We’re incredibly fortunate to have such an amazing business community in Barrie and Simcoe County. Brimming with an entrepreneurial spirit, it’s no surprise that we have become home for visionaries and innovators.
To help these individuals, Georgian College opened the Henry Bernick Entrepreneurial Centre (HBEC) back in 2012. Their goal was to help make dreams a reality by assisting entrepreneurs in four main areas: training, connections, funding, and mentorship.
As the region's pool of entrepreneurs grew, HBEC decided it was time to showcase the community’s top entrepreneurs. So in 2016, the centre introduced the Henry Bernick Medal Awards. Now called the Henry Bernick Awards, this honour is given to deserving individuals in three categories:
- Student Entrepreneur
- Community Entrepreneur
- Entrepreneurs’ Champion
The awards commemorate the qualities of its namesake: Strength, principle, mentorship, philanthropy, and business acuity. Following the award presentation, attendees will get to hear from keynote speaker, Shawn Kanungo, a globally recognized innovation strategist and bestselling author.
About Shawn Kanungo
Shawn Kanungo is a name many in the entrepreneurial world are familiar with. Not only is he a prolific content creator who has garnered millions of views on social media, but he’s also a published author (The Bold Ones) and has been featured by many prominent media outlets.
A disruption strategist, Kanungo spent 12 years with Deloitte where he worked with leaders to plan for the opportunities that disruptive innovation was presenting. Following his years at Deloitte, Kanungo helped 100s of organizations through their digital transformations. He led complex projects that incorporated:
- Artificial intelligence (AI)
- Cloud technologies
- Behavioural economics
- Web3
- And more
Today, Kanungo advises organizations on disruptive trends through Queen & Rook and invests in early-stage ventures.
Drawing on his extensive experience, Kanungo is sure to deliver a high-energy keynote. During his presentation, he’ll outline a roadmap for the future that embraces the unexpected – something that’s critical to remaining competitive and relevant in the world of innovation.
When speaking with Kunango ahead of the awards, he shared, “I'm incredibly optimistic about the future, about jobs and careers. I think this is the greatest time to be in business – today. We have all the tools that we've ever wanted in our pockets. We have all the ways of getting out our story and to create narratives in our pocket.” He continues, “Those that are nimble and flexible and experimental are those that will win in the future. So my job during my presentation is to help people push to really embrace this idea of innovation.”
Recognized as one of Edify Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 and Inc. magazine’s 100 Most Innovative Leaders, Kanungo is a keynote you won’t want to miss. Kevin Kruse, a contributor for Forbes, has even called him the “best virtual keynote speaker I’ve ever seen”.
The 2023 Henry Bernick Awards
This year’s Henry Bernick Awards take place on May 25 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Georgian Theater at Georgian College. Following the Award Ceremony and Keynote Speaker, there’ll be a Q&A with Kanungo.
Tickets are only $25. If you’re a Georgian College student (or Alumni) tickets are completely free!
For more information and to get your ticket, click here.
