Events

IN THE NEWS: JA South Western Ontario announces Steve Copp and Ryan Finch as 2024 Inductees into the London & District Business Hall of Fame

28 May 2024
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JA South Western Ontario announces Steve Copp and Ryan Finch as 2024 Inductees into the London & District Business Hall of Fame

 

London, ON – May 28, 2024. At the London and District Business Hall of Fame Laureate announcement event, held at the London Public Library, Central Branch on May 28th, Junior Achievement South Western Ontario was pleased to announce Steve Copp, President of Copp’s Buildall and Ryan Finch, President of Finch Auto Group, as the 2024 Laureates.

Copp and Finch will be celebrated at the 34th Annual London and District Business Hall of Fame Gala.

This prestigious event, scheduled for October 24, 2024 at RBC Place London, marks a celebration of exceptional leadership, vision, and philanthropy.

Steve Copp

Steve Copp’s journey from shadowing his father in lumber yards to becoming President of Copp’s Buildall in 2000 reflects a legacy of strong work ethic and salesmanship. With deep roots in construction and development, Steve fosters meaningful relationships beyond business, exemplified by his roles on various boards and Copp’s extensive philanthropic support. With Copp’s now in its 4th generation of ownership, Steve, alongside his family, envisions a lasting legacy, emphasizing continuity, community, and commitment to excellence.

Ryan Finch

As President of Finch Auto Group overseeing eight auto dealerships in London, Sarnia and Georgetown, Ryan Finch takes pride in building upon his father’s Pontiac dealership and creating his own legacy.  With an athletic scholarship to the University of British Columbia and a business degree from the University of Western Ontario’s Ivey School of Business, Ryan’s competitive spirit fuels his drive for success. Prioritizing family values and philanthropy, he champions a positive work culture, evident in his leadership of a 500-person team. Known for his approachability and genuine camaraderie, Ryan’s philanthropic efforts, including the Finch Match My Donation fundraiser and substantial contribution to mental health research, reflect his commitment to community welfare.

JA South Western Ontario invites members of the community to join in the London and District Business Hall of Fame Gala in October, celebrating the achievements of Steve Copp, Ryan Finch, and the power of community leadership. This annual signature event showcases the lives of the Inductees allowing us to learn about their achievements and how they have developed and nurtured their legacies. The 2024 London and District Business Hall of Fame Inductees will join a distinguished list of previous Laureates whose portraits are showcased in the London and District Business Hall of Fame Gallery located in the London Public Library, downtown London.

For more information on the London and District Business Hall of Fame Gala, please visit jaswo.org/LBHF, or contact Alicia Gall at agall@jaswo.org. For inquiries regarding sponsorship opportunities, please contact Heather Scott, hscott@jaswo.org. Online registration will open mid-June.

JA South Western Ontario announces Allan Drewlo and Jill Wilcox as 2023 London & District Business Hall of Fame Laureates

8 June 2023
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London, ON – June 8, 2023. At the London and District Business Hall of Fame Laureate announcement event, held at the London Public Library, Central Branch on June 8th, Junior Achievement South Western Ontario was pleased to announce Allan Drewlo, President of Drewlo Holdings and Jill Wilcox, Owner of Jill’s Table, as the 2023 Laureates.

Established in 1990, the London and District Business Hall of Fame supports the work of JA South Western Ontario. It was created to honour respected members of the London and area business community, past and present, for their outstanding contributions to business, entrepreneurship and philanthropy.

Allan Drewlo is President of Drewlo Holdings, a family-owned business that has been developing, constructing and managing apartment buildings for over 60 years.  Since taking the reins from his father, Allan has continued to grow the businesses significantly and now has completed over 14,000 units across South Western Ontario. Allan is a co-founder of the Ironstone Building Company, which develops and builds hundreds of single and multi-housing units in the London area annually, and he was recently awarded the Jim MacKinnon Community Builder Award for his impact as an activist. Among his numerous philanthropic efforts, Allan established a Research Chair in the Kidney Unit at University Hospital in memory of his late father Eugene.

