Capital régional et coopératif Desjardins Unveils the Winners of the 2009
Bruno-Riverin Awards

MONTREAL , Feb. 4 /CNW Telbec/ - Capital régional et coopératif Desjardins is proud to announce its Bruno-Riverin Awards. These awards are given to businesses and cooperatives included in the portfolio of this development capital fund that are recognized for excellence, notably for their executives' vision and leadership, their profitability, their management innovation and their growth perspectives.

Honouring a founder and driving force behind the success of Capital régional et coopératif Desjardins, prizes are awarded in three categories : Cooperatives, Industrial and service businesses and New technologies. There is also the Coup de coeur prize awarded to a SME that stood out in its business sector.

Cooperatives

The Cooperatives prize was awarded to Cooptel, from Valcourt, the only telecommunications cooperative in Québec. Since its very beginning, Cooptel has widely contributed to the regions it serves by enabling people from the different municipalities to obtain an individual phone service. Several years later, it increased its phone service and added cable service as well as Internet television.

Industrial and service businesses

The jury selected Viandes CDS of Chicoutimi for this category. This business transforms and distributes pork and poultry meat products and sells them under its "Roch" brand in supermarkets throughout the province and in eastern Canada . Viandes CDS officials have demonstrated their leadership, especially following a successful property transfer in 2006.

New technologies

This category's prize was awarded to Montréal's Coradiant, a leading provider of real-time Web site monitoring devices. Coradiant helps companies detect and measure data related to the performance and monitoring of Web traffic and provides insight, for both corporate and transactional Web sites. With the help of a high-quality management team, the company developed a diversified clientele in the finance, health care, education and insurance sectors.

Coup de coeur

Coopérative de travailleurs actionnaire Fempro of Drummondville was selected as the winner of this category. The result of its members' desire to acquire voting shares from the employer, this workers' cooperative participates in the management of the company with full respect of the individuals and major cooperative principles. Following its first year, many effects are obvious: the creation of 55 new jobs, a substantial increase in sales and profits, the installation of a new production line, the implementation of a board of directors and the financial participation of a stockholder officer.

Capital régional et coopératif Desjardins

Founded in 2001, Capital régional et coopératif Desjardins is a publicly traded company managed by Desjardins Venture Capital. With over 122,000 shareholders, the Company contributes to Québec's economic development while driving the growth of cooperatives and the resource regions. Capital régional et coopératif Desjardins currently supports over 200 companies and cooperatives in various industries spanning all Québec regions. (capitalregional.com)

For further information: (for journalists only): André Chapleau, Media Relations, Desjardins Group, [phone], 1-866-866-7000, ext. 7229, [email protected]