2021 Forty Under 40 recipients

THE LIST 2021 FORTY UNDER 40 (LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

Roberto Aburto

partner, Gowling WLG Business: Law firm Biggest business achievement: Rose to partnership quickly and helped build one of the largest municipal law teams in eastern Ontario. Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19: Be gentle to yourself and to others. Everyone is going through various challenges – we will not always be our best self every day

Darryl Arvai

corporate controller, Shopify Business: E-commerce Biggest business achievement: Helping the company raise billions of dollars in financing, including its 2015 IPO. Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19: Try and find positives in hard situations. Working from home has afforded me the opportunity to have lunch with my wife and kids, Facetime distant family more often and have greater ownership over my time.

Jonathan Atwill-Morin

president Atwill-Morin Ontario Business: Historical building restoration Biggest business achievement: Winning the contract for the north walls on the Centre Block rehabilitation project.

Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19:

Take the time to stay close to all the people around you. Give a nice friendly call to a client or a partner, and make sure your employees are well.

Cynthia Benoit

CEO, CB Linguistic Services Inc. Business: Sign language linguistic services Biggest business achievement: Founding a consulting firm that has grown annual revenues by 750 per cent over the past four years and employs four full-time deaf employees, three part-time deaf employees and more than 60 deaf and hard-of-hearing freelancers across Canada.

Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19:

Agility and the team’s mental health and overall well-being truly matters.

Bradley Bezan

CEO and founder, Spark Lifecare Business: Healthcare matchmaker Biggest business achievement: The lives we’ve changed at Spark. We can successfully help a child overcome a cancer diagnosis, help someone walk again after a catastrophic accident or be there when a senior has their last few breaths when they have no friends or family. Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19: In a post-COVID economy, the companies that take care of their people the best when nobody is watching will be the most successful ones.

Kevin Brennan

general manager, Cavanagh Concrete Ltd. Business: Concrete forming and material supply Biggest business achievement: Exceeded all financial targets on the MHLH Helicopter Facilities, Lansdowne Live and OLRT tunnel projects while being named the Top Value Added Salesman of the Year across Lafarge Eastern Canada in 2014.

Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19:

Empathy and consistency. Understand how people react differently to fear and ensure everyone is provided sufficient resources and support to cope with it.

Matthew Carr

president, Gifford Carr Insurance Group Business: Property and casualty insurance brokerage Biggest business achievement: Took over and managed the business when my dad was terminally ill. Then took over the business during a pandemic. In both cases, I grew the business the following year.

Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19:

Own it. Making decisions and trying to get consensus at the start of the pandemic was difficult with things changing hourly. I ultimately had to make decisions, move forward and adjust if necessary.

Sean Cochrane

president, TCC Canada Business: Serviced offices, coworking and business support Biggest business achievement: Grew an embattled coworking firm to a $10 million a year enterprise that’s been growing at more than 100 per cent a year for the past five years. Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19: Look after one another! We’re all in this together and are all so much stronger together!

Dr. Tracy Dalgleish

psychologist, Integrated Wellness Business: Psychological health services Biggest business achievement: I founded Integrated Wellness, starting as one clinician. It’s now a collective of eight female mental health care providers.

Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19:

In order to move through something, you need to be willing to allow yourself to sit in uncomfortable feelings without a true knowing of the outcome.

Gareth Davies

CEO and founder, Maker House Co. Business: Retailer selling a curated collection of furniture, homewares and gifts from Canadian makers. Biggest business achievement: Founded a retail startup and social enterprise that’s grown to $1.5 million in annual revenue, employs 10 people, sources products within Canada and has donated more than $100,000 to Ottawa community organizations through the #CraftChange Fund.

Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19:

That what we do as a business is essential to people’s lives.

THE LIST 2021 FORTY UNDER 40 (LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

Sarah D’Angelo

director of people operations, You.i TV (a WarnerMedia company) Business: Software that powers streaming app experiences Biggest business achievement: Led You.i TV on all HR-related matters through a successful acquisition by WarnerMedia in December 2020. Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19: Be patient and compassionate with those around you, and also with yourself. Asking someone how they’re doing, and being flexible, really goes a long way.

Kurtis Funai

chief technology officer, Fullscript Business: Supplement dispensing technology platform Biggest business achievement: Building and scaling the Fullscript platform, playing a major role in growing Fullscript from a small startup to a company with hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue and hundreds of employees.

Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19:

Being deliberate about creating connections in a distributed environment should be a top priority for healthy and successful teams.

Shawn Gandhi

world wide head of AI/ML solutions, Amazon Web Services Business: Cloud platform Biggest business achievement: After growing the AWS enterprise business in New York and Boston, I returned to Canada as the first AWS Canada employee tasked with building out the AWS Canada business and solutions architecture practice coast to coast.

Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19:

We don’t really have to fly around the globe as much as we used to in order to drive meaningful business and impact.

Meseret Haileyesus

CEO, Canadian Center for Women’s Empowerment Business: Women’s advocacy Biggest business achievement: Reached more than 10,000 people on how to identify and respond to economic abuse, financial abuse and post-separation violence in the context of IPV. Biggest obstacle overcome: Learning how to get out of my own way by letting go of what I think others expect of me and focusing on being myself. Also, learning how to juggle priorities as a working mother.