For more than 25 years, Jill Wilcox has been leading cooking classes, most recently at her award-winning specialty food and kitchen store Jill’s Table, and for more than 40 years has been a celebrated food columnist for the London Free Press and Post Media. She is also the author of six cookbooks. Jill has received numerous accolades including the London Chamber of Commerce Business Achievement Award in the small business category and Retailer of the Year Award for Housewares and Gourmet Foods, awarded by the Canadian Gift and Tablewares Association. Jill is an active business and community leader and started The Jill Wilcox Foundation in 2012 to grant funding to food-related and education projects that support women and children in need.

“Our 2023 Laureates could not be a better example of what it means to be a business leader,” said Karen Gallant, President and CEO of JA South Western Ontario. “Allan and Jill have made outstanding contributions to the London region in the areas of business, entrepreneurship and philanthropy and serve as an inspiration to us all. We look forward to celebrating them at our Gala in October and invite the community to join us.”

The 2023 London and District Business Hall of Fame Gala induction ceremony will take place October 25th, 2023, at RBC Place London, with Libro Credit Union as presenting sponsor. Tickets to the event are on sale now for $1,400 for a table of 8, and $175 for individuals. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. Visit https://jaswo.org/lbhf/ for tickets or further information.

IN THE NEWS: Honouring tech leadership – Joseph Fung and Sandvine founders inducted into Waterloo Region Entrepreneur Hall of Fame (Communitech)

1 June 2023
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Honouring tech leadership

Joseph Fung and Sandvine founders inducted into Waterloo Region Entrepreneur Hall of Fame

Written by: Chuck Howitt | 01 June 2023 | Featured, News

(L-R) Sandvine founders Brad Siim, Tom Donnelly, Dave Caputo, Don Bowman, Marc Morin, and Uvaro founder Joseph Fung. ( Photo: Alicia Gall, Junior Achievement of Waterloo Region. )

The Waterloo Region Entrepreneur Hall of Fame has honoured six influential founders who have contributed significantly to the tech ecosystem over the past three decades.

This year’s inductees – known as “laureates” – include the five co-founders of Sandvine and serial entrepreneur Joseph Fung.

The six tech leaders were honoured this week by Junior Achievement of South Western Ontario, which has sponsored the Entrepreneur Hall of Fame awards since 2015.

The Hall of Fame “celebrates local business founders who have made a positive, lasting impact in our community,” according to Junior Achievement.

This year’s laureates have demonstrated “incredible vision” and “strong leadership” within multiple organizations, said Karen Gallant, President and CEO of Junior Achievement of South Western Ontario. Moreover, “a common thread for all of the inductees was their mentorship of others within the community – helping to raise those within and outside of their organizations to success.”

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BID NOW – Virtual Silent Auction for London and District Business Hall of Fame!

19 October 2021
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The JA LBHF silent auction is open and ready for bidding until Thursday, October 28 at 11:00am. Check out our enhanced auction platform and a number of impressive items including a selection of stunning jewellery from Gordon’s Gold, a range of experiences including golf at Sunningdale and Twin Streams, yoga passes, wine and craft beer tours, music and other forms of family fun, sports memorabilia, home decor and more.

Thanks to our generous donors, we received 90+ items valued at $16,000+ dollars.

Bidding starts at 30-50% retail value! Start your Christmas shopping early while supporting regional youth in developing financial literacy and entrepreneurship skills.

View items: https://app.bidbeacon.com/activity/#KD634R

Registration is required to bid on items: https://app.bidbeacon.com/invite/#KD634R

“Putting for Potential” Online Auction Open to All!

22 September 2021
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Support local students in Waterloo Region by shopping at our Online Auction, open until noon on October 19th.  We have a wide variety of items including fitness, activities, jewelry, experiences,  and gift certificates. Here are just a few:

  • Blue Jays tickets
  • Foundry Brewery – tasting and tour for 10 people
  • Framed reprints – AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones
  • Paradise Inn – 1 night stay, kayak and fat tire bike rental
  • Rebel Creek Golf Club– golf foursome
  • Westmount Golf & Country Club – Round of golf with Bill Fox for three people

https://app.bidbeacon.com/invite/#CJLFLS

REGISTRATION IS OPEN! JA Putting for Potential Golf Tournament – Sept. 23rd

3 August 2021
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Registration is now open for our 29th Annual “Putting for Potential” Golf Tournament in Waterloo Region. Join us Thursday September 23rd at Rebel Creek Golf Club in Petersburg, ON!

Learn more.