Press release
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal honours the four 2008 Great Montrealers:
Rémi Marcoux, Denise Robert, Heather Munroe-Blum, and Peter A. Howlett
Montréal, October 29, 2008 Tonight, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal pays tribute to four new Great Montrealers during a reception in their honour at the Centre d'archives de Montréal in the presence of Gérald Tremblay, mayor of Montréal.
The four new inductees to the Academy of Great Montrealers are as follows: in the economic sector, Rémi Marcoux, executive chair of the board, Transcontinental Inc.; in the cultural sector, Denise Robert, president and producer, Cinémaginaire; in the scientific sector, Heather Munroe-Blum, principal and vice-chancellor, McGill University; and in the social sector, Peter A. Howlett, president, Portage.
For thirty years now, the Board of Trade has highlighted the remarkable contributions of people who have worked tirelessly to nurture passions their own, of course, but often those of others as well. The individuals we honour tonight are both the heart and soul of a metropolis that is proud of the inspiring examples they set. Thanks to these four Great Montrealers, many dreams have not only been dreamt but also come true, to the great benefit of our metropolis, declared Isabelle Hudon, president and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal.
These four inductees are living proof that Montréal deserves its reputation as a city of knowledge and innovation, recognized everywhere for the originality of its culture and the extent of its compassion. I salute the wisdom of the Board of Trade and the Academy in making these judicious choices, added Gérald Tremblay, mayor of Montréal.
The Academy of Great Montrealers of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal also takes advantage of this opportunity to present Awards of Excellence to three doctoral students, graduates of one of Montréal's four universities or one of their affiliated schools, for the excellence of their research. The 2008 winners are as follows: in the humanities and social sciences/fine arts category, Geneviève Lafrance, Department of French Literature, Université de Montréal; in the natural sciences and engineering category, Joshua Schwartz, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McGill University; and in the health sciences category, Jonathan Michaud-Lévesque, Department of Chemistry, Université du Québec à Montréal.
This annual Board of Trade event is made possible this year by the financial support of Canada Economic Development, CN, and the SITQ. Including this year's four inductees, 106 men and women have been honoured in this way and together constitute the Academy of Great Montrealers, created by the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal in 1988. The photos and biographical notes of this year's inductees can be found on the Board of Trade's Web site.
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal has some 7,000 members. Its mission is to represent the interests of the business community of Greater Montréal and to provide individuals, merchants, and local businesses of all sizes with a variety of specialized services to help them achieve their full potential in terms of innovation, productivity and competitiveness. The Board of Trade is Quebec's leading private economic development organization.
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Information:
Sylvie Paquette
Coordinator, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Phone: 514 871-4000, extension 4015
sylvie.paquette@ccmm.qc.ca