Conseil de développement économique de la Nouvelle-Écosse (CDÉNÉ) Announces 2010 Entrepreneurial Excellence Awards

The Conseil de développement économique de la Nouvelle-Écosse (CDÉNÉ) is proud to announce the winners of its 2010 entrepreneurial excellence award. The winners and finalists were honoured last night in an awards ceremony at the Marriott Halifax Harbourfront Hotel. The ceremony brought together about 40 people as well as special guests Ms. Lisa Richard of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), Ms. Vaughne Madden of the Office of Acadian Affairs, and Mr. Albert Bohemier of the firm Survival Systems, who delivered addresses and congratulated the finalists.

The entrepreneurial excellence awards are a biannual province-wide competition organized by CDÉNÉ to promote Acadian and francophone businesses recognized for outstanding economic performance and social involvement.

“We hope this evening at the presentation of these awards of recognition will make all Nova Scotians more aware of the entrepreneurial talent and expertise present in our regions,” said Mr. Kim d’Entremont, speaking on behalf of the CDÉNÉ board of directors, as Ms. Pierrette d’Entremont, CDÉNÉ Vice-President, presented the awards to the winners.

Here is the list of winners.

Processing business: Riverside Lobster and Seafood Inc. This Meteghan company works closely with fishers in southwestern Nova Scotia to provide consumers with lobster and seafood of the highest quality.

Business services company: Belliveau Motors Ltée./Ltd. From modest beginnings, this Church Point company can now rival any dealer in Atlantic Canada.

Specialized services business: Eel Lake Oyster Farm Ltée. This innovative oyster farm in the Sainte-Anne-du-Ruisseau area has achieved a high profile and sells its quality oysters to major restaurants right across Canada.

Micro-enterprise: Echovoix. This Truro business provides simultaneous interpretation services to clients throughout Canada and the United States.

In addition, CDÉNÉ presented an honorary award to Les Algues Acadiennes Ltée/Acadian Sea Plants in recognition of more than 30 years of entrepreneurial success. Les Algues Acadiennes is an innovative biotechnology company recognized around the world as the leader in algae-based products.

Please read the business profiles for information about the winners.

The Conseil de développement économique de la Nouvelle-Écosse (CDÉNÉ) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the economic wellbeing and quality of life of Nova Scotia’s Acadians and francophones.

2010 SME AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE
HONORARY AWARD FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS

Les Algues Acadiennes Ltée/Acadian Seaplants (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia)
www.acadianseaplants.com

Les Algues Acadiennes is an innovative biotechnology company recognized around the world as the leader in algae-based products. When founded in 1981, the company sold only one unprocessed product to its single client. It then launched an aggressive and innovative market research and development strategy. This leadership paid off: in 2009, the company posted sales of about $33.5 million.

Les Algues Acadiennes is active in the sustainable and renewable harvest of sea algae. With five processing plants, a research and development centre and a head office, the company processes more than 40,000 tonnes of marine plants while developing many products for the food and agriculture industries. A leader in sound environmental practices, the company continues to earn international distinction and has received two environmental awards in addition to many prestigious awards in research, innovation, technology and exporting.

The company employs 269 people in eight different countries. More than 205 of these jobs are located in small rural communities in the Atlantic Provinces. The company supports professional development of young leaders by hiring many marketing, graphic design, research and engineering interns. It is also active in recruiting young people with a disability, giving them a legitimate place in the work world.

Les Algues Acadiennes is very extensively involved in Nova Scotia’s Acadian community and its logo proudly represents Acadie with a stylized “A” and the Acadian star. The company’s founder, Mr. Louis Deveau, is Chancellor of Université Sainte-Anne. A true champion of education, he contributed to establishment of the Collège de l’Acadie, introducing the new videoconferencing technology in the 1990s to make education in French available to all. He also contributed to creation of the Carrefour du Grand Havre in Dartmouth. Mr. Jean-Paul Deveau, the company’s current president, represented the Atlantic region within the Réseau de développement économique de l’employabilité du Canada for six years and now serves as president of the 2011 Canada Winter Games, a national bilingual event to be held in Halifax.

Les Algues Acadiennes has also participated actively in various CDÉNÉ activities over the years, sharing its knowledge and expertise with the francophone and Acadian business community.

2010 SME AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE
WINNER: PROCESSING BUSINESS CATEGORY

Riverside Lobster and Seafood Inc. (Meteghan, Nova Scotia)
www.riversidelobster.com

Riverside Lobster and Seafood and its owner, David Deveau, have now been in business for 12 years in the village of Meteghan. Mr. Deveau is very proud to supply the best lobster in Nova Scotia. He attributes his success to the province’s fishers, who have always been very loyal to his company and with whom he has enjoyed excellent business relations from the very start.

Riverside Lobster and Seafood employs 12 people in its plant. The company’s staff are Acadians and francophones who work very hard, sometimes under difficult conditions, on nights and weekends, to ensure that the company’s order book remains full and that products are delivered as fast as possible. Riverside Lobster and Seafood’s sixty or so clients are located around the world and include businesses in Japan, Korea and Germany, to name just a few.

Riverside Lobster and Seafood is also involved in its community, as a member of the Clare Chamber of Commerce. This company has proven its ability to sell quality products and is here to stay.