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Credit: Paul Duchart

The EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award finalists

OpenRoad Auto Group's Christian Chia named Pacific Region winner

More than 1,200 people attended the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards at the Vancouver Convention Centre on September 25. Entrepreneur Of The Year (EOY) is an annual global awards program administered by Ernst & Young (EY). Every year an impressive group of Pacific Region business owners and leaders are recognized for their financial performance, vision, leadership, personal integrity and entrepreneurial spirit.

Guests gathered in the grand hall before ceremonies began in the ballroom. The 2018 Pacific Region EOY award went to Christian Chia, president and CEO of OpenRoad Auto Group. OpenRoad is the largest auto retailer in B.C., with 26 locations, including 23 dealerships and three collision centres.

The Pacific Region winner is among five regional champions vying for Canada’s Entrepreneur Of The Year. The Canadian winner advances to an annual competition, held in Monte Carlo, that sees World Entrepreneur Of The Year chosen from among 60 country winners.

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Patricia and Paul Matysek, Bedrock Capital Corp. CEO and Mining + Resources EOY winner; Jill Dylan and her spouse, Jesse Dylan, GLN CEO

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Solveig Massman; Wayne Fourie, EY associate partner; Graham Walker, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP partner, and his spouse, Katherine Walker

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Ian Telfer, Goldcorp chair; Ian Crosby, Bench Accounting founder; and his spouse, Karen Kim, Deloitte senior consultant

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Rob McCurdy, Pinnacle Renewable Energy CEO and 2017 Pacific Region EOY winner; and his spouse, Louann McCurdy

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Ken Sim, NPA mayoral candidate; and Robin Dhir, Fasken strategic advisor

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Jon Friesen, Mission Group Enterprises CEO and Social Impact EOY finalist; and his wife, Joanne Friesen

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Sandy Shier and her spouse, Randy Shier, Mission Group Enterprises president and Social Impact EOY finalist

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Raminder Grewal, Keystone Environmental president and Cleantech EOY finalist; his spouse, Rav Grewal; and Greg Colbourne, Hunt Personnel VP

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Claudia Sjoberg, Pedalheads Group founder and president, and Services EOY finalist; and Michael Murazzo, EY assurance manager

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Salwa El-Ramly; and her husband, Zak El-Ramly, ZE Power Group CEO and Cleantech EOY winner

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Lenna Miklodova; and Matt Collingwood, Tamwood Group of Companies co-founder and Services EOY finalist

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Amanda Penner; and her spouse, Josh Penner, Meridian Meats & Seafood CEO and Business to Consumer EOY finalist

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Alex Chisolm, Merchant Advance Capital VP marketing; and David Gens, Merchant Advance Capital founder and CEO, and 2016 Fintech EOY finalist

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Ali Pejman, Fort Capital Partners partner; Velofix Group of Companies co-founders and Emerging Entrepreneur EOY winners: Boris Martin, VP operations; Davide Xausa, president; and Chris Guillemet, CEO

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Morag Wemyss-Dunn; Noel Dunn, Ero Capital Corp. chairman; and Ginerva Strang

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Master of ceremonies Chris Gailus, Global BC News anchor

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Master of ceremonies Chris Gailus, Global BC News anchor

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Master of ceremonies Chris Gailus, Global BC News anchor

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Lui Petrollini, EOY Pacific Region program director