JA announces Business Hall of Fame 2022 laureates
Tina Bax and Michelle Quintyn will be inducted into the London and District Business Hall of Fame in October
Photo: 2022 JA London and District Business Hall of Fame inductees Tina Bax and Michelle Quintyn
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT SOUTH Western Ontario has announced this year’s laureates to be inducted into the JA London and District Business Hall of Fame.
Each year, in recognition of outstanding contributions and ethics in business, Hall of Fame laureates are nominated and selected by respected members of the London and area business community.
Tina Bax, founder and former president of CultureWorks ESL and founder of Canada Immigration Pathway, and Michelle Quintyn, president and CEO, Goodwill Industries, Ontario Great Lakes, were announced as the 2022 laureates in a presentation held on Thursday.
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Bax founded English skills training program CultureWorks ESL in 1998. Specializing in providing English skills training to international students bound for Canadian post-secondary institutions, CultureWorks was a public-private partnership first in Canada and has graduated thousands of students to Canadian colleges and universities.
“I’m honoured to accept this wonderful award on behalf of the CultureWorks team and students,” says Bax. “Our contributions in the classroom made a difference in their lives; and now their lives will contribute to the strength of Canada, forever.”
Bax sold the majority stake in CultureWorks in 2021 and has subsequently launched Canada Immigration Pathway, working with immigrant entrepreneurs coming to Canada to pair them with best-fit investors and advisors.
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As president and CEO of Goodwill Industries, Ontario Great Lakes, Quintyn has dedicated her career to building social enterprise, inclusive economies and community-minded developments. Under her watch, Goodwill Industries, Ontario Great Lakes has grown to become 1 $59-million enterprise with 1,200 employees training and working on several platforms, including thrift/recycling, food and hospitality, light manufacturing, power industrial sewing and commercial/industrial contracts.
On the social enterprise front, Quintyn has helped conceptualize and launch Edgar and Joe’s Café, Goodwill Commercial Solutions and an emerging social enterprise collaboration called WORTH ― a fully circular, re-manufactured product line comprised of post consumer textiles heading to waste.
“My work and collaborations have focused on building inclusive, equitable and sustainable economies that uphold all people,” says Quintyn. “It is a privilege and an honour to have this work recognized.”
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Established in 1990, the JA London and District Business Hall of Fame supports the work of JA throughout Southwestern Ontario. It was created to honour respected members of London and District’s business community, past and present, for their outstanding contributions to business, entrepreneurship and philanthropy.
The 2022 London and District Business Hall of Fame Inductees will be joining a distinguished list of previous laureates whose portraits are showcased in the London and District Business Hall of Fame Gallery located in the London Public Library, downtown London.
Bax and Quintyn will be celebrated at an induction ceremony on October 2o, 2022, at RBC Place London. 