Family Enterprise Canada (FEC) and Steve Beauchesne share a lot in common, not the least of which is how excited they both are about him joining the national organization as its new CEO.
Beauchesne previously served as longtime chief executive of Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company — a multi-award winning independent micro brewery that he co-founded with his dad, Tim, in 2006 and ran until 2022, when it sold to Toronto-based Steam Whistle Brewing.
The father-and-son team helped to put on the map the tiny town of Vankleek Hill, located outside Ottawa. Beau’s became the country’s largest organic beer producer and was the first brewery in Canada to achieve B-Corp status. That’s third-party certification of a company’s commitment to maintaining high ethical standards, versus focusing only on the bottom line. By 2016, Beau’s had introduced an optional employee ownership plan.
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Beauchesne has an excellent track record of innovation, sustainability, caring about the community and effecting change, according to Ottawa financial planner and family office expert Susan St. Amand, past board chair of FEC.
“We’re super excited,” St. Amand told the OBJ of the hiring announcement. “It’s not just about his entrepreneurial spirit, but also his commitment to business as a force for good.”
Beauchesne, who starts April 22, has plans to travel to Newfoundland and Calgary in his first month, followed by B.C. These visits are part of FEC’s larger goal of building upon its network of family enterprises across the country.
“I’m excited to be able to create impact again,” Beauchesne, 48, said in a phone interview Wednesday of his ambition to spark change and innovation.
After the sale of Beau’s, the celebrated entrepreneur remained with the company for another year to help with the transition as his father retired. Beauchesne left in March 2023, once things were running smoothly. He still sits on the board of directors but no longer has an operational role.
“I miss Beau’s dearly but it’s almost like when your kid moves out. You see them spread their wings and go on their own and that’s kind of fun, too.”
The married father of three daughters took some time off in 2023 before “evaluating a few different ideas and opportunities.” He first became aware of the FEC job posting through LinkedIn. Serendipity struck, he said of a vacant leadership position that matched his purpose-driven interests and of an organization with which he’d forged a long and trusted relationship following the awarding of Family Enterprise of the Year to Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company in 2010.
FEC conducted an extensive search involving interviews with “so many incredible people,” said St. Amand. She noted that Beauchesne stood out due to his experience and deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by family enterprises, along with his strong sense of community and community-building.
Beauchesne launched Beau’s Oktoberfest, an annual celebration of craft brewing and charitable fundraising. As well, he helped to found the first craft brewery in Rwanda aimed at creating employment, especially for women, and was a founding member of the Canadian Craft Brewers Association.
Beauchesne, who’s acted as a guide and mentor to many in the craft brewery industry, said he hopes to increase his reach through his new role at FEC.
“One of the things I really wanted to do in my next adventure is to try and scale my impact as much as possible,” he explained. “I really enjoyed my time mentoring other breweries and things like that. But when you’re mentoring on a one-to-one basis, you kind of max out at a small handful of individuals or companies. Whereas to be able to lead a whole organization whose entire purpose is to have impact on family-run businesses means my ability to impact many businesses will be scaled in such a unique way. I found that really exciting, as well.”
Reflecting on his entrepreneurial journey, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” joked Beauchesne, borrowing a line from Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities. “You’re navigating not what’s just right for the business, but also what’s right for the family, and those two things don’t always match up.”
Beauchesne will also lead FEC’s sister charitable organization, Family Enterprise Foundation (FEF). It focuses on educational resources, research and the sustainability of family enterprises. Together, the two organizations are about building and strengthening the ecosystem for family enterprises, said St. Amand, who’s the president and founder of The Sirius Group.
According to FEF, family enterprises are the most powerful driver of economic growth, generating almost half of private-sector GDP and seven million jobs.
“They’re the biggest driver of our national economy and they’re in every small town, as well as every city,” St. Amand said.
Also on the move in Ottawa
Wills Transfer Limited, an Eastern Ontario-based third-party logistics warehousing provider, has appointed Jordi Wills as its new president, the company announced. Jordi replaces Terry Wills, the third-generation leader of the family-owned enterprise, who will be taking on the role of chairman to the advisory board. Jordi, who has worked for the company since 2013, has held a variety of roles during his tenure. In his new role, he will focus on operations, building the company’s culture and supporting the community.
Accounting firm MNP announced that Mathieu Lipari is joining the organization as its new risk management leader, specializing in agriculture. With 13 years of experience as a program manager for Farm Management Canada, Lipari has led projects to develop risk management resources tailored for Canadian producers and trained hundreds of producers and farmers across Canada. In a press release, MNP said risk management is an undervalued aspect in farm business management, but one that’s crucial to success. Lipari said he hopes his new role will allow the company to expand the types of services it can offer to producers.
Ottawa home builder Brigil has brought on Marc Philippe Léonard as its new CFO. A CPA/CA who began his career at Ernst and Young, Léonard has previously held leadership roles at real estate development and investment companies, including senior positions at Ipso Facto Real Estate Investment Group and Groupe Devimco. In his new role, he will report to Brigil president and founder Gilles Desjardins.
Jason Dutrizac has joined law firm Kelly Santini LLP as a partner. A commercial litigator, Dutrizac specializes in bankruptcy, insolvency, restructuring, and financial services law. He was previously a lawyer at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. With a master’s in banking and financial services law, he advises businesses and financial institutions on security enforcement and the sale of business assets, as well as issues related to lending, client services, and regulatory and compliance protocols and procedures.
Hats off!
Wine Growers Canada announced that Ottawa-based wine writer and entrepreneur Natalie MacLean was the recipient of the 2024 Wine Industry Champion Award. The award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and commitment to the advancement of the Canadian wine industry through media, research, policy or advocacy. She was nominated by a national industry committee. In addition to her eponymous wine review blog and courses, she published her third book, a memoir titled Wine Witch On Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much, in 2023.
