Waterloo Region Entrepreneur Hall of Fame

May 8th, 2024 | Bingemans Conference Centre, Kitchener, ON

An event recognizing leadership, vision, and integrity

Wednesday May 8th, 2024 | Bingemans Conference Centre, 425 Bingemans Centre Drive, Kitchener, ON

For information, please contact Alicia at agall@jaswo.org

NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN NOW for the 2024 Hall of Fame!

The 2023 Hall of Fame honoured Don Bowman, Dave Caputo, Tom Donnelly, Marc Morin, and Brad Siim co-founders of Sandvine, as well as Joseph Fung, founder of TribeHR, Kiite and Uvaro. Photos from the event are available here.

The Waterloo Region Entrepreneur Hall of Fame celebrates local business founders who have made a positive, lasting impact in our community. Originally created by the Prosperity Council, the event was hosted by Communitech from 2006 to 2012 and had been on hiatus until JA Waterloo Region revived the event in 2015 as an evolution of JA’s long-standing Business Spirit Awards. We are pleased to celebrate Waterloo Region’s entrepreneurial leaders, past and present, while we strive to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs who are involved in JA’s programs.

Waterloo Region Entrepreneur Hall of Fame Laureates are individuals or families who have started a business, shown exceptional business leadership, and have demonstrated vision and integrity in their operations.

Joseph Fung, founder of TribeHR, Kiite and Uvaro
Don Bowman, Dave Caputo, Tom Donnelly, Marc Morin, and Brad Siim co-founders of Sandvine

Laureates have demonstrated outstanding vision as an entrepreneur in one or more of their organizations and achieved a high level of respect within the business and public communities. Laureates have demonstrated leadership throughout their lives and have a record of leading others to success. Laureates have operated their businesses with integrity, following ethical business practices, treating employees and customers with respect and potentially implementing a triple bottom line system to measure corporate success.

Laureates have contributed back to their community and are active community members in Waterloo Region. Nominations are reviewed by the Nomination Committee and they decide who will be inducted.

Libro
2023 Accelerate Sponsor

Waterloo Region Entrepreneur Hall of Fame Laureates

Carl A. Pollock, Electrohome

Mike Lazaridis, RIM

Jim Balsillie, RIM

Dan Einwechter, Challenger Motor Freight

Klaus Woerner, ATS

Val O’Donovan, COM DEV International

J.M. Schneider, J.M. Schneider Ltd.

A.R. Kaufman, Kaufman Rubber Company

Joseph Seagram, Seagram and Sons Ltd.

Moses Springer, Mutual Life Assurance Company

Carl Dare, Dare Foods

Charles Greb, Greb Shoes Ltd.

Frank Hasenfratz, Linamar

John Motz, Waterloo Region Record

Theodore Witzel, Onward Manufacturing

Tom Jenkins, OpenText

Oscar Kuntz, Kuntz Electroplating

Ian McPhee, WATCOM

Frank Rovers, Conestoga-Rovers & Associates

Harold Seegmiller, E & E Seegmiller Ltd.

Ron Schlegel, RBJ Schlegel Holdings Inc.

Clifford, Emory & Lester Zehr, Zehr’s Markets Ltd.

Savvas Chamberlain, DALSA Corporation

Eric Peterson & Larry Williamson, Mitra Imaging

Joerg Stieber, Ontario Drive & Gear Ltd.

Fred Stork, Unitron

The Huber and George Piller Family, 
Piller’s Sausage and Delicatessens Ltd.

The Lang Family, The Lang Tanning Company

Barney Strassburger Sr., TwinCorp

Jim Estill, Canrock Ventures

Gerry Remers, Christie Digital Systems Inc.

Mate Prgin, Avvasi

Marshall, Jonas, Erma, Esther and Lawrence Bingeman, Bingemans

Howard and Elsie Herrle, Herrle’s Country Farm Market

Manfred Conrad, The Cora Group

Walter Hachborn, Home Hardware

Michael Litt, Vidyard

Stephanie Soulis, Little Mushroom Catering

Larry Hundt, Great Canadian Holidays, Coaches and Fleet Services

John Whitney, WHITNEY & Company Realty Ltd.

Peter van der Heyden, Goliger’s Travel Plus

Jim Moss, Plasticity Labs

Ron Caudle, Caudle’s Catch Seafood

Georgia Cunningham, SG Cunningham Ltd.

Carol Leaman, Axonify

Vernon Erb, Erb Transport

Alan Quarry, Quarry Communications

Paul Maxwell, Maxwell’s Concerts & Events

Kurtis McBride, Miovision Technologies

Jody Schnarr and John Stix, Fibernetics

Francine Chambers and Carinne Chambers-Saini,
Diva International Inc.

The program was laid out very clearly!! I liked how short and entertaining the videos were.

– Grade 8 Teacher JA Economics for Success