Fogo Island-born entrepreneur Zita Cobb has been named one of four people to be inducted into the 2020 Canadian Business Hall of Fame.
The announcement was made Wednesday by the Canadian Business Hall of Fame in partnership with Junior Achievement (JA) of Canada.
Cobb, who received the Order of Canada in 2016 for her work on Fogo Island with Shorefast Foundation, became known across the country for her work in the high-tech industry. She now focuses on revitalizing the economy and preserving the culture and heritage of Fogo Island, where she spent her childhood. She was the moving force behind the construction and operation of the world-renowned Fogo Island Inn.
Also on the list of the Class of Companion’s, is Gordon C. Gray, former chairman and CEO of A.E. Lepage Ltd., David Patchell-Evans, founder and CEO of Goodlife Fitness, and Calvin Rovinescu, president and CEO of Air Canada.
Created by JA Canada in 1979, the Order of the Business Hall of Fame is the highest honour of its kind for Canada’s business community.
The inductees are recognized for their professional and philanthropic achievements and celebrated for their contributions to Canadian business and Canada as a whole.
The candidates are nominated by their peers on an annual basis and chosen by an independent selection committee consisting of Canada’s foremost business and academic institutions.
“The class of companion inductees for 2020 are a superlative group who have demonstrated excellence in business leadership ...,” David Denison, chancellor of the Order of the Business Hall of Fame, said. “We will commemorate their professional achievements on a national and international scale and their dedication to making Canada a better place to live.”
The Canadian Business Hall of Fame gala dinner and induction ceremony takes place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on May 7, 2020.