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MONTREAL, May 25, 2017 /CNW/ - Four women were honoured at the fifth annual BMO Celebrating Women program in Montreal for their remarkable contribution to business and the community in one of three categories: Innovation and Global Growth, Community and Charitable Giving, and Expansion and Growth in Small Business. The program recognizes female leaders in local communities as part of BMO's commitment to drive the advancement of women.
At the Montreal event, the following honourees were recognized:
- Innovation and Global Growth: Francine Guay. Ms. Guay is the President of M.I. Integration, which specializes in supplying injected component molds in the automotive sector. She began the company in 1984 and has grown it to two plants – one in Sherbrooke and the second in Mexico.
- Community and Charitable Giving: Dr. Brenda Milner. At 98 years old, Dr. Milner is a full-time professor at McGill University and researcher at the Montreal Neurological Institute. In 2007, she established the Brenda Milner Foundation with the funds she received through grants and awards in her career to support neuropsychological research.
- Community and Charitable Giving: Vickie Joseph. Ms. Joseph is the founder and designer of Nu.i by Vickie, the co-founder and President of V Kosmetik and the editor-in-chief of BisB magazine. She and her husband co-founded Groupe 3737, a business incubator, and injected $4 million into the renovation of 3737 Crémazie. Ms. Joseph was recently named the Ambassador of the BCHM, a non-profit organization that helps to integrate vulnerable families in Montreal into society.
- Expansion and Growth in Small Business: Geneviève Hardy. Ms. Hardy is the Executive Director of Hardy Filtration Inc., which manufactures a variety of filtration products for various applications. In 2015, Hardy Filtration Inc. was granted financial assistance through the Quebec Economic Development Program to receive equipment to facilitate its expansion into international markets.
"These talented women encourage others in the community and beyond, and deserve to be recognized for the positive work they've done," said Mario Rigante, Senior Vice President, Quebec Division, BMO Bank of Montreal. "We will continue to engage in and grow initiatives that help with the advancement of women."
The BMO Celebrating Women program follows the bank's second Catalyst Award win for its industry-leading work to accelerate diversity and inclusion in its workplace and dedication to gender equality.
In addition, BMO has partnerships with organizations such as GroYourBiz, WBE Canada, Women Presidents' Organization, SheEO and Catalyst. It has also developed products that address the needs of its female clients, including the recent Women in Leadership Mutual Fund – the first impact investing mutual fund offered by a Canadian bank focused on gender diversity – and spearheaded studies around women entrepreneurs, such as A Force to Reckon With: Women, Entrepreneurs & Risk – an eye-opening report in partnership with Carleton University that debunked myths around the notion of women being risk averse.
For more information about BMO Celebrating Women, please visit: bmoforwomen.com and join the social conversation using #BMOforWomen.
About BMO Financial Group
Established in 1817, and currently marking its 200th year of operations, BMO Financial Group is a highly diversified financial services provider based in North America. With total assets of $719 billion as of April 30, 2017, and more than 45,000 employees, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets.
SOURCE BMO Financial Group
