Laureates

Peter Armstrong is the Founder and CEO of Armstrong Group, owner and operator of […]

Chairman, CEO & Managing Partner of The Oppenheimer Group John Anderson is the […]

As a businessman and philanthropist, Michael Audain has demonstrated great vision in his business activities, his support of the arts, and his extraordinary community service. Born in 1937, he is a proud fifth-generation British Columbian and a descendant of James Dunsmuir.

Nathaniel Ryal (Nat) Bailey was born in 1902 in St. Paul, Minnesota. In 1911 his family moved to Vancouver where they encountered hard times and it fell to Mr. Bailey to help out. At the age of 12, he began selling newspapers on the downtown streets and at age 18 switched to selling popcorn and peanuts on the city streets.

Mr. Barber, best-known for this twenty-three year stewardship of Slocan Forest Products Ltd., had been involved in all levels of British Columbia’s forestry industry for nearly sixty years. He founded Slocan in 1978, and by the time he retired in February, 2002, it had become one of the leading lumber producers in North America.

Ross J. Beaty is a geologist and resource company entrepreneur with over 41 […]

Ryan Beedie, President of Beedie Ryan Beedie, President of one of Canada’s leading […]

Morris Belkin was the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Belkin Inc.  Middle child […]

Born in Scotland in 1856, Henry Bell-Irving trained as a civil engineer in Edinburgh and Karlsuhe, Germany before returning to England to practice his profession. He and his wife Bella moved to Canada in 1882 where he joined the Canadian Pacific Railway as a surveying engineer.

Chair & Chief Executive Officer, Belzberg & Co. Ltd. Samuel Belzberg will be […]

Charles Bentall has been positively affecting his community ever since arriving in British Columbia in 1908. He was trained as a structural draftsman in England, and found employment with J. Coughlan & Sons in Vancouver. His first jobs included the design of the dome of the Vancouver Court House, now the Vancouver Art Gallery.

L.L.G. “Poldi” Bentley and his brother-in-law John G. Prentice found great success in building a small mill on the banks of the Fraser River in 1938. From this mill, they formed a plywood and veneer company called Pacific Veneer that rapidly expanded after demand for their products soared during World War II.

Peter Bentley has been an industrial leader in British Columbia and a Canadian spokesperson for our world renowned forest industry. He always understood the importance of community in the forest industry. The safety of his employees was always his number one priority.

Born in Vancouver, David Black is well known for his focus on community and building a company with the same values.

Dick Bradshaw began his career in 1961 with the Montreal Trust Company. In 1965, still very early days for PH&N, Dick joined the team and held a series of positions culminating in his appointment as President and Chief Executive Officer from 1987 to 1994. Dick was Chairman of the Board of Directors from 1994 until 1999, when he retired from PH&N.

A proud third-generation British Columbian, Peter Brown has made a lasting impact on the province and has played a vital role in financing hundreds of BC businesses. After attending the University of British Columbia, he entered the investments business with Greenshields Inc. in 1962. Today he is Chairman of Canaccord Financial Inc. which he founded in 1968.

Jeannette Foster Kennedy or “Jennie” was born in Toronto, Ontario to James and Martha Kennedy. Losing both parents by the time Jennie was 12 years old, she moved to Owen Sound, Ontario to live with her Aunt, Mrs. Robert Paterson.

Born in Victoria in 1941, Alex Campbell is known as a Vancouver Island business success story. He started in the grocery business at 15 years of age not as an owner but as an employee, bagging groceries and stocking shelves at Super Value.

Brian Canfield presently serves as the Chair of the Board of TELUS Corporation. His distinguished career in the Canadian telecom industry, which began as an apprentice switchboard installer in 1956, spans 55 years of service to TELUS and to its predecessor, BC TEL.

A native of Vancouver, John V. Clyne began his career in the field of law, attending the University of British Columbia and called to the British Columbia bar in 1927. Twenty years later, he was appointed Chairman of the Canadian Maritime Commission, overseeing the transition of wartime shipping to peace-time use.

President & CEO, Richberry Group of Companies  Peter Dhillon is active in several […]

Chairman, West Coast Reduction Ltd. and Austeville Properties Ltd. Gordon Diamond graduated from […]

Jack Diamond has left an indelible mark on the history of British Columbia, as a businessman, sportsman, philanthropist and community-minded citizen.

Founder, President & CEO, STEMCELL Technologies Inc.  Dr. Allen Eaves, OBC MD PhD […]

President & CEO, TELUS   Darren Entwistle joined TELUS in 2000 as President and […]

Born in Ireland in 1854, William Farrell has been credited as consolidating virtually all of the telephone interests throughout BC to create the foundation of the BC Telephone Company/TELUS as we know it today.

