The belief ‘No one does it alone’ echoed through the acceptance speeches like a refrain of humility at last night’s Best Ottawa Business Awards, an annual awards dinner that celebrates excellence and recognizes outstanding achievements.
More than 600 entrepreneurs and industry leaders gathered at The Westin Ottawa for the gala evening hosted by the Ottawa Board of Trade and Ottawa Business Journal with returning presenting sponsor Telfer School of Management, represented by its dean, Stéphane Brutus.
“I’m proud that every year we get together as a community in what many people think of as a government town, and we celebrate the work that is done in the private sector by business leaders like you,” said Mayor Mark Sutcliffe of an awards ceremony he helped to create years ago with his former business partner, OBJ publisher Michael Curran.
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He congratulated recipients for making the local economy stronger, recognizing that thriving businesses provide the resources to solve many of the challenges faced by Ottawa as a community. “I’m so proud of all of you and honoured to celebrate with you tonight.”
Some 28 awards were handed out during a seamless ceremony punctuated with speeches from recipients in the four top categories. There to enthusiastically welcome attendees to the BOBs, as it’s known for short, were Curran and OBoT president and CEO Sueling Ching.
While collecting his award, Mike McGahan, 2023 CEO of the Year, stressed the contributions made by a team that’s like family to him. The singular “I” references were scarce in his acceptance speech. He focused more on the collective “we”.
“This is not ever about me; this is all for you guys,” he told a cluster of dinner tables that included colleagues, friends and family.
McGahan spoke about the hard work, grit and perseverance that helped to grow CLV Group and InterRent REIT. “Never give up, because everyone gets challenged along the way,” he told his audience. “Everybody here in this room who’s been in business, it doesn’t come easy all the time; there’s always challenges along the way.”
CLV and InterRent have distinguished themselves for their involvement in the community with their annual memorial charity golf tournament. It netted $1.6 million this year. “We care a lot,” he said, his voice placing emphasis on the “a lot”. “We care about our city, we love our city. I feel so passionate about trying to change things.”
CLV Group is a full-service real estate firm specializing in development, realty, and property management. InterRent is a publicly traded real estate investment trust with a portfolio of more than 13,000 apartments throughout Ottawa, Southwestern Ontario, Montreal and Vancouver. It controls more than $2 billion worth of assets.
CFO of the Year recipient Nathalie Cadieux from The Ottawa Hospital was profoundly grateful to her former boss, Dr. Jack Kitts (2019 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient). “He believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself,” said Cadieux while recalling her hesitation when he offered her the position more than eight years ago. “I did not want it. I did not think I could do it and, honestly, he really convinced me otherwise. I’m glad he did.”
Cadieux was the first person from the not-for-profit sector to win CFO of the Year. “At The Ottawa Hospital, we may operate a bit differently than the private sector in some ways but I can assure you that managing 15,000 staff and a budget close to $2 billion a year is pretty serious business.”
Cadieux described her job as demanding. It involves solving ways to cost and fund the brand new state-of-the-art campus that’s to be built while also dealing with increasingly challenging day-to-day operations, along with all the unexpected things, like the pandemic and recent hospital fire. The hardest part, she said, is “maintaining my composure and trying to stay resilient … because working in health care today – and it’s not just applicable to me; it’s to all my friends and colleagues at The Ottawa Hospital — is hard. There are a lot of problems and issues we deal with on a daily basis, and most of them are out of our control.
“But I have to say that I think, with my years of experience, I’ve grown to appreciate and enjoy these challenges, and I also have a lot of passion for what I do because, every day, the actions that I take and the decisions I make really have an impact on people in this community.”
Michael Andlauer, the new owner of the Ottawa Senators, was unable to attend in person to accept his Newsmaker of the Year Award but delivered a great acceptance speech via video, joking it just as easily could have been celebrities Ryan Reynolds or Snoop Dogg collecting the award, had those interested buyers landed the team instead of him.
Any success he’s ever enjoyed in life, he said, has always involved other key players. He focused on the importance of local ownership, and of involving business leaders and families from Ottawa and Gatineau who have figuratively and literally contributed to building the region.
Andlauer listed off some of the partners in the group, including McGahan, Ottawa businessman Jeff York, 2022 CEO of the Year Kyle Braatz of Fullscript, Claridge Homes executives Neil and Shawn Malhotra, North45 president Ted Wagstaff, Pomerleau board director Francis Pomerleau, ONELIFE Wealth Management president Chris Bockstael, Myers Automotive Group owners Harry and Rob Mews, Mierins Automotive Group owners Arnie and Lisa Mierins, Devcore president Jean-Pierre Poulin, Nav Aggarwal, Ronald Richardson, Fraser Somers and Ross Hunt, among others. He’s previously expressed his view of the team being a “valuable community asset” that truly belongs to Ottawa-Gatineau, with him and the minority ownership group as its custodians.
“Personally, the last two months have been incredible,” Andlauer told his audience. “I want to personally thank you all for your kindness, welcoming me and my family to Ottawa, and for your support of the Senators.”
The 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award was given to BeaverTails husband-and-wife team Grant Hooker and Pam Hooker, whose famous Canadian pastries carry a global presence. The couple had six tables of supporters cheering them on that night, including their business partner Andy Cullen, and Anthony Di Ioia, Pino Di Ioia and Tina Serrao, majority shareholders and the managing partners of franchise company BeaverTails Canada. “Pam and I are keenly aware that we wouldn’t be standing here tonight without you,” said Grant in their acceptance speech.
The award also recognizes the couple’s work with the Canadian Tulip Festival, a multi-day springtime celebration they have been supporting and promoting for years. “Business people are always selling, so here’s the pitch: Pam and I believe as citizens and business owners we all have a responsibility to contribute to the fabric of our city, as so many of you do,” said Grant.
“For those of you that are holding back, our advice is leap in; you won’t regret it. Get involved. Your horizons, breadth of experience, social and business connections, and skillsets will all expand.
“If you or your company would like to help strengthen the 72-year-old Canadian Tulip Festival tradition, we could use your help,” said Grant. “Want to commit this evening? You can. Please see the Tulip Festival CEO, Jo Riding. She’s here. Jo? Make yourself known.”
Grant, the good-humoured fellow that he is, made a conditional offer of a free set of “very sharp” steak knives. “Fourteen pieces in all.”
His efforts impressed Ching. “That’s a true salesperson,” she told the crowd when she returned to the podium.
caroline@obj.ca
