Rules – Person of the Year Awards

The Person of the Year Awards are presented by Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton LLP. (“RCGT”) in association with the John Molson School of Business (“JMSB”) (collectively the “Organizers”). The contest will take place from September 11, 2019 at midnight (eastern daylight time EDT)) to November 30, 2019 at 11:59 p.m. (eastern standard time (EST)).

Eligibility
All candidates must comply with all of the eligibility criteria in order to be nominated.
This contest is open to entrepreneurs and C-Suite executives, anywhere in Quebec, of a public or private corporation that has been operating in Quebec since at least January 1, 2016.
The Instinct award (described below) is also open to a leader of an investment team that is part of an investment management company or a financial institution providing capital, including, but not limited to: private equity group, venture capital fund, family office, pension fund, or labour-sponsored fund. For greater clarity, the Instinct prize will be awarded to the investment team leader and to the main executive of the company for which the transaction was performed, and together, they will be considered a single winner.
Candidates must have actively participated in their business’s recent growth.
The candidate’s business must be a growing private or public corporation and must be registered and have been operating in Quebec since January 1, 2016. Businesses headquartered outside Quebec are eligible provided they meet all other requirements contained herein.
RCGT and the JMSB, their employees, representatives, agents, independent directors, directors and governors and selection committee members and persons with whom they are domiciled are not eligible to participate in this contest.
A past recipient of a Person of the Year award may not participate in the competition for the three years following his or her nomination.

Awards

The Person of the Year awards will be given to four (4) entrepreneurs or C-Suite executives, with the exception of the Instinct award which may be given to the person mentioned in paragraph 4 herein, during the May 2020 Awards Gala in Montréal, that is, one winner (designated as “winner” in the contest documents and communications) per category, as described in greater detail in paragraph 19.
The four (4) winners will receive a Person of the Year trophy at the Gala Awards Night in May 2020 in Montreal. Details regarding the time and location of the awards will be communicated to the finalists when they are selected.
The four (4) winners will be entitled to five (5) hours of executive coaching offered by the John Molson Executive Centre.
The Person of the Year category winner will be invited to participate in the John Molson Executive MBA Class Champion program as guest champion of the 2020-2022 cohort.
A profile of the finalists and their achievements will be promoted at rcgt.com/award as well as in a promotional campaign with our media partners.
RCGT will grant a licence to use the logos of the winners of the Person of the Year Awards and a licence to use the logos of the finalists, who will be able to use the logos in accordance with the rules and conditions provided to them. This licence may be revoked at any time by RCGT and any other use will require prior written approval by RCGT.

How to participate

Registration forms are available at rcgt.com/awards and will need to be submitted directly online.
Completed participation forms must be received by RCGT by 11:59 p.m. (EST) on November 30, 2019. However, RCGT will accept forms up until December 13, 2019, by 11:59 p.m. (EST), only for those who will have expressed their interest to RCGT in taking part in the contest before November 30, 2019.
Incomplete or late nominations will automatically be disqualified.
The nomination must not exceed the number of characters specified for each question.
A candidate may submit a nomination for up to two (2) categories and must meet the following criteria:
a) For the “Eclipse” category: Entrepreneur or C-Suite executive of a growing business that eclipses the competition and transforms its industry through the provision of innovative products or services, the use or development of emerging technology or through the creation of new business models.
b) For the “Glocal” category: Entrepreneur or C-Suite executive who has contributed to the international advancement of a Quebec-based company and created jobs locally. Sales abroad must be a minimum of $10M and represent at least 25% of total revenue based on the last fiscal year.
c) For the “Instinct” category: Leader of an investment team that is part of an investment management company or a financial institution providing capital, including, but not limited to: private equity group, venture capital fund, family office, pension fund, or labour-sponsored fund. Thanks to his/her flair and innovative strategy, this leader carried out an investment or financing in 2018 or in 2019 that enabled a private Quebec company to complete a transformational project (strategic expansion, merger, acquisition, transfer, etc.) that ensures its development and growth. The transaction’s value must be between $25M and $250M. This award will be given to the investment team leader and main executive of the company for which the transaction was performed.
d) For the “Person of the Year” category: Entrepreneur or C-Suite executive whose vision and leadership have carried the organization to a new level, who fosters a work environment that enables the talent to unlock their full potential, and whose social and community involvement stands out.

Finalist selection process

The sixteen (16) finalists will be notified by phone or email by March 16, 2020 and will be required to keep the information confidential until the finalists are officially unveiled by RCGT and the JMSB.
The sixteen (16) finalists will be selected by RCGT professionals and graduates of the JMSB MBA and Executive MBA programs. Anne-Marie Croteau, PhD, Dean of the John Molson School of Business will oversee governance.
Finalists will be selected based on a scoring grid for each selection criteria, including:
a) Scope of their accomplishments (risks taken, dedication, perseverance, etc.);
b) Leadership style;
c) Vision;
d) Innovation;
e) Social and community involvement;
f) Contribution to the company’s financial growth.
Candidates do not have to meet all the selection criteria to submit their nomination. Candidates who do well in several selection criteria could get a better score from the selection committee.
Finalists may be subject to RCGT’s due diligence process and must be available in March 2020 to provide additional information. The selection committee might request an interview.