President, Fractal Capital Corp. Haig Farris pioneered the technology venture capital industry in Canada […]

Earl Finning is the founder of Finning International. He began the company on January 4, 1933, with a $50,000 bank loan and a staff of six, with the sole distribution rights for Caterpillar Tractor Products and Services in BC.

Karen Flavelle, Owner, CEO & Chair  As CEO of Purdys Chocolatier, Karen Flavelle’s […]

Tom Foord is a tireless community volunteer and an exceptional business leader who, forty-six years ago, started Kal Tire in Vernon. Kal Tire is the largest independent tire dealer in Canada, with over 1,500 employees. Foord began his business with the purchase of a small garage, and after providing service to B.C.’s forestry and mining industries in the 1950s and 60s, his operations continued to successfully expand to a present day total of over 150 stores.

Norm Francis dedicated more than 20 years to building high profile technology companies that showcase the entrepreneurial spirit, technology innovation and global leadership that resides in Canada. A computer science graduate and Chartered Accountant, he co-founded Basic Software Group (BSG) in the late 1970’s which developed ACCPAC and Simply Accounting.

Bus Fuller (1928-2019), Cofounder of Earls Restaurants and Chairman of Fuller Family Restaurant […]

Frank Giustra is President and CEO of the Fiore Group, a private firm […]

Dr. A.E. “Dal” Grauer (1906-1961) was regarded as one of the most brilliant men of his generation. He had an enormous influence on business, education and culture throughout British Columbia and Canada. At his passing in 1961, he was President and Chairman of the British Columbia Power Corporation and its subsidiary, the BC Electric Company, and was serving his second term as Chancellor and Chairman of the Board of Governors of the University of British Columbia.

Following his purchase of CKNW in 1956, Frank Griffiths spent the next four decades acquiring the other radio stations and television interests that in 1983 became Western International Communications (WIC). In addition to these broadcast holdings, Frank Griffiths was also a sports entrepreneur.

CEO of Gustavson Capital Corporation Peter is the founder, CEO of Gustavson Capital […]

Bob Hager was a highly ethical and determined man who gave generously of his time, talent and treasure to his family, his friends, his clients, and to numerous community causes.

Vice President Mining, Teck Corporation and President and CEO, Cominco Limited Bob Hallbauer […]

Founder and Partner, Helliwell, MacLachlan & Co. Born in 1871, John Frederick Helliwell […]

Founder & Executive Chair of Aritzia   Brian Hill is a Canadian entrepreneur and the founder […]

President and CEO of Terminal Forest Products Asa Johal was the President and […]

Chester Johnson is an inspirational leader who has accepted daunting challenges in both the corporate and the public sectors, and has always delivered results that exceed expectations.

Born and raised in Vancouver, Lucille Johnstone was the Chief Executive Office and Chair of Integrated Ferry Corporation, where the B.C. Super Ferry – the largest ship ever to be built in B.C. – was constructed. Before that Lucille was President of the RivTow Group, in a career that spanned 45 years.

President, Canadian Press James Stuart Keate was born in Vancouver in 1913. He […]

Starting out as a university professor, Dr. Norman B. Keevil would eventually harness his scientific and academic achievements into building a mining empire with interests spanning across Canada, from Newfoundland to British Columbia.

Dr. Norman B. Keevil is known for his legacy of economic growth, job creation and community leadership. Seeing an opportunity to create a major mining company through new mine development and strategic acquisitions, Dr. Keevil helped to grow Teck Corporation into a world-class mining entity that now employs more than 12,000 people worldwide.

The story of the Ketcham family and West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. is the story of three founders of the company, sons of Seattle lumber broker and forest industry pioneer Henry Holman Ketcham, and his grandson, who leads the company today.

Hassan Khosrowshahi was born in Tehran, Iran in 1940. He was educated in Iran and England and obtained his degree in law and economics from the University of Tehran. Hassan immigrated to Canada in 1981 and founded the Inwest Group of companies.

President & Chair, Alaska Pine and Cellulose Ltd. Walter Charles Koerner was born in […]

Leon J. Koerner and his brothers arrived in Vancouver in 1938 after fleeing Czechoslovakia, and established the Alaska Pine Company Ltd. The company was tremendously successful and their prosperity inspired Dr. Koerner and his wife to establish The Leon and Thea Koerner Foundation in 1955.

