TORONTO: A record-breaking 6,400 women entrepreneurs were nominated in this year’s Women of Influence’s 2017 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards and multicultural marketing trailblazer, Sharifa Khan has been announced as one of the 18 selected finalists.
Khan, the president and CEO of one of Canada’s longest running multicultural communications agencies, Balmoral Multicultural Marketing is in company with some exceptional finalists from across the country, and is the lone representative this year from the communications industry. These women, including Khan, were chosen for their accomplishments from a host of diverse industries including: finance, technology, construction, hospitality and health services.
Khan is up for the prestigious TELUS Trailblazer Award, a category that searches for Canada’s top trendsetters. The finalists and ultimate winner of this award must have recognized a new market, product, service, technological advancement or opportunity and led the way. She had to demonstrate outstanding leadership, not just within her company, but also within her market, and she had to have set standards for originality, quality and successful management.
“When I started Balmoral 28 years ago, I saw a wave of immigrants coming to Canada – all of whom looked forward to building their lives here as Canadians and while I knew there was an important communications need there, it was just a seed of a dream,” said Khan. “Today, being in company of these incredibly inspiring and accomplished finalists and looking back on my entrepreneurial journey to date, I am so very honoured.”
The RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards will be announcing its winners at this year’s 25th Annual Awards Gala on Wednesday November 22, 2017 at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto. To date, this premier national awards program has received over 75,000 nominations, and selected just 450 finalists who have demonstrated excellence in economic growth and social change both locally and globally, across a multitude of sectors.
The complete list of finalists for the 2017 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Award Finalists are as follows:
Micro Business Award
West: Angel Guerra and Angela Dione, Market Collective
Central: Kalpana Kundra, Unstick by Daughkun
East: Geneviève Lévesque, Arteria Gallery
Staples Start-Up Award
West: Marlo Brausse, Barre Body Studio
Central: Rula Sharkawi, My Little Chickpea
East: Trina Bailey, Bailey Veterinary Surgical Specialty Ltd.
RBC Momentum Award
West: Rachel Mielke, Hillberg & Berk
Central: Mandy Rennehan, Freshco
East: Kara Angus, Go Go Group Inc.
Social Change Award
West: Glori Meldrum, Little Warriors
Central: Melissa Sariffodeen, Ladies Learning Code
East: Cathy Deagle-Gammon, Dartmouth Adult Services Centre DASC
TELUS Trailblazer Award
West: Claudia Sjoberg, The Pedalheads Group
Central: Sharifa Khan, Balmoral Marketing Inc.
East: Natalie Voland, Gestion Immobilière Quo Vadis/Complexe Dompark
TEC Award for Excellence in Entrepreneurship
West: Allison Grafton, Rockwood Custom Homes
Central: Janet Zuccarini, Gusto 54 Restaurant Group
East: Christiane Germain, Groupe Germain Hôtels
These Awards recognizes female business owners from across Canada who make impressive and substantial contributions to the local, Canadian or global economy. Candidates share a strong entrepreneurial vision and a relentless passion in pursing their dreams.
The 2017 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards are presented by RBC. Award sponsors include Staples, RBC, TELUS, TEC Canada and the official Due Diligence partner, Deloitte.