Paul Mastronardi named Ontario's Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year
Paul Mastronardi named Ontario's Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year
Paul Mastronardi, president and chief executive officer of Mastronardi Produce, based in Kingsville, ON, has been named Ontario's 2013 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the Food & Beverage category.
Entrepreneur of the Year celebrates the contribution and spirit of entrepreneurs everywhere. The Canadian program is in its 20th year of honoring the country's most impressive entrepreneurs from all areas of business.
Paul Mastronardi (center) with Steamwhistle Brewery Presidents Greg Taylor and Cam Heaps."I'm extremely honored to be selected as EY Entrepreneur of the Year Food & Beverage Category winner," Mastronardi said in a press release. "This is a fantastic network of business-oriented individuals who support each other and share ideas and inspiration and I'm proud to be a part of that."
Mastronardi's passion for flavor led him to search the world for great-tasting tomatoes back in 1995, according to the press release. He then pioneered the concept of branding and packaging tomatoes in North America. Today, as a fourth-generation family member and president of Mastronardi Produce Ltd., he leads his team in innovative business practices to bring flavorful greenhouse produce to consumers across the world.
Last year's winners, Steamwhistle Brewery Presidents Greg Taylor and Cam Heaps, were on hand to present the award to Mastronardi.
"Entrepreneurs like Paul Mastronardi turn us on -- to new ideas, new ways of thinking and new possibilities," Colleen McMorrow, National and Ontario EY Entrepreneur of the Year program director, said in the press release. "We've been celebrating entrepreneurs for 20 years in Canada, and we're very proud to shine the spotlight on Paul Mastronardi of Mastronardi Produce Ltd. as the Food &Beverage Category Winner of Ontario's 2013 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year."