Dave Lede is currently Chairman and CEO of the Ledcor Group of Companies. From 1980 to 1985 he held the title of President and General Manager and, prior to that, held many positions while rising through the ranks of his family’s company.

Long-term vision, entrepreneurial drive and a strong dedication to community – these are hallmarks of Bob Lee’s life and career. Born in Vancouver in 1933, Lee attended the University of British Columbia (UBC), earning a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1956. Chinese tradition dictated that upon graduation, Lee should join his father’s import business.

Dr. Brandt Louie is one of Canada’s most respected entrepreneurs and philanthropists. Under his stewardship, London Drugs has become one of Canada’s most trusted retail brands, and a leading contributor to environmental and social causes.

Hok Yat Louie came from a poor Chinese peasant family in Du Tou village in Canton Province, now called Zhongshan. In 1896, at age 21, he set out for Canada, borrowing $50 to pay the head tax instituted by the Canadian government to discourage Chinese immigration.

Born and raised in Vancouver, Tong Louie’s involvement with his community was boundless and his contribution to its welfare exemplary.

CEO, Osoyoos Indian Band Development Corporation Since December 1984 when he was first […]

Dr. John MacDonald, an eminent professional engineer, educator and entrepreneur, has enhanced Canada’s reputation in the realm of high technology. A pioneer and leader in imaging technology, he has worked towards improving the policy environment in which industry and science collaborate.

Harvey Reginald MacMillan was British Columbia’s Chief Forester, developing international markets for British Columbia’s lumber and instrumentally assisting in creating the British Columbia Forest Service. In 1919, he established the H.R. MacMillan Export Company Ltd.

Hugh Magee is a prominent Vancouver businessman with a lifelong interest in health […]

Founder & CEO of Mark Anthony Group of Companies Anthony von Mandl is the founder […]

Chairman & CEO of Conair Aerial Firefighting Barry dedicated his life to protecting the world […]

Grant McConachie is a pioneer in the commercial airline industry, establishing his first one, Independent Airways in 1927. Through ingenuity and hard work, his business expanded and made valuable contributions to opening up British Columbia’s northern regions in the first half of the twentieth century.

Wendy Burdon McDonald is a dynamic entrepreneur and leader in the field of business in British Columbia. Since 1944, she has been building a highly successful enterprise on what began as a small machine shop in Vancouver.

President, Allied Shipbuilders Ltd. Since his youth, Thomas Arthur McLaren had envisioned a […]

Through his entrepreneurial spirit, business leadership skills, and commitment to community, David McLean […]

John McLernon is co-founder of Colliers Macaulay Nicolls Group of Companies (now  Colliers […]

Businessman, Member of Parliament & Senator Born in 1874, Alexander Duncan McRae’s life […]

George Melville earned his CA designation in 1968 and received the distinguished Fellowship of Chartered Accountants Co. in Penticton, British Columbia. In June 2013, George received an honorary doctorate designation from Kwantlen Polytechnic University in recognition of his outstanding professional achievements.

Owing to the foresight of William M. Mercer, founder of William M. Mercer Limited in 1945, benefits packages that are responsive to clients’ and employees’ needs have become normalized in today’s world. As the first Canadian pension consulting business, it challenged the traditional corporate view of standardized employee benefit plans.

Owner, Canadian Stevedoring John Hardie Mitchell was a successful entrepreneur, family man and […]

Jefferson Mooney is Chairman and controlling shareholder of A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. He led the company as President and CEO for fourteen years from 1991 to 2005.

Richard Nelson was born in northern Norway to a family of fishermen and […]

John Nicola, Chairman, CEO and Co-Chief Investment Officer of Nicola Wealth  John Nicola, […]

Dr. Rudy North has made a career out of investing while giving back to the community through his commitment to social and environmental issues. After retiring from PH&N in 1998, Rudy went on to create North Growth Management Ltd. where he is currently CEO and President.

David Oppenheimer left his native Frankfurt for New Orleans in 1848 with his three brothers. In 1853, they moved to California which was just beginning to burn with Gold Rush fever, but by 1857 the fever was beginning to cool, so they looked North.

As one of British Columbia’s preeminent businessmen, Jim Pattison built one of the largest privately held companies in the country. His empire began when he purchased the Bow Mac car dealership in 1961, and since then, the Jim Pattison Group has prospered and diversified.

Art Phillips created the centrist political party TEAM (The Electors’ Action Movement) in 1968, which had a membership that included former B.C. Premier Mike Harcourt. He served as Mayor of the City of Vancouver from 1973 to 1977.

