Doug Ellis Ontario East EDO of the Year
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The Doug Ellis Ontario East EDO of the Year Award is presented in memory of Ontario East Economic Development Commission founder and longtime organizer of the Ontario East Municipal Conference.
Nominations for the 2026 award are now open.
Deadline to submit: August 7, 2027.
Effective in 2025 the Ontario East EDO of the Year Award will be presented in memory of Ontario East Economic Development Commission founder and longtime organizer of the Ontario East Municipal Conference, Doug Ellis who passed away in September 2024.
Economic Developer of the Year Award
Ontario East Economic Development is seeking nominations to recognize an economic development practitioner in Eastern Ontario as the Economic Developer of the Year at the Ontario East Municipal Conference (OEMC) to be held in Ottawa, Ontario on September 9-11, 2026.
Nominations are open to all Active and Associate Members of the Ontario East Economic Development Commission. If you wish to nominate an individual, see the following nomination form to be completed and sent to Ontario East Economic Development by the deadline of 4:00 p.m. Friday, August 7th, 2026.
For more information, please contact Erica Lattimore, Program Administrator, Ontario East Economic Development Commission at info@ontarioeast.ca or by calling 613-634-8569.
The Ontario East Economic Development Commission (Ontario East) recognized Amber Coville, Executive Director, Valley Heartland Community Futures Development Corporation as the “Doug Ellis Ontario East EDO of the Year” during the Ontario East Municipal Conference (OEMC) hosted at the Ottawa Conference and Event Centre September 17-19, 2025.
Sponsored by
The award is sponsored by ResearchFDI, one of Canada’s leading investment attraction agencies, founded by Bruce Takefman, who is a member of the awards selection committee.
Congratulations to our Doug Ellis Ontario East EDO of the Year Award Recipients
2025: Amber Coville, Executive Director, Valley Heartland Community Futures Development Corporation
2023: Vicki Bristow Ferguson, Business Development Officer, Quinte Economic Development Commission
2022: Bob Peters, Manager of Economic Development, City of Cornwall
2021: Donna Gillespie, CEO, Kingston Economic Development Corporation
2019: Katie Nolan, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
2017: Ann Weir, United Counties of Leeds & Grenville
2016: Anne Marie Young, County of Frontenac
2015: Linda Lisle, City of Quinte West
2014: Rob Hunter, EcD, Township of North Dundas
2013: David C. Paul, EcD, City of Brockville
2011: John Paul Shearer, Kingston
2010: Judy Selvig, Municipality of Port Hope
2009: Mark Boileau, City of Cornwall
2008: Rita Byvelds, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs
2007: Karen Poste, City of Belleville
2006: Norman Anderson, Renfrew Industrial Commission
2005: Jay Amer, EcD, Peterborough
2004: Shellee Evans, Town of Perth
2003: Paul Blais, County of Lennox & Addington
2002: Terry Lapierre, EcD, County of Renfrew
2001: Paul W. Fitzpatrick, City of Cornwall
2000: Chris King, Quinte Economic Development Commission
1999: Vic B. Allen, South Grenville
1998: James de Pater, United Counties of Stormont Dundas & Glengarry
1997: David C. Paul, EcD, City of Brockville
