How B.C.'s EOY 2011 Winners Were Chosen
Looking at the judging criteria, the judges, and the process of becoming B.C. Entrepreneur of the Year for 2011.
Anyone can nominate a person for Entrepreneur of the Year, as long as the candidate is primarily responsible for translating an idea into a successful enterprise and is still active in a company that is at least three years old. A brochure describing the criteria and a nomination package are available at eoy.ca.
Nomination forms are initially vetted by staff at the Ernst & Young LLP Pacific Region office to ensure paperwork is complete. Then Ernst & Young conducts on-site interviews with all eligible nominees to gather information beyond the numbers. In three-hour interviews, candidates are grilled about everything from personal philosophy to their company’s financial performance.
The interview results are boiled down in summaries that are forwarded, along with the nomination forms, to the judges, who review the applications privately before meeting as a team to compare notes. Finally, the judges decide on a short list of three finalists in each category before deciding on a single winner.
What do EOY judges look for?
Judges consider the success of the business created by an entrepreneur, its treatment of its employees and its impact on the community. Key criteria include the following:
Vision
The ability to create a business concept and implement it effectively
Leadership
The focus and strength of character that enable the entrepreneur to move forward, and to inspire a team to do the same
Achievement
Driving business success by continually innovating in order to generate
new ideas
Social responsibility
Commitment and responsibility that aren’t confined to business, and
leveraging energies and resources to give back to the community
2011 EOY Pacific Region Judges
Ryan Beedie, president, The Beedie Group
Bev Briscoe, president, Briscoe Management Ltd.
Jim Case, CEO, Travelers Financial Group
Amar Doman, chair and CEO, CanWel Building Materials Ltd.
Grant Weaver, partner, Bull, Housser & Tupper LLP
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