2013 event

More than 600 members of the BC business community came together at the Victoria Conference Centre yesterday to celebrate the Gustavson School of Business’s 10^th annual Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year Award gala. This year’s honouree is Brandt Louie, chairman and CEO of H.Y. Louie Co. Ltd. and chairman of the board of London Drugs.

The sold-out evening started with a champagne reception (with décor that referenced London Drugs with a ‘Prescription for Success’) that saw hundreds of business leaders gather to mingle and connect before moving on to dinner and the evening’s program.

The themed event (“Where proud heritage and remarkable innovation meet”) centred on Louie’s core values of family, service, sustainability and… fishing. Programs for the evening at each table featured a fishing derby theme; in addition to the winner of a draw at the end of the evening, the derby’s ‘biggest fish’ winner received a London Drugs gift certificate.

Sponsors included BMO Financial Group, Shaw Communications, RBC Phillips, Hager & North Investment Counsel Inc., Reed Pope Business Lawyers, PWC Hayes Stewart Little Chartered Accountants, Sybil Verch, the Verch Group at Raymond James and Douglas Magazine. The Times Colonist is a 10-year media sponsor.

The evening’s program was emceed by Assistant Dean of the Gustavson School of Business, Pat Elemans. Speakers included Chancellor of the University of Victoria, Murray Farmer, and Dean of the Gustavson School of Business, Saul Klein. Peter Legge Chairman of Canada Wide Media introduced the honouree and keynote speaker, Brandt Louie.  The award was presented to Mr. Louie by Peter Gustavson, the chair and founder of the gala.

Louie’s compelling talk was wide-ranging, but focused on the importance of education as the key to growth and long-term prosperity.

Louie’s business philosophy and entrepreneurial spirit is the catalyst driving the ongoing success of the H.Y. Louie group of companies. Under his leadership, the group of companies has grown and become more diverse, and now includes the charter airline LAS and Sonora Resort, a Relais and Chateau award-winning eco resort and conference centre.  The H.Y. Louie group of companies is also a leader in corporate and civic sustainability, reflecting Louie’s core value of serving his industry, his community and his country.

The evening’s programme also featured several videos produced by Shaw Communications; one was a retrospective of previous DEYA recipients, asking their advice for today’s entrepreneurs. Two others were short pieces featured Gustavson grads and their businesses.   Previous recipients of the award who were in attendance last night gala were Jeff Mallett, David Ritchie, David Black, Gwyn Morgan and JR Shaw. 

Honourees

2013: Brandt C. Louie, O.B.C., LL.D, F.C.A. 

Brandt Louie

Brandt Louie’s lineage in business goes back 110 years in the province of British Columbia and Western Canada.

Brandt grew up in Vancouver, in an entrepreneurial family that is still influenced by the wisdom and example of his grandfather, Hok Yat Louie.  H.Y. Louie immigrated to Canada in 1896 where he very quickly became an influential leader and pioneer in both the burgeoning Chinese, and Vancouver, business communities.

Mr. Louie earned his bachelor of commerce degree from the University of British Columbia in 1966 and his designation as a chartered accountant followed in 1969. He was elected a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of B.C. in 1997.

In 1972, under the guidance of his father, Tong Louie, Mr. Louie commenced his career with H.Y. Louie Co. Limited. Rising through the ranks of the family business, Mr. Louie was named president in 1987 and became chairman and CEO of London Drugs in 1998.

Brandt Louie’s business philosophy and entrepreneurial spirit is the catalyst driving the ongoing success of the H.Y. Louie group of companies. He has a passionate belief in customer service, fairness in all employee and vendor-partner relationships, and actively encourages creativity and innovation.  Under his leadership the group of companies has grown considerably and has become more diverse.  In addition to H.Y Louie Co. Limited and London Drugs; the group now includes LAS, a charter airline, and Sonora Resort, a Relais and Chateau award winning resort and conference center. 

One of Mr. Louie’s core values is serving his industry, community and his country.   Mr. Louie is a director, Royal Bank of Canada; Chair, Grosvenor Americas; national trustee, Brain Canada; director, Food Marketing Institute; director, Gairdner Foundation; director, Duke Heart Center; member, Board of Visitors, Duke University Medical Center, and member of the Dean’s Council, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

Mr. Louie’s belief in the power of education is evidenced by his life-long support of all manner of educational programmes and institutions.  He serves on various educational and non-profit organizations’ boards as well as being Chancellor Emeritus of Simon Fraser University.