Kelly Haussler

manager of destination development, Ottawa Tourism Business: Destination marketing and management Biggest business achievement: A tie between helping to develop Indigenous Tourism Entrepreneurship Training and being asked to be a keynote speaker in Kuala Lumpur for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19:

Adaptability is key – situations can change quickly and the most effective thing you can do is be ready to roll with the punches.

Dr. Samuel Hetz

owner and medical director, Concept Medical Business: Advanced cosmetic medicine and medical skin clinic Biggest business achievement: Welcoming our 15,000th patient in December 2020.

Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19:

There is so much that can be done virtually. We have shifted our consultation process to 80 per cent virtual and will likely continue post-pandemic.

Sarah Howard Lynne

manager, WSP Canada Inc. Business: Innovative, high-quality buildings Biggest business achievement: Mobilizing and leading a team of structural engineers and technologists from offices across Canada to deliver building structures associated with a nearly $2 billion project to construct and revitalize heating and cooling plants and distribution systems in the National Capital Region. Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19: Slow down and create space for yourself to live, apart from your identity of who you are in your business.

Ken Jennings

owner, Jennings Real Estate Corp. Business: Commercial real estate company Biggest business achievement: Founded a commercial real estate business that now manages a diverse portfolio of properties and employs nine people. Biggest influences: My father for instilling the values of hard work, integrity and consistency, and my mother for encouraging me to do what I enjoy and to live a balanced life.

Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19:

Relationships and trust matter more than any contract.

Taylor Johansen

autism program director, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Business: Healthcare Biggest business achievement: Helping CHEO’s YouthNet/RéseauAdo program triple its capacity and reach. Biggest obstacle overcome: Becoming a mother and learning how to carry the responsibilities of parenthood while pressing forward with personal and professional growth. Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19: We can quickly and dramatically change systems and reinvent the way we deliver healthcare services.

Elnaz Kanani K.

senior manager of data and artificial intelligence, Deloitte Business: Business consulting firm Biggest business achievement: The network of people around me. Biggest obstacle overcome: Re-starting my life as an immigrant – adjusting to the new culture, language, values and rules has been a fun, yet tough, curve.

Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19:

Seeing how the world changed overnight reminded me of all the things that are sometimes taken for granted.

THE LIST 2021 FORTY UNDER 40 (LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

Jason Kealey

vice-president of strategy, FranConnect Business: Franchise management software Biggest business achievement: Founded a high-tech startup named FranchiseBlast that supported more than 100 franchise brands before being acquired by FranConnect.

Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19:

Avoid knee-jerk reactions. Even as many of our clients were being shut down by governments, we decided to take our time before making any major decisions. In the end, we made no layoffs and staff appreciated our transparency.

Ashleigh Kennedy

co-founder and CEO, Neurovine Business: Digital health company combining AI and wearable technology to help brains heal Biggest business achievement: Founded a neuro-tech startup that has grown to 10 employees and partnered with clinics across Canada and the U.S. to improve concussion recovery.

Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19:

Communication builds resilience. Working from home has increased our team’s communication and I’ve witnessed a collective increase in the resilience of our team.

Jordan Latimer

operations manager, PCL Construction Business: General contractor Biggest business achievement: Successfully taking on progressively larger roles within the organization. Currently overseeing the management of six individual construction projects, representing total contract values of more than $550 million and generating more than $425 million in billings over the last year and a half. Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19: It’s important to be flexible when looking at ways to maintain operational excellence, personal interactions and communication.

Benjamin Leikin

mental health and substance use manager, Ottawa Public Health Business: Promoting and protecting the health of individuals and our community. Biggest business achievement: Developed and implemented the first mental health strategy for the City of Ottawa.

Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19:

Don’t sweat the small stuff, because if you are safe and healthy, and your family is safe and healthy, everything else is small stuff.

Michelle Mather Coates

vice-president, Syntax Strategic Business: Public relations and public affairs consulting Biggest business achievement: Supporting a diversity of clients achieve their communications and public affairs objectives while providing trusted advice to overcome brand and perception challenges. Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19: Never assume you know how a colleague is feeling or coping. Also, there is no one-sizefits-all approach to employee well-being, especially in times of crisis.

Diego Matute

founder, Cyphercor Inc. Business: Cybersecurity Biggest business achievement: Founding and bootstrapping a high-tech startup – which has grown to millions of dollars in annual revenues – while working with an incredible team and helping to increase the security posture of organizations of any size, worldwide. Biggest obstacle overcome: Maintaining a strong culture and work ethic while simultaneously scaling the solution, capturing market share and growing our team.

Dave McCann

managing partner and Canadian consulting leader, global business services, IBM Business: Technology Biggest business achievement: Making partner at IBM at the age of 29. Biggest influences: My grandmother was one of the kindest – and strongest – people I have ever known. Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19: How resilient, patient and strong people can be.

