Quebec Employers Council awards its 2013 Prix de carrière to Jean de Grandpré, Founding Director and Chairman Emeritus of BCE Inc.

MONTREAL, April 22, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - Jean de Grandpré, the Founding Director and Chairman Emeritus of BCE Inc. is the recipient of the Quebec Employers Council's 2013 Prix de carrière, an award honouring him for his outstanding contribution to Québec society. The Employers Council presented the award today at its 44^th general meeting.

After joining Bell in 1966, Mr. de Grandpré quickly moved up the company ranks, becoming its Board Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in 1976. An ardent defender of the company's interests, Mr. de Grandpré spearheaded a major reorganization project, from 1981 to 1983, which led to the creation of Bell Canada Enterprises (BCE Inc.). Under his leadership, the company's portfolio of assets enjoyed phenomenal growth, in Canada and internationally, and it became a leader in the Canadian telecommunications and media industry.

This is the 31^st straight year the Prix de carrière has been awarded to an individual of distinction. The outstanding reputation of the honour has been established over the years by the high-profile of its previous recipients, honourees that include Jeannine Guillevin-Wood, Jacques Lamarre, André Chagnon, Jean Coutu, Paul Desmarais Sr., Stephen Jarislowsky, Bernard Lemaire and Guy St-Pierre, to name a few.

Three new personalities inducted into the Club des entrepreneurs  

As it has done annually for more than 25 years, the Employers Council also took advantage of its annual general meeting to reward the commitment prominent business people have made to Québec's economic development by inducting three new members into its prestigious Club des entrepreneurs:

• Yvon Charest, President and CEO of Industrial Alliance, one of Canada's leading life and health insurance companies;
• Jacynthe Côté, CEO of Rio Tinto Alcan, one of the world's largest producers of bauxite, alumina and aluminium;
• Dr. Sheldon Elman, founder and CEO of Medisys, a leading national supplier of corporate and individual preventative healthcare services.

The objective of the Club des entrepreneurs, which was created in 1986, is to publicly recognize the outstanding contribution that business people have made in Québec's business development. Currently, 81 business personalities have been so honoured by the Quebec Employers Council.

Three recipients of the fourth annual Bourses Ghislain-Dufour bursaries

The Employers Council's general meeting also provided the opportunity to award the Bourses Ghislain-Dufour, a series of bursaries bearing the name of the former Employers Council president. The Bourses Ghislain-Dufour, which were established in 2009 - marking the 40^th anniversary of the Employers Council - honour the excellence of second-cycle industrial relations students.

The three recipients of the bursaries of $2500, $1500 and $1000 awarded at this fourth edition of the event were, respectively, Fanny Girard, of the Université de Montréal, Joanie Robert, of Université Laval, and François-Alexandre Tremblay, of the Université de Montréal.

Three newcomers named to the Employers Council's board of directors

The Employers Council's annual general meeting also coincided with the announcing of the composition of its board of directors for the coming year. With the mandate of several members ending this year, the board called on some new notable business-community people to join its board.

The new directors named this year are:

• Eve-Lyne Biron, President and CEO of Biron Groupe Santé;
• Robert Bonhomme, National Co-Managing Partner at Heenan Blaikie;
• Éric Prud'homme, Director, Québec, of the Canadian Bankers Association

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The Quebec Employers Council brings together many of Québec's largest companies and the vast majority of sector-based employers' groups, making it Québec's sole employer federation.

SOURCE: Conseil du patronat du Québec

Patrick Lemieux    
Consultant - Communications
Cell.: 438 886 9804