Jim Thunder
While leading his community of Buffalo Point First Nation as hereditary Chief for 30 years, Thunder transformed an empty land into a world-class vacation destination.
C.T. (Manny) Jules
Chief Commissioner and CEO of the First Nations Tax Commission.
2012
Gregory Koostachin
An entrepreneur with 35 years of business leadership in his community Attawapiskat First Nation in northern Ontario.
Dave Tuccaro
Founder, President and CEO of Tuccaro Group of Companies.
2011
Chief Clarence Louie
Elected Chief of the Osoyoos Indian Band since 1985 and employer of hundreds of people at Band owned businesses.
Ruth Williams
CEO of All Nations Trust Company (ANTCO) and has a 25 year history of leadership in social and economic development in the Aboriginal community.
2010
Pita Aatami
President of Makivik Corporation and Chairman of First Air and Director of Air Inuit, both subsidiaries of the Makivik Corporation.
Mervin Dewasha
CEO of Neegan Burnside, an Aboriginal owned engineering firm and has been a leader in encouraging Aboriginal youth to pursue careers in science and engineering.
2009
Jim Boucher
Chief of Fort McKay First Nation and Chairman of the Board of the Fort McKay Group of Companies.
Judith Sayers
Former Chief of the Hupacasath First Nation and current Co-Chair of the Island Corridor Foundation.
2008
Nellie Cournoyea
Chair and CEO of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC) and is a former Premier of the Northwest Territories.
Ron Jamieson
a Mohawk from Six Nations, Ontario, and former Senior Vice President of Aboriginal Banking at the Bank of Montreal.
2007
Victor Buffalo
a Cree from Samson Cree First Nation, business leader and entrepreneur.
Harry Cook
Former Chief of Saskatchewan’s Lac La Range Indian Band First Nation, who oversaw the exceptional success of Kitsaki Development Corporation.
Garfield Flowers
An Inuk from Hopedale, Newfoundland and Labrador.
2006
Fred Carmichael
A Gwich’in from the Northwest Territories and Aboriginal aviation pioneer.
The late Suzanne Rochon-Burnett
A Metis from Ontario who founded the first Aboriginal owned radio station.
2005
The late Dr. Billy “Chief’ Diamond
A northern Quebec Cree, and founder of Air Creebec.
Irvin Goodon
A Metis from Boissevain, Manitoba and founder of Canada’s largest post frame construction company.
