Montreal, Quebec
Oct. 22, 2015 - Corporate

François-Xavier Souvay, president and founder of Lumenpulse (TSX: LMP), a world leader in LED lighting, is the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2015 Quebec.

'François-Xavier Souvay is an entrepreneur for Québec to be very proud of,' says Luc Charbonneau, EY's Québec Entrepreneur Of The Year program co-director. 'He has built and continues to build a world-class company that creates jobs all over the world. His entrepreneurial drive is endlessly impressive and this is a well-deserved award.'

Seeing the digital change looming on the horizon, François-Xavier founded Lumenpulse in 2006 to fuse the worlds of lighting and electronics. Looking to become a global leader in LED lighting for architectural needs, François-Xavier is well on his way. Lumenpulse is now a publicly-traded company that manufactures and markets over 300 award-winning products and has expanded its presence to the US, Europe and Asia.

'With his relentless pursuit of innovation, François-Xavier is a shining example of a game-changing entrepreneur,' says Daniel Baer, EY's Québec Entrepreneur Of The Year program co-director. 'Thanks to his leadership, Lumenpulse's research and development strategy has landed the company an impressive 59 patents for its innovative products and another 70 patents pending. With that kind of forward-thinking approach, Lumenpulse has become a luminary in the industry, light years ahead of its competition.'

By helping accelerate the adoption of LED lights - an alternative to traditional lighting systems that has energy and environmental benefits - Souvay is building a real legacy. He's passionate about educating people about the technology, and is also a generous philanthropist who supports a variety of charities in areas of education and health.

'I'm very proud to have been named Entrepreneur of the Year for Quebec,' Mr. Souvay said. 'This tremendous honour is a testament to the growth strategy we put in place, and our commitment to innovation and sustainable LED lighting technology. It's also an acknowledgement of the passion, dedication and hard work of all Lumenpulse employees around the world.'


What's next?
As the Québec region's EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2015, François-Xavier will compete with top entrepreneurs from the Pacific, Atlantic, Prairies and Ontario regions for the national honour of Canada's EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2015, to be presented at a gala celebration on 24 November 2015 in Toronto. In June 2016, Canada's EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2015 will move to the world stage to compete with more than 50 country recipients for the title of EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year.

More information

Follow @EYCanada, #EOY and #EOYQuebec on Twitter for the latest event updates. Visit ey.com/ca/eoy for more program details and a complete list of category finalists and gala dates in the regions.

About EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™

EY Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world's most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The unique award makes a difference through the way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential, and recognizes the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. As the first and only truly global award of its kind, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 140 cities in 50 countries.

This year's national program sponsors are TEC Canada, La Presse, ICI RDI, TMX, Merrill DataSite, Kira Talent, Air Canada, The Printing House Limited. Prairies regional sponsors are Business in Calgary and Business in Edmonton magazines.

About EY's Strategic Growth Markets Network

EY's worldwide Strategic Growth Markets Network is dedicated to serving the changing needs of high-growth companies. For more than 30 years, we've helped many of the world's most dynamic and ambitious companies grow into market leaders. Whether working with international mid-cap companies or early-stage venture-backed businesses, our professionals draw upon their extensive experience, insight and global resources to help your business succeed.

About EY

EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. For more than 150 years in Canada, we've delivered the insights and quality services that help build trust and confidence in capital markets here and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

For more information about the program, FAQs and key dates, please visit ey.com/ca/EOY.

*Photo by Martine Larose.

distributed by