Judging Process
The Ontario Business Achievement Awards’ judging process relies on the expertise of an impartial panel of experts whose background and experience provide the needed independence to select award recipients that epitomize the spirit of the OBAA categories.
The panel is comprised of leading figures from the Ontario business community, academia and past OBAA winners.
Judge Criteria:
- Proven achiever or demonstrated leader in Ontario.
- Strong contributor to Ontario community and/or economy.
- Business related experience as it pertains the award categories, such as; export, leadership, innovation, diversity and inclusion, sustainability, etc.
- Past business awards judging experience preferred but not required.
- Must disclose any conflicts of interest.
Meet the 2019 OBAA Judges
Ashlee Froese – Principal at Froese Law
| Ashlee Froese is a Toronto-based branding and fashion lawyer and trademark agent, who founded Froese Law, a boutique cross border branding law firm. Ashlee is recognized as a Certified Specialist in Trademarks Law by the Law Society of Ontario and has been ranked as one of the top 1000 trademarks lawyers globally. Ashlee’s scope of practice includes trademarks, copyright, licensing, domain name, social media, marketing, advertising, packaging and labelling laws and negotiation and drafting of commercial agreements. |
Don Ludlow – Regional Vice President, Business Financial Services, Southwestern Ontario, Royal Bank of Canada
| Don is leading a team of financial service professionals focused on helping small and mid-market companies succeed and grow in the marketplace. Previous roles at RBC include National Head of Specialized Sales, Vice President, Commercial Markets, Director of Corporate Strategy and Development and Senior Manager in the Corporate Marketing Department.
Don currently serves on the Board (and co-founder) of the Treble Victor Group (3V), the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and Northstar Trade Finance Corporation. |
Adrienne Batra – Editor in Chief of the Toronto Sun and 24Hours Toronto
| In June of 2015, Adrienne Batra was appointed as the Editor in Chief of the Toronto Sun and 24Hours Toronto. She has appeared on Fox Business News, CNN and BBC and is a frequent contributor on Global News and CTV News Channel, CBC, CP24 and AM640. |
Ana Pereira – Professor, George Brown College
| Ana Pereira is a Professor in the Center for Business at George Brown College in Toronto.
An accomplished Retail Executive who has built a reputation for her expertise in areas of Retail Strategy, E-Commerce, Merchandising, Global Sourcing, Product Development, Inventory Management, Branding, and Marketing – with experience working and living in Canada and the U.S. |
Beth Potter – President & CEO, Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO)
| Beth Potter is the President & CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO). TIAO advocates to create an environment for growth for tourism – a sector that represents 4% of Ontario’s GDP.
With more then 25 years of experience in the not-for-profit sector, Beth has worked with a variety of boards, committees and volunteers from all walks of life. Current board positions include: Metro Toronto Convention Centre; Ted Rogers School of Hospitality & Tourism Management Advisory Council; and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. |
Dr. Narongsak (Tek) Thongpapanl – Professor of Marketing and Product Innovation, Goodman School of Business (Canada), Brock University’s CCOVI Research Fellow (Canada), and Chiang Mai University’s RAC Research Fellow (Thailand)
Dr. Thongpapanl received his B.S. (magna cum laude) in Electrical Engineering, and his M.B.A. in Technological Entrepreneurship, and his Ph.D. in Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York (U.S.A.). His main research and teaching interests include new product development, innovation and technology management, e-commerce/m-commerce, wine marketing and business management, strategic marketing management in high-tech environments, marketing knowledge creation and management in highly dynamic settings, and the integration of marketing and technology competences.
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