Though he eschews the spotlight Mr. Louie has been recognized with many awards and honours over his distinguished career.  They include: Entrepreneur of the Year Award (Manufacturing and Distribution); Astra Award; Medal of Merit from the International Association of Lions Clubs, the Golden Heart Community Achievement Award; Donat Insignia, The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem; Serving Member, the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem; Golden Jubilee Medal of Queen Elizabeth II; The Golden Pencil Award; the CCGD Lifetime Achievement Award; The Lifetime Achievement Award, Institute of Chartered Accountants of BC, the Business Impact Award, Simon Fraser University, the Great Canadian Achievement Award from the CH.I.L.D. Foundation, the Order of British Columbia, the Rix Award for Engaged Community Citizenship, Companion of the Canadian Business Hall of Fame and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

2012: Dennis (Chip) Wilson, founder lululemon athletica

Chip Wilson

"Chip is an excellent role model for our students — he's built an enormously successful organization doing what he loves,” says former Dean of the Gustavson School of Business, Dr. Ali Dastmalchian. Chip Wilson founded Lululemon in 1998 and opened its first store in Kitsilano in 2000. The company now has 151 stores and showrooms across Canada and the US and in Australia, China, and New Zealand.

2011: JR Shaw, OC, AOE, LLB founder of Shaw Communications 

JR Shaw

They say a successful entrepreneur is someone who can see just a bit further down the road than the rest of us. This statement rings true for the Gustavson School of Business and its Board of Advisers who are awarding JR Shaw, visionary and founder of Shaw Communications Inc., its 2011 Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year Award (DEYA).

Shaw launched Capital Cable, the forerunner to today's giant, in Edmonton in 1966, where he had relocated from Ontario to expand the family pipe coating business. Born James Robert Shaw in 1934, he grew up in Brigden, a small farming community in southern Ontario close enough to the US border to pick up the television signals originating out of nearby Detroit and Cleveland.Media announcement. Ring story.

2010: Dr. Alex Campbell Sr., OBC

Dr. Campbell

Alex Campbell was the co-founder and chairman emeritus, and former president and CEO of Thrifty Foods. The grocery legend began in 1977 when he and Ernie Skinner opened the first Thrifty Foods store in Victoria. The enterprise grew to include 20 stores across Vancouver Island, Salt Spring Island and the Lower Mainland. Thrifty Foods employs more than 3,700 staff, making the company the largest private employer on Vancouver Island. The store that began it all is now one of the top grocery stores in Western Canada in sales per square foot. In 2007, Campbell sold the business to Sobeys, a chain of grocery stores with roots in Stellarton, Nova Scotia.

In addition to his leadership in providing service and retail excellence, Campbell has been an unwavering supporter of the community. For more details read the full story. We regret to say that Dr. Campbell passed away in 2011. He is missed by all who knew him.

2009: Sir Terence Matthews, OBE, chair of Mitel Corporation and chair and founder of Wesley Clover

Sir Terence Matthews

Sir Terence is Chair of Mitel Corporation, a leading provider of next generation IP (Internet Protocol) communications solutions and chair and founder of Wesley Clover, a company that builds high technology businesses. The company focuses on next-generation networking and telecommunications opportunities. Sir Terence has started more than 80 technology companies, almost all have been successful. Wesley Clover runs the Wesley Clover Technologies Venture Program, a program that develops university students and new graduates into the next generation of entrepreneurs. Read the full story.

2008: Clive Beddoe, a founding shareholder in WestJet

Clive Beddoe

Clive Beddoe is founding shareholder and chair of the board of directors of WestJet. Prior to September 2007, he held the roles of President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Beddoe has been instrumental in making WestJet one of the most successful airlines in recent aviation history.

His entrepreneurial vision and business acumen helped shape the development of WestJet's corporate culture, executive team and strategy. His strong background in financial planning and strategic management was gained through several succesful real estate and plastics enterprises. He is a private pilot licensed to fly numerous types of aircraft. It was his keen interest in aviation that spurred the formation of WestJet. Read the full story.

