Banker, organization manager and entrepreneur
SUMMERSIDE – March 9, 2017 – The three new “dragons” that RDÉE Prince Edward Island has just recruited probably aren’t able to breathe fire but they are certainly qualified to serve as judges for the 2017 Dragons’ Contest being held Saturday, March 18, at the Centre Belle-Alliance in Summerside.
Contest coordinator Nicole Allain says the RDÉE is extremely pleased to have these three experts – a banker, an executive director of national organizations and an entrepreneur/executive director – to evaluate the seven-minute pitches of the contest’s three finalists.
“Mr. Jean Bigeau, executive director of RDÉE Canada, Alfred Arsenault, general manager of the Evangeline-Central Credit Union, and Daniel Bourgeois, executive director of the Centre Belle-Alliance and owner of two businesses, certainly won’t have an easy job,” says Allain. “All three contestants have very solid entrepreneurial projects that all have enormous economic potential. Our dragons will have to make their decision after hearing brief presentations and having asked but a few questions.”
However, once they’ll have finished deliberating, they’ll have the pleasant task of awarding $10,000 and a series of other prizes to one of the contestants. The finalists are Jérémie Arsenault from Simple Feast Catering, Sylvain and Madison Gagné from Gagné Blueberries and Ghislaine Cormier from Kaneshii Vinyl Press.
The contest will last a maximum of one hour. Admission is free.
Here are the “dragons”:
JEAN-GUY BIGEAU – Originally from Tracadie, N.B., Jean-Guy Bigeau became president and executive director of RDÉE Canada in 2015. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology as well as a certificate in public administration and industrial relations. For more than 25 years, Bigeau has been executive director of several provincial and national organizations, such as the Carrefour francophone de la région de Sudbury, the Association d’études canadiennes, the Carrefour canadien international and the Quebec municipality of Chelsea. From 1999 to 2011, he was the president and executive director of the Katimavik national youth program. He led a team of more than 275 employees working on major projects throughout Canada.
ALFRED ARSENAULT – Born in Mont-Carmel, Alfred Arsenault completed his bachelor degree in administration at the University of Moncton in 19988. The following year, he was hired as a loan officer at Evangeline Credit Union. He was promoted to assistant manager in 1993 and general manager in 1997. Under his guidance, the financial institution changed its name to Evangeline-Central Credit Union and tripled its expanse: it now has three successful branches. Throughout the years, Arsenault served on the board of several organizations, including PEI Credit Union Central. He is now corporate secretary of the Credit Union PEI Investment Corporation and a director of League Data. At this event, he will be representing PEI Credit Unions.
DANIEL BOURGEOIS – Originally from New Brunswick, Daniel Bourgeois is currently executive director of La Belle-Alliance, the global development organization of the East-Prince Acadian and francophone community. This means he manages the Centre Belle-Alliance, a convention centre and a catering service that employs 10 permanent and contractual employees. He is also general manager of the Institut Beaubassin, an institute of basic and applied research that he founded in 2008, as well as the artistic production company Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, which he created in 1987. He previously managed the Institut canadien de recherche en politiques et en administration publique and the Société Saint-Thomas-d’Aquin. He also served as elected representative with the City of Moncton and the Francophone Southwest School District of New Brunswick.
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CUTLINE: The three judges or “dragons” of the 2017 Dragons’ Contest, from left, are Jean-Guy Bigeau, Alfred Arsenault and Daniel Bourgeois.
For more information:
Nicole Allain
Coordinator
2017 Dragons’ Contest
(902) 370-7333, poste 401
dragons@rdeeipe.org