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Event Date: 06/18/2026 Organizer: OBJ and OBOT
Ottawa’s young business and community leaders were in the spotlight at the 2026 Forty Under 40 awards gala. Almost 30 years after its founding, the awards program recognizes 40 leaders for their business accomplishments, expertise and community giving.
The gala kicked off for a cocktail reception followed by a dinner and awards presentation at the Hilton Lac-Leamy, where almost 600 people celebrated the recipients. Ottawa Board of Trade CEO Sueling Ching and OBJ publisher Michael Curran told attendees the region’s economic future seems bright because of these rising young stars.
The awards program’s major sponsor was the University of Ottawa Telfer Executive MBA, represented by university president Marie-Eve Sylvestre and vice-dean of graduate professional programs Gregory Richards. A quick charity raffle over dinner raised $19,000 for The Ottawa Hospital Foundation.
Now in its third decade, the Forty Under 40 program remains one of the region’s most respected recognitions for young business leaders. Check out the coverage by the Ottawa Business Journal’s photographers Tia MacPherson and Mark Holleron.
Discover all 40 recipients of 2026 in our June OBJ Magazine here.
April and Elias Theodossiou (EVOO Greek Kitchen and Mati restaurants) at the 2026 Forty Under 40 awards gala at Hilton Lac-Leamy, June 18, 2026. Photo by Tia MacPherson-Abdulla for OBJ.Audrey and Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee at the 2026 Forty Under 40 awards gala at Hilton Lac-Leamy, June 18, 2026. Photo by Tia MacPherson-Abdulla for OBJ.Recipient Gena Custode hugs a supporter at the 2026 Forty Under 40 awards gala at Hilton Lac-Leamy, June 18, 2026. Photo by Tia MacPherson-Abdulla for OBJ.RBC employees Tony Salvati, Nesrine Taylor, Zeina Ghadban and Yasser Ghazi at the 2026 Forty Under 40 awards gala at Hilton Lac-Leamy, June 18, 2026. Photo by Tia MacPherson-Abdulla for OBJ.Sabrina Lemay (Centretown BIA) and Dylan Holton (Capital Content Inc.) at the 2026 Forty Under 40 awards gala at Hilton Lac-Leamy, June 18, 2026. Photo by Tia MacPherson-Abdulla for OBJ.Amanda Lemoine and recipient Andrew Lemoine (Autocorp.ai) at the 2026 Forty Under 40 awards gala at Hilton Lac-Leamy, June 18, 2026. Photo by Tia MacPherson-Abdulla for OBJ.Grant Walsh and daughter, a recipient, Danielle Bergeron-Walsh (MNP LLP) at the 2026 Forty Under 40 awards gala at Hilton Lac-Leamy, June 18, 2026. Photo by Tia MacPherson-Abdulla for OBJ.Michael Assad (Government of Canada), Marc Adornato (ADORNATO.com), recipient Michael Wallack (Wallack’s Art Supplies and Framing), John-Finnigan Lin (photographer) and Patrick Lariviere (Lariviere Construction) at the 2026 Forty Under 40 awards gala at Hilton Lac-Leamy, June 18, 2026. Photo by Tia MacPherson-Abdulla for OBJ.Recipient John Wark (CLV Group) and wife Jessica Cormier at the 2026 Forty Under 40 awards gala at Hilton Lac-Leamy, June 18, 2026. Photo by Tia MacPherson-Abdulla for OBJ.Recipients Karine Génier (Alliance Engineering & Construction), Danielle Bergeron-Walsh (MNP LLP), Danielle Manley (Carleton University) and Christie Wilson (International Workplace Group plc) at the 2026 Forty Under 40 awards gala at Hilton Lac-Leamy, June 18, 2026. Photo by Tia MacPherson-Abdulla for OBJ.Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, who helped found the Forty Under 40 awards in the mid-1990s, addresses attendees at the gala at Hilton Lac-Leamy, June 18, 2026. Photo by Mark Holleron for OBJ.Recipient Muhammad Zaheed (BluWave-ai) at the 2026 Forty Under 40 awards gala at Hilton Lac-Leamy, June 18, 2026. Photo by Mark Holleron for OBJ.Ottawa-Vanier MP Mona Fortier encourages donations for The Ottawa Hospital Foundation at the 2026 Forty Under 40 awards gala at Hilton Lac-Leamy, June 18, 2026. Photo by Mark Holleron for OBJ.Awards sponsor Gregory Richards (Telfer Executive MBA) presents an award to Jennifer Arbuckle (Metcalfe Realty Company Limited) at the 2026 Forty Under 40 awards gala at Hilton Lac-Leamy, June 18, 2026. Photo by Mark Holleron for OBJ.Awards sponsor Luc Filion (Consollio Financial Group) presents an award to Ramzi Salem (Westin Ottawa) at the 2026 Forty Under 40 awards gala at Hilton Lac-Leamy, June 18, 2026. PPhoto by Mark Holleron for OBJ.Christie Wilson (International Workplace Group) accepts her award from awards sponsor Lise Sarazin at the 2026 Forty Under 40 awards gala at Hilton Lac-Leamy, June 18, 2026. Photo by Mark Holleron for OBJ.
