2009-2010

News Release

REF NO.: 177

SUBJECT: Faculty of Business announces Alumni and Entrepreneur of the Year

DATE: April 20, 2010

The Faculty of Business at Memorial University is preparing to celebrate local business leaders at the 26th annual Partners Reception on April 27.
Mr. Ed Martin, president and CEO of Nalcor Energy and graduate of the bachelor of commerce class of 1980 will receive the 2009 Alumni Honour Award in recognition of his ongoing support of the Faculty of Business, exceptional career success and commitment to his community.
The co-founders of Verafin Inc, Jamie King (B.Eng. ’99), Brendan Brothers (B.Eng. ’02) and Raymond Pretty (B.Eng. ’01), will receive the Gardiner Centre’s 2010 Newfoundland and Labrador Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
The event will also recognize the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, the provincial Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development and Memorial University for their commitment to hiring co-op students. 
Dr. Wilfred Zerbe, dean of the Faculty of Business Administration, is looking forward to recognizing these individuals and groups. “The relationship between the business community and our faculty is extremely important. The Partners Reception is an opportunity for us to celebrate that relationship and recognize individuals who are making a difference within our faculty and community,” he said. 
The reception takes place on April 27, 2010 at the Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland. The reception starts at 4:30 p.m., followed by the ceremony at
6 p.m. A limited number of tickets are still available by contacting Wanda Whelan, 737-2182 or wwhelan@mun.ca.   
 
About the winners:
Alumni Honour Award
Ed Martin, B.Comm. (co-op)’80
MBA ’88 (University of Calgary)
 
Ed Martin is the president and CEO of Nalcor Energy. He graduated from St. Michael’s High School in Grand Falls and completed his Bachelor of Commerce (co-op) from Memorial University in 1980 and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Calgary in 1988. Prior to joining Nalcor in 2005, Ed had 25 years experience in onshore and offshore oil and gas with Mobil Oil, Hibernia Management and Development Company and Petro-Canada.
Ed is leading Nalcor Energy in a new direction focused on safety leadership, operational excellence, performance and growth. He currently serves as a board member of the Canadian Electricity Association and an Advisory Board member for Memorial University’s Faculty of Business. He is a founding member of the Newfoundland and Labrador CEO Safety Charter. Ed is also past president of the St. John’s Minor Hockey Association and contributed many years as a board member for St. Bonaventure’s College and the Health Care Foundation.
 
Newfoundland and Labrador
Entrepreneur of the Year Award
Jamie King, B.Eng. ’99
Brendan Brothers, B.Eng. ’02
Raymond Pretty, B.Eng. ‘01
                                                                                                                       
Jamie King, Brendan Brothers and Raymond Pretty are the co-founders of Verafin Inc., a leading provider of anti-money laundering (AML) and anti-fraud solutions for financial institutions. Graduates of Memorial University, they have computer engineering degrees with a specialization in artificial intelligence and have also completed several years of graduate studies.
Verafin was incorporated in 2003 and has grown to become a leading provider of AML and fraud solutions with more than 500 customers in North America. The company currently employs 90 people in St. John’s and was recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in Atlantic Canada in 2008.
Jamie King is an industry expert in the application of technology to the detection and prevention of money laundering and fraud. As the president and CEO he is leading the product development efforts and establishing the long term vision of the company.
Brendan Brothers is focused on the customer-related aspects of the business, from customer support and training to sales and marketing. He has an in-depth understanding of customer needs and how the technology helps to solve the growing and changing problems they face.
Raymond Pretty is dedicated to incorporating advanced technologies into the Verafin application and has a passion for understanding how customers interact with the Verafin solution. This has fueled the constant effort to improve the user experience and deliver applications that are truly user-friendly.
Their combined vision of creating a better solution for financial institutions is what motivates them to always work to discover new processes and new ideas.

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