Nick McRae

president, Roxborough Bus Lines Ltd. Business: Passenger transportation Biggest business achievement: Taking Roxborough Bus Lines into its third generation as a family-owned business and expanding the company from a two-location, 120-employee operation to five facilities that employ more than 650 people.

Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19:

Life can change in an instant and employers must use tools that work best for their team. Despite being apart, we learned that a wellinformed team is a resilient team.

Chris Murray

principal, FoxNRTH Business: Helps businesses get started, change direction and focus. Biggest business achievement: Successfully creating both the first commercial supply chain of cannabis into the U.S. in 2017 and the first commercial supply chain of psilocybin in 2021. Biggest influences: My father taught me the importance of always learning and critical thought. My mother taught me the importance of relationships and empathy.

Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19:

Health literacy should be taught in schools.

James Nguyen

co-Founder and CEO, Quantropi Business: Quantum communications Biggest business achievement: Co-founding Quantropi, raising more than $5 million in seed funding, employing more than a dozen “cyber heroes” and being recognized globally. Biggest obstacle overcome: The pandemic forced me to upgrade, grow stronger and pivot to ensure the company’s survival, while being present to my family’s needs. Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19: Be kind and strong enough to do the right thing, especially in the worst of times.

THE LIST 2021 FORTY UNDER 40 (LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

Kailin Noivo

chief revenue officer, Noibu Business: Software company that helps retailers detect checkout errors Biggest business achievement: Founded Noibu at 23 and grew it from zero to millions of dollars in revenue while creating more than 25 high-paying jobs in Ottawa.

Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19:

Spend more time with your family – life moves so quickly.

Sergey Poltev

founder and CEO, CAPITALTEK Business: IT services Biggest business achievement: Founding a high-tech firm that’s grown to $1 million in annual revenue, employs 12 people and helps more than 1,000 computer users work efficiently and stress-free.

Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19:

Realizing we are not only a local company, but global and can provide services Canadawide.

Christopher Redmond

director, Distant Red Pictures Business: Film and television Biggest business achievement: Making a living exclusively directing film and television series in Ottawa, including a $600,000 feature film and two seasons of an original scripted comedy series. Biggest obstacle overcome: I was laid off twice, and both times it felt like getting dumped from a relationship. Freelancing, however, led me to the career I always wanted, but was afraid to pursue.

Allan Reesor-McDowell

executive director, Matthew House Ottawa Business: Charity providing shelter, furnishings and community to refugees and those transitioning to permanent housing. Biggest business achievement: Turned around a local charity that was struggling financially. Biggest obstacle overcome: Increased donors by 162 per cent and donations by 168 per cent in 2020, even as more than two-thirds of charities nationwide saw a decline in donations amid the pandemic.

Sandro Ricci

president, ASL Construction Business: Civil construction Biggest business achievement: Grew revenue organically by several multiples in a short period by expanding services offered and clients served, all while maintaining culture and profitability. Biggest influences: Our staff inspire me to create the best possible work environment providing opportunities for them to succeed. Also, my wife and the recent birth of our first child are a constant motivation for me to strive for more.

Ronald Richardson

director, Calian Group and Tundra Oil & Gas Business: Customer experience, feedback and contactless communications as a SaaS offering. Biggest business achievement: Founded Benbria (and more recently founding investor of Brokrete Inc. and Hyperion Global Energy). Personally won several Fortune 1000 customers and partnerships at Benbria. Biggest obstacle overcome: Managing the team, investors and customers through a pivot from Benbria’s original emergency notification product lines to the current customer experience SaaS offering.

Solmaz Shahalizadeh

vice-president of data science and engineering, Shopify Business: E-commerce Biggest business achievement: Grew the Shopify data team from a handful of people to hundreds. The Shopify data team has implemented and scaled the company’s machine learning portfolio from one product to hundreds, empowering ambitious entrepreneurs with powerful tools. Biggest obstacle overcome: As a woman leader in tech, who is also an immigrant, I’ve had to overcome a lot of barriers to entry and growth, working hard to create space for myself and others.

Connor Shea

vice-president of asset and property management, Colonnade BridgePort Business: Real estate investment and development Biggest business achievement: Hiring a great team and watching them flourish. Biggest influences: My wife and my kids inspire me every day to work to make the world a better place for them. Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19: To be flexible and to prioritize what matters most in life.

Trevor Szutu

senior director of corporate development, Descartes Systems Group Business: Logistics technology Biggest business achievement: Leading the value capture stream of a transformational acquisition that resulted in more than $100 million of annual run rate synergies.

Biggest lesson learned during COVID-19:

Always order another drink for last call, because tomorrow could be the start of a pandemic lockdown! On a serious note, I was reminded that the most valuable thing to me is not just time, but time spent with family and friends.

Emilie Wilcox

managing partner, Baiame Consulting Business: Professional services Biggest business achievement: Joined Baiame Consulting in 2016 as its second employee and grew revenues by approximately 450 per cent since then. Biggest influences: My dad always taught me that I could do anything a man could do and do it better. My business partner, Claire Lake, offered me a partnership in Baiame before I had proven I was ready. Without either, I wouldn’t be where I am today.