The Best Ottawa Business Awards (BOBs) were held Friday at the Westin Hotel, bringing together a who’s who of the local business community.
The annual awards, hosted by the Ottawa Board of Trade and OBJ, recognize the region’s most innovative and fastest-growing companies, as well as prominent business leaders.
This year, the CEO of the Year award went to Hugh Gorman of Colonnade Bridgeport, which has roots stretching back to 1985 and is now Ottawa’s largest privately owned commercial property manager with a total portfolio of more than 13 million square feet in Ontario and Atlantic Canada. As the CEO since 2008, Gorman has guided the firm to the pinnacle of the local real estate industry.
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CFO of the Year honours went to Neil Malhotra, CFO at Claridge Homes, for his work at the family company and also his efforts in city-building and downtown revitalization.
Lifetime Achievement recipient for 2025 was Tracey Clark, co-founder and CEO of Bridgehead Coffee, for her entrepreneurship and her passion for community and equity projects.
Newsmaker of the Year went to Liam Mooney and Emma Cochrane, co-founders of the “Canada Is Not For Sale” brand, which garnered national and international media attention.
Deals of the year for 2025 were:
Real Estate: Groupe Mach, for its work on 77 Metcalfe St. to turn the property into a residential building.
Technology & Finance: Assent, for the transaction that saw U.S. investment firms Vista Equity Partners Management and Blackstone Inc. buy out other investors in the firm for about US$400 million.
Retail: St. Laurent Shopping Centre, where several big-name retailers are involved in revitalization efforts, new store openings and digital enhancements.
Tourism: Ottawa International Airport and Air Canada, to recognize that the airline will continue to operate its non-stop route between Ottawa and London through the off-season.
Other winners were:
Best Performance Environmental Sustainability: BluWave-ai
Best Performance Social Entrepreneurship: Thrive Select Thrift
Best Performance Customer Experience: RV Canada
Best Performance Marketing: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa
Best Performance Export: Ross Video
Best Performance Sales: Zodiac Light Waves Inc.
Best Performance HR: Algonquin College
Best Performance in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Algonquin College
Best Performance Coop: Calian Group
Best Not-for-Profit: Ottawa Community Housing
Best Business: Amsted Design-Build
Best New Business: Ottawa Education Group
