Waterloo Region Entrepreneur Hall of Fame

May 13th, 2025 | Bingemans Conference Centre, Kitchener, ON

An event recognizing leadership, vision, and integrity

May 13th, 2025 | Embasssy Room @ Bingemans Conference Centre, 425 Bingemans Centre Drive, Kitchener, ON
TICKETS ON SALE SOON!

We are thrilled to announce the 2025 Hall of Fame Laureates: The Flanagan family (Joe, Dee, Rick, Dan, Jeff and Murray) of Flanagan Foodservice!

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.

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.

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

About the 2025 Laureates

THE FLANAGAN FAMILY
(Joe, Dee, Rick, Dan, Jeff and Murray)
Flanagan Foodservice

For almost five decades, the entrepreneurial spirit of the Flanagan family has shone strong within Waterloo Region and beyond. Since Joe and Dee Flanagan founded Flanagan Foodservice in 1977, the company has grown from humble beginnings into what is now the largest Canadian owned foodservice distributor in the country.

Joe and Dee’s vision of providing exceptional service and reliable solutions to foodservice establishments was instilled in their four sons (Dan, Rick, Jeff, and Murray), who continued to strive for that goal as they took on leadership roles and controlling interest in the business throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Ever since their early days operating out of a small retail location with just a few employees, the family has continued to prioritize building strong relationships with customers and suppliers alike.

The Flanagan family has always been committed to reinvestment in the business. Whether that meant geographical expansion to increase their presence in Ontario and Atlantic Canada, or acquisitions of complementary businesses in fresh produce and restaurant supplies and equipment, they knew that growth was crucial to their success. For 47 years, the Flanagan Enterprise is proud to have grown its top-line revenue every single year. Through all of this growth, the family has stayed true to their roots and cultivated a workplace culture that emphasizes respect and collaboration among team members, and a deep sense of responsibility toward the customers they serve.

As a “thank you” to the community that has served them well, in 2018, the Flanagan Family created a charitable foundation that is used as a vehicle for thoughtful philanthropy. They are extremely proud that this foundation, like other aspects of the enterprise, are organized and run by members of the first, second and third generation of the family.

Flanagan Foodservice remains a shining example of exceptional leadership, innovation, and the strength of family values. It’s a legacy built on trust, expertise, and an unwavering drive to strengthen the foodservice industry and support the communities they serve.

Waterloo Region Entrepreneur Hall of Fame Laureates

John Baker
D2L

Erma, Ester, Jonas, Lawrence and Marshall Bingeman
Bingemans

Ron Caudle
Caudle’s Catch Seafood

Francine Chambers, Carinne Chambers-Saini
Diva International Inc.

Georgia Cunningham
SG Cunningham Ltd.

Dan Einwechter
Challenger Motor Freight

Jim Estill
Canrock Ventures

Charles Greb
Greb Shoes Ltd.

Frank Hasenfratz
Linamar

Howard and Elsie Herrle
Herrle’s Country Farm Market

Larry Hundt
Great Canadian Holidays, Coaches and Fleet Services

Jacob Kaufman
Kaufman Footwear

Mike Kropp & Robert Harris
PEER Group

The Lang Family
The Lang Tanning Company

Michael Litt
Vidyard

Kurtis McBride
Miovision Technologies

Jim Moss
Plasticity Labs

Val O’Donovan
COM DEV International

Carl A. Pollock
Electrohome

Alan Quarry
Quarry Communications

Gerry Remers
Christie Digital Systems Inc.

J.M. Schneider
J.M. Schneider Ltd.

Jody Schnarr, John Stix
Fibernetics

Joseph Seagram
Seagram and Sons Ltd.

Ray Simonson
Software Innovations

Moses Springer
Mutual Life Assurance Company

Fred Stork
Unitron

Peter van der Heyden
Goliger’s Travel Plus

Theodore Witzel
Onward Manufacturing

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

Jim Balsillie, Mike Lazaridis
RIM

Don Bowman, Dave Caputo, Tom Donnelly, Marc Morin, Brad Slim
Sandvine

Savvas Chamberlain
DALSA Corporation

Manfred Conrad
The Cora Group

Carl Dare
Dare Foods

Vernon Erb
Erb Transport

Joseph Fung
TribeHR, Kiite and Uvaro

Walter Hachborn
Home Hardware

Ted Hastings
Global Beverage Group/ Moxy Media

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

Tom Jenkins
OpenText

Oscar Kuntz
Kuntz Electroplating

Carol Leaman
Axonify

Paul Maxwell
Maxwell’s Concerts & Events

Ian McPhee
WATCOM

John Motz
Waterloo Region Record

Eric Peterson, Larry Williamson
Mitra Imaging

Mate Prgin
Avvasi

Heather Reisman
Indigo Books and Music

Frank Rovers
Conestoga-Rovers & Associates

Ron Schlegel
RBJ Schlegel Holdings Inc.

Gerald Schwartz
Onex Corporation

Harold Seegmiller
E & E Seegmiller Ltd.

Stephanie Soulis
Little Mushroom Catering

Eldon Sprickerhoff
eSentire

Joerg Stieber
Ontario Drive & Gear Ltd.

Barney Straussburger Sr.
TwinCorp

Sherry Shannon-Vanstone & Scott Vanstone
TrustPoint Innovation Technologies, Ltd

John Whitney
WHITNEY & Company Realty Ltd.

Klaus Woerner
ATS

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

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