Winner selection process

The selection of the four (4) winners will be made by a selection committee composed of three (3) members of the JMSB and three (3) figures from the business community. Anne-Marie Croteau, PhD, Dean of the John Molson School of Business will oversee governance.
The selection committee will select the four (4) winners by analyzing and scoring each finalist based on a scoring grid for each selection criteria.
The selection committee’s choice of the four (4) winners will be final and completed by April 30, 2020.
The winners will be announced at the Gala Awards Night in May 2020, in Montreal.

General terms and conditions

Verification. Nomination forms are subject to verification by the contest organizers. Any nomination form that is incomplete, illegible, mutilated, fraudulent, or late, contains an invalid or otherwise non-compliant telephone number, may be rejected and will not be eligible for nomination or an award, as the case may be.
Disqualification. Contest organizers reserve the right to disqualify a candidate or to cancel a candidate’s nomination if he/she participates or attempts to participate in this contest using means that are in violation of these rules or that are unfair to the other candidates (e.g. nomination submitted after the deadline).
Personal information. By participating in the contest, the candidates consent to the collection, use and disclosure of their personal information by RCGT, the JMSB and their representatives, in order to administer the contest and to give the award, if applicable. RCGT and the JMSB agree to handle the personal information related to candidates in accordance with applicable legislation and regulations. The personal information requested on the nomination form (including the last name, first name, contact information and occupation) will be collected, used and processed by RCGT, the JMSB and their representatives, if applicable, including the graduates of the JMSB MBA and Executive MBA programs participating in the evaluation of nominations and the selection committee, exclusively for the purposes of the Person of the Year Awards and will not be used for any other purpose without the express consent of the candidates. The representatives and subcontractors of RCGT and the JMSB who are given access to the personal information collected for the Person of the Year Awards must comply with these terms and conditions. We are reasonable taking steps to ensure that only employees who require access to personal information in the course of their duties have access to it. The contact information of candidates will be used to communicate with them as part of the various steps of the contest, and the last names, first names and occupations will be used to review and administer participation in the contest as well as for promotional or advertising purposes (without notice or compensation) if a candidate is a finalist and/or winner of the contest. Candidates may, upon request, consult and update their personal information under the care and control of RCGT and/or the JMSB and may correct any errors in that information, in accordance with applicable laws and subject to prior verification of the identity of the requester. For questions regarding personal information or to request access or correction, candidates can contact us at [email protected].
Financial information. Any financial information provided will be treated as confidential and will be viewed only by RCGT and the JMSB and their representatives, as well as the selection committee and JMSB MBA and Executive MBA graduates involved in the selection of the sixteen (16) finalists and four (4) winners of the Person of the Year Awards.
Acceptance of the award. The price must be accepted as is and is not redeemable for cash nor exchangeable. RCGT and the JMSB reserve the right to withdraw or replace the award without notice. The award may be subject to other terms and conditions of use.
Interviews and events. The winners and finalists of the Person of the Year Awards may be invited to participate in interviews or events with the media and they agree, with reasonable notice, to send a representative to these events.
Limitation of liability: use of the award. By participating in this contest, the candidate who wins an award waives the liability of RCGT, the JMSB, its students and the selection committee, any corporation, company, trust or other legal entity controlled by or bound to them, their advertising and promotional agencies, their associates, employees, agents, representatives, directors, governors and mandataries (the “beneficiaries”) for any damages they might incur by accepting or making use of the award.
Limited liability – participation in the contest. By participating or attempting to participate in this contest, any person shall indemnify and hold harmless the beneficiaries from any and all damages that may result from their participation or attempted participation in the contest.
Limited liability – how the contest works. The beneficiaries are not liable for any malfunctioning component in a computer, software, network or line of communication, for any loss or absence of network communication or for any transmission that is defective, incomplete, incomprehensible or erased by any computer or network or that might limit or prevent any person’s ability to participate in the contest. The beneficiaries are also not liable for any damage or loss that may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, by downloading any Internet page, software or other software and by transmitting any information relating to participation in the contest.
Authorization. In taking part in this contest, the candidates selected as a finalist authorizes the contest organizers and their representatives to use, if required, their name, photo, image, voice, signature or statement regarding the award for promotional purposes, together or separately, in whole or in part, namely through the reproduction, representation, adaptation, dissemination or in any other way as determined by RCGT, the JMSB or their representatives, on any media, without any form of compensation.
Ownership. The declaration form is the property of the contest organizers and will in no way be returned to the candidate selected for an award.
For more information about the contest, visit rcgt.com/awards or contact Gabrielle Drolet at 514-878-2692, extension 5761 or by email at [email protected].