Emmie Leung’s “Gravity Defying” Accomplishments Win Her Prestigious EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Ontario 2014 Energy and Cleantech Award

TORONTO (November 4, 2014) -- At a gala event in Toronto last week, global professional services firm EY presented Canadian waste and recycling trailblazer, Emmie Leung, Founder and CEO of Emterra Group, with its Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Ontario 2014 award for Energy and Cleantech.

EY described Ms. Leung’s achievements in growing her waste and recycling management company from a one-person business to a national leader as “gravity defying” and credited her bootstraps approach and determination as a model for young entrepreneurs with a dream.

In accepting the award, Leung said that standing among Canada’s most talented, accomplished and respected business leaders was one of the proudest moments of her life.

“My greatest good fortune and the reason I am able to stand here this evening is because of the long list of people who have my back – my staff for their incredible support, everyone of whom I treasure; our customers and communities who partner with us to work toward the goal of increasing recycling diversion and minimizing waste; and my family who anchors me and gives me strength and encouragement when I am pulled in every direction in the process of building the business.”

“Under Emmie’s leadership, Emterra has been an industry pioneer, transforming the sector and achieving success in a land of giants,” says Colleen McMorrow, Entrepreneur Of The Year National and Ontario Program Director. “Her passion and determination are an inspiration, and we’re so pleased to recognize her entrepreneurial success.”

 EY’s Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates the contribution and spirit of entrepreneurs. Award finalists from all areas of business are chosen based on their vision, leadership, financial success and social responsibility.

In May, EY notified Leung that she had been selected, along with 120 other Ontario entrepreneurs, as a nominee for the program. Nomination criteria explored how personal and business standards contributed to success; how the nominee demonstrated perseverance and overcame obstacles; how the business was built in the face of personal and financial risk; how the nominee overcame obstacles within the industry; and how their vision and plan for the future would contribute to the growth of their business. 

Emterra Group is a Canadian leader in waste resources management; collecting, recycling and marketing packaging, printed paper and scrap tires; and converting waste liquids into green products like ethanol and eco-friendly windshield washer fluid.  

Leung and Emterra have received recognition in the past. Leung has been named:

• 2013 Canadian Waste Sector Executive of the Year in the large private business category by the Ontario Waste Management Association
• 2013 Entrepreneur of the Year by the Association of Chinese Canadian Entrepreneurs

Emterra has been honoured with:

• Top ten companies in 2013 Canadian Private Sector Growth program by Grant Thornton LLP and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce
• Employer of the Year by the Manitoba Filipino Business Council
• 2013 “Spirit of Winnipeg” award for large business by the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce

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About Emterra Group

Emterra Group is a Canadian leader in waste resources management. A family owned and operated company, it comprises four divisions offering municipal and industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) customers with a fully integrated approach to collecting, processing and marketing waste, recyclables, organic waste, used tires, and waste sugar and alcohol-based consumer beverages. The waste liquids are converted to industrial grade ethanol which is used to manufacture an eco-friend windshield washer fluid for fleets, called “Transformations™”.

Emterra has operations in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Michigan, USA, including 14 material recovery facilities where it processes recyclables. Emterra annually ships about 500,000 tonnes of recyclable commodities to end-markets in North America and overseas to be re-manufactured into new products.

About EY Entrepreneur Of The Year

EY Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world’s most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The unique award makes a difference through the way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential, and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. As the first and only truly global award of its kind, Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 145 cities in more than 60 countries.

For more information on the program, FAQs and key dates, please visit ey.com/ca/EOY.

About EY

EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

EY is proudly celebrating 150 years in Canada. For more information, please visit ey.com/ca.

EY refers to the global organization and may refer to one or more of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

For further information about EY or the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards, please contact:

Wendy Tsau    
Wendy.Tsau@ca.ey.com
416 941 7792

For further information about Emmie Leung or Emterra, please contact:

Paulina Leung
VP of Corporate Strategy and Business Development
Emterra Group
905.336.9084, ext. 130
Paulina.Leung@emterra.ca