2012 Desjardins Entrepreneur Awards and Fonds coopératif d'aide à la relève agricole reveal their winners and recognize Quebec's top entrepreneurs

MONTREAL, Oct. 17, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - Desjardins Group has now revealed the 2012 recipients of the Desjardins Entrepreneur Awards (www.desjardins.com/entrepreneurawards) and Fonds coopératif d'aide à la relève agricole grants. The awards, presented yesterday at the annual gala, recognize entrepreneurial excellence as well as outstanding contributions to economic development by ten companies, two figures from the business world and three young farmers.

Stéphane Achard, Senior Vice-President of Business and Institutional Services for Desjardins, hailed the boldness of the business people recognized by the awards. "Entrepreneurs are Quebec's economic drivers, with a major role to play in the future of our economy. We at Desjardins seek not only to be their preferred business partner, but also to highlight, celebrate and promote their successes to inspire the next generation."

Alain Gagnon, Vice-President, Agricultural and Agri-Food Sectors, reaffirmed the importance for Desjardins, as Quebec's leading financial institution, to continue demonstrating its commitment to the future of agriculture through Fonds coopératif d'aide à la relève agricole. "For more than 60% of young farmers, financing is the number one obstacle they face. Since 2008, we've provided advice and mentoring while awarding close to $250,000 in grants to young, up-and-coming farmers who've shown vision and demonstrated entrepreneurial and managerial abilities."

The 2012 Desjardins Entrepreneur Awards recipients are:

Woman of Influence Award
Nahid Aboumansour, founder of Petites-Mains, Montreal

Business Leadership Award - Cooperative, in partnership with Fasken Martineau
Pierre Claprood, former CEO of Agropur

Agriculture Award
FraiseBec Inc., Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, Laurentides

International Commerce Award, in partnership with Export Development Canada
Teraxion Inc., Quebec City

Co-op Award, in partnership with Capital régional et coopératif Desjardins 
Coop santé Robert-Cliche, Beauceville, Chaudières-Appalaches

Sustainable Development Award, in partnership with Bell 
GoodWill Renaissance, Montreal

Innovation & Productivity Award
Medium-sized business
Groupe Anderson, Chesterville, Bois-Francs

Small business
Isaac Instruments Inc., Chambly, Montérégie

Young Entrepreneur Award, in partnership with Secrétariat à la jeunesse
The three winners in this category received $10,000 grants from Fondation Desjardins.

Eastern Quebec
Agence Piranha, Quebec City

Central Quebec
Les Écrans Verts, Saint-Roch-de-l'Achigan, Lanaudière

Western Quebec
Flexpipe, Brossard

Business Ownership Transfer Award, in partnership with Samson Bélair/Deloitte & Touche 
AVJET, Drummondville, Centre-du-Québec

Recipients of the 2012 Fonds coopératif d'aide à la relève agricole farm transfer grants are:

Bas-Saint-Laurent

Dorothée Côté
Ferme D.R. Côté Inc., Saint-Fabien

Lanaudière-Sud-Ouest

David Mercier
Mercier & Beaudry Inc., Saint-Roch-Ouest

Abitibi-Ouest

Guillaume Lemieux
Fromagerie Chèvrerie Dion, Macamic

About Desjardins Group

Desjardins Group www.desjardins.com is the leading cooperative financial group in Canada with assets of $194 billion. Drawing on the strength of its caisse network in Québec and Ontario and its subsidiaries across Canada, it offers a full range of financial products and services to its 5.6 million members and clients. Desjardins specializes in Wealth Management and Life and Health Insurance, in Property and Casualty Insurance, in Personal Services, in Business and Institutional Services. "Best Corporate Citizen in Canada" for 2012 and among Canada's Top 100 Employers for 2012^TM, Desjardins is supported by the skills of its 44,645 employees and the commitment of nearly 5,400 elected officers. A new education and cooperation program is now available to Desjardins members and the general public. For more information, visit www.desjardins.com/co-opme.

SOURCE: DESJARDINS GROUP

Source (for journalists only):
Richard Lacasse
Media Relations Advisor
Desjardins Group
418-835-8444, ext. 3163 or 1-866-835-8444, ext. 3163
[email protected]