judging criteria are available at ey.com/ca/EOY. Nominations are accepted year-round.