TORONTO, November 14, 2002 --
On November 21, the 2002 Rotman Canadian Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Awards will honour the
achievements of women entrepreneurs in five categories - Start-up, Innovation, Impact on Local Economy, Export
and Lifetime Achievement. The Winners will be announced at an Awards Dinner and Ceremony at the Fairmont Royal
York Hotel in Toronto.
This annual initiative of the University of Toronto's Joseph L. Rotman School of Management and BMO Financial
Group began in 1992 to acknowledge the outstanding contributions that women entrepreneurs are making to the
Canadian and global economies.
The growth of the entrepreneurial sector, and in particular, the achievements of women entrepreneurs, has
been staggering. In the late 1970's there were just over 200,000 women owned businesses in Canada. By
the late 1990's that number had grown to over 800,000.
"We are extremely proud to pay tribute to the innovation and courage of all of the nominees and
winners" says Roger Martin, Dean of the Rotman School. "These women are shining examples of Canadians
starting companies that are innovative and competitive. Their relentless pursuit of unique business
strategies has created value for our economy and for their customers."
Many of the past nominees and winners are forging new paths of opportunity for all entrepreneurs,
proving that in the realm of innovation, there are no boundaries.
From a suburban garage to the White House, past Award Winner Dianne Waterhouse has seen her specialty
window manufacturing company grow in leaps and bounds since she co-founded it in 1986. From its humble
beginnings, Round Top Window Products Inc. has grown into a group of four manufacturing companies that
operate in Canada and the United States. In 2000, after more than a decade of hard work, Waterhouse,
Round Top's President, was recognized with the Rotman Canadian Women Entrepreneur of the Year Innovation Award.
"Winning recognition in my own country was more powerful than any letter of introduction into another
country", says Waterhouse. "The Awards have opened up countless opportunities for the nominees and winners such as myself."
Earlier this year, Waterhouse was the only Canadian invited to the U.S. President's White House
Conference on Women Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century. She is now actively working to supply
the special security window needs of the U.S. Homeland Security Department's renovation of all U.S.
government buildings around the world.
To date, over 3,000 women have been nominated and applied for an Award. There are now 60
Award Winners from every region of Canada, ranging in age from their mid-twenties to late-seventies,
and operating businesses with revenues from $250,000 to over $500 million. Award nominees and winners
cover a diverse range of industries, but more importantly, now dominate industry sectors that women
did not typically participate in, such as medical, film, construction, energy and freight forwarding.
Rosemary Marr, President and CEO for Transera Group of Companies, won the 2001 Rotman Canadian Woman Entrepreneur
of the Year Export Award. Transera is a leading freight forwarding company. It has earned a reputation managing
project logistics in the mining and oil industries. Transera's revenues have grown from $1 million to $42 million
and the company now has offices in Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Houston, Cyprus, Ecuador and Kazakhstan.
The 2002 Awards are presented by BMO Financial Group in partnership with Export Development Canada,
Ford Motor Company of Canada, Business Development Bank of Canada, National Post and National Post
Business magazine, PROFIT magazine and Chatelaine magazine, and supported by Ireland + Associates = Design,
Deloitte & Touche, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, Industry Canada and Tiffany & Co.
What? 2002 Rotman Canadian Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Awards: Presented by BMO Financial Group
When? Thursday November 21, 2002: 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Cocktail Reception; 6:30 pm - 10:00 pm Awards Dinner and Ceremony
Where? Fairmont Royal York Hotel, Canadian Room, 100 Front Street West, Toronto
Media? Please contact Ken McGuffin at (416) 946-3818 to confirm your attendance or to pre-arrange interviews with 2002 Award Winners.
Recently ranked by The Wall Street Journal and BusinessWeek among the best business schools in the world,
the University of Toronto's Joseph L. Rotman School of Management offers leading-edge research and degree
programs, including the prestigious Rotman MBA and Part-Time MBA programs, the One-Year MBA for Executives,
a first-rate Doctoral Program, the distinctive Master of Management & Professional Accounting program,
the undergraduate Commerce program in partnership with the Faculty of Arts and Science,
combined programs with the University of Toronto faculties of Law, Engineering and Nursing, and
an innovative series of Executive Programs tailored to the current needs of businesses and individual managers.
For further information, please contact:
Ken McGuffin
Manager, Media Relations
Rotman School of Management
University of Toronto
105 St. George Street
Toronto, ON M5S 3E6
Voice: (416) 946-3818
Fax: (416) 978-1373
E-mail: mcguffin@rotman.utoronto.ca
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