Chair & Co-Founder, Concert Properties Ltd. Widely recognized as one of Vancouver’s most […]

Jack Poole rose from relatively poor beginnings to become one of Canada’s most successful builders and community leaders. He played the founding and lead role in the building of two major real estate development companies now readily acknowledged to be among Canada’s most successful.

John Prentice was born Hans Pick in Vienna, Austria in 1907 and changed his name after moving to Canada in 1938. Mr. Prentice was educated in Vienna and graduated with a Law degree; he subsequently went into engineering, specializing in cotton spinning which was the family’s main business in Central Europe.

Loyalty and integrity are two traits synonymous with Dave Ritchie. Right from the start of his childhood in Kelowna, BC his steadfast ethics instilled the characteristics that would propel him through an amazing career and lead him to the position as one of BC’s top leaders in business. From the first auction Mr. Ritchie and his brothers would conduct to save the family business, O.K. Used Furniture Store, he was viewed as a visionary and a man of fair play in the business world.

Dr. Donald Rix was a widely recognized member of the medical profession, as evidenced by his fellowships in four medical colleges and societies. Dr. Rix was also a successful businessman, a generous philanthropist and a dedicated volunteer. He was active in provincial and national medical associations, was a member of several BC research foundations, and a Director of the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Benjamin Tingley (B.T.) Rogers was born in 1865 in Philadelphia. He followed in his father’s footsteps into the sugar industry, studying sugar chemistry while working in the United States during the early part of his career.

Percy Ritchie Sandwell was born in London on October 26, 1912. He graduated with honours in Mechanical Engineering from the University of British Columbia, where he was awarded the Brock Scholarship and Convocation Prize.

William Sauder was a leader in the forest industry, education and health; he has played a significant role in the social and economic development of this province.

Joseph Segal, an outstanding British Columbian and a Canadian merchandising legend, has given unstintingly of himself and his resources for the betterment of our province.

Howard Allan Simons, P.Eng was one of the leading pulp and paper mill engineers in North America. Born in Battle Creek, Michigan in 1897, he graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1922 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and began his career working for the industrial engineering company his father had established in Chicago in 1914, V.D. Simons Inc.

It was reported that David Spencer’s greater satisfaction had come from two sources. The first was the growth of his stores from the 1870s, when he had one small shop and six employees, to the 1920s, when his stores occupied 462,000 square feet and employed 1,400 employees with an annual payroll of $2,000,000.

Born and raised in Burnaby, BC, Ken Spencer is a tech legend in British Columbia. Ken graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1967 with an electrical engineering degree and in 1972 with a PhD. In 1981 he received his MBA from Simon Fraser University.

Co-founders & Co-CEOs, Nature’s Path Foods Inc. Arran & Ratana Stephens founded Nature’s […]

Bob Stewart (1916-2003), Founding Partner and President of Sinclar Group Forest Products Ltd. Bob Stewart […]

Owner and CEO of the Capilano Group Nancy Stibbard is the Owner and […]

Mr. Telfer has been Chairman of Goldcorp since 2006 and was Chief Executive Officer of Goldcorp and its predecessor Wheaton River Minerals from 2001 to 2006. Through a series of mergers and acquisitions, he transformed the company into one of the world’s premier senior gold producers. He also served as Chairman of the World Gold Council from 2009-2013.

Jim Treliving has been a director of the Boston Pizza Foundation since its inception in 1990, helping raise and donate over $16 million to Canadian charities over that time. Jim has also served on a number of volunteer boards including the Hockey Canada Foundation, the David Foster Foundation and the Richmond Hospital Foundation.

President, Burrard Dry Dock Ltd. Clarence Wallace saw the benefits to creating a […]

Co-Founder, Hold It All Inc. Chip Wilson is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, loving husband […]

Milton Wong was an incredible visionary who sought out the impossible to make it possible. He had deeply rooted sense of social values and team player attitude in everything he did. He recognized that these steadfast, all-encompassing attitudes transcended every aspect of his life and positioned him as one of British Columbia’s outstanding leaders in business, pioneers of social responsibility and generous philanthropists: a legacy established through the eyes of his many supporters and followers.

A luminary in the business community, Charles Woodward promoted commercial interests while maintaining a reputation as the workingman’s friend. He opened the first Woodwards store at the corner of Main and Georgia Streets in 1892, just three months after arriving in Vancouver.

President, Liberty Investments Ltd; M.J. Investment Co.; Co-Founder of Wosk’s Ltd. Known as an […]

President, CEO & Chairman, Finning International William Maurice Young, commonly referred to as […]