2007: David Black, president of Black Press

David Black

David Black launched his publishing empire in 1975 with the purchase of his father's weekly newspaper in Williams Lake, B.C. From there, the company has grown to become the largest privately-owned newspaper company in Canada. With its headquarters in Victoria, Black Press Ltd. now owns more than 150 papers in Western Canada, the Pacific Northwest, Ohio and Hawaii; 17 printing operations in North America and extensive web publishing operations.

The Vancouver-born Black earned a civil engineering degree at UBC and an MBA at the University of Western Ontario. He is the past chair of the 1994 Commonwealth Games bid committee and recently completed a three-year term as chair of the BC Progress Board. Read the full story.

2006: Gwyn Morgan CM, former president and CEO EnCana Corp.

Gwyn Morgan

Gwyn Morgan rose from his modest roots on an Alberta farm to become one of Canada's foremost business leaders and ardent champion of the importance of Canadian headquartered international enterprises. He devoted three decades to building Canada's largest energy company, leading the creation of EnCana Corporation through a merger which was widely viewed as the most significant transaction in Canadian energy sector history. When he stepped down as founding CEO at the end of 2005, EnCana had become North America's leading independent oil and natural gas production company, with an stock market value of approximately $60 billion. Gwyn has been recognized as Canada's Outstanding CEO of the YearTM and also as Canada's Most Respected CEO. Read the full story.

2005: Dave Ritchie, chair and former CEO of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Inc.

Dave Ritchie

Dave was born in Kelowna, BC on March 2, 1936 and was the youngest of two sisters and three brothers. After graduating from Kelowna High in 1955, he went to work full-time in his father's second hand store in Kelowna. Dave and his two brothers later took over the store, which was then called the O.K. Used Furniture Store, and established Ritchie Bros. Galleries in 1958 to engage in general auctioneering. Read the full story.

2004 - Inaugural Recipient Jeff Mallett, former president and chief operating officer of Yahoo!

Jeff Mallett

Born in Vancouver and raised in Victoria, Jeff Mallett attended the University of Victoria before moving to the United States to attend school and play soccer. Jeff is the former president and chief operating officer of Internet media giant Yahoo! Inc. and current owner of the San Francisco Giants baseball team. Read the full story.

Inspirational entrepreneurs

The award, introduced in 2004 by the Gustavson School of Business Board of Advisers, recognizes an inspirational entrepreneur who has had a significant and positive impact on the global community through their business leadership. The Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year Award (DEYA) is a symbol of entrepreneural excellence.

Business Class Magazine looks at 10 years of DEYA.

2013 DEYA Sponsors

2013 DEYA Sponsors

Event sponsors

• RBC Phillips, Hager & North Investment Counsel Inc.
• Reed Pope LLP
• Hayes Stewart Little & Co./ PwC

Reception sponsor

• BMO Financial Group

Wine sponsor

• The Verch Group of Raymond James Ltd.

Media sponsors

• Times Colonist
• Shaw Communications Inc.
• Douglas Magazine

Table sponsors

• BMO Financial Group
• BMO Harris Private Banking
• Bull, Housser & Tupper LLP
• CI Investments
• CIBC Wood Gundy
• Cisco Systems Inc.
• Colliers International
• Cox, Taylor - Barristers, Solicitors, Notaries
• Davies Park Executive Search Consultants
• Deloitte
• Glenlyon Norfolk School
• Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce
• Gustavson Capital Corporation
• Gustavson Wylie Architects
• Helijet
• Island Savings Credit Union
• Jones Emery Hargreaves Swan
• KPMG
• LEAGUE Financial Partners
• League of Extraordinary Women
• London Drugs
• MacKenzie Financial
• McElvaine Investment Management Ltd.
• Morguard Investments
• National Bank - Dave Schneider
• National Bank - Grant Schnurr
• RBC  RBC Global Asset Management
• RBC Phillips Hager & North Investment Counsel Inc.
• RELIANCE PROPERTIES - The Developer of the Janion and Northern Junk
• Ron & May Lou-Poy
• Royal BC Museum
• Royal LePage Coast Capital Realty
• Shaw Communications Inc.
• TD Financial
• Telus
• UVic Corporate Relations
• UVic Faculty of Law
• UVic Co-op & Career
• UVic VP External Relations & AVP Alumni & Development
• Vancity
• Wesley Clover
• Victoria Pub Company
• Viking Air
• Werner Mayburry Wealth Management , Raymond James Ltd.