Welcome everyone, and thanks for joining us this evening.  Let me offer sincere thanks to our Board of Governors, our great Partners at WestJet, at Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, at the National Post and to everyone who shared their success with us at our 2nd Annual Corporate Culture Institute which took place earlier this afternoon, here at the Four Seasons.

Last year at this time, we were all feeling uncertain, unsettled, and anxious about the global recession and the impact it was having on our personal and professional lives.  I think most of us feel differently a year later; perhaps more confident and optimistic about what lies ahead.

The trust is that in Canada, although we have had our challenges, we are much better off in this recovery than many other G10 nations.  Our employment rates, housing starts and GDT are outpacing most of the G10 nations since the recession.  But I believe it is more than this.  I believe it has to do with our own national make-up or culture: understated yet resilient and determined.  Words that can also describe our honourees tonight. 

How did the Canada’s 10 winners do this?  How did they achieve great things in 2009 while so many others stumbled?

The performance of Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures of 2009, in terms of three-year compounded annual revenue growth, outpaced the S&P/TSX by an average of over 300% - or, three times/bears repeating.  Quite simply – outstanding corporate cultures have a significant impact on performance.  Culture is an incredibly valuable asset – we at Waterstone would argue, *the* most valuable asset an organization can have. 

The store of the Canada’s 10 program is a story of performance – it’s about organizations that set ambitious goals, make considerable investments, fuel expansion and of course have exceptional leadership.  There is a lot that we can learn from Canada’s 10 of 2009, from the program’s former winners and from our Hall of Fame inductees.  In fact, as I reflected on what is common among our current and past winners, it occurred to me that we have the perfect analogy staring us in the face today.  And that is, Canada’s approach to the upcoming Winter Olympic Games.  Just after Vancouver/Whistler were awarded the games in 2003, the Canadian Olympic Committee set a lofty goal to “own the podium”.  When most of us heard this – we thought it to be unrealistic and perhaps overly ambitious for Canada to dominate the medal count.  But today, 7 years later, we feel it is not only a possibility, but was within reach. 

Some of you may have heard that Daniel Johnson, an associate professor of economics at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, has predicted that Canada, for the first time ever, will win the most Olympic medals of any nation at the games – at 27 medals.  Johnson’s crystal ball has been 95% accurate when predicting Olympic medal counts.  Why do we feel this way now, what changed?
What changed is that the Canadian Olympic Committee started by creating a culture of winning…and it started with the rallying cry of “owning the podium”…The truth is Canada took action.  Our governments put sport on the front burner and came through with investment; we retained and recruited more and better athletes and coaches to take up the cause; and as a result we started to succeed; while our media captured the stories of Canadian athletes on the move.  Then, beginning in October of 2009, most of us started to follow the torch run as it made its way through our own communities…and this inspirational voyage has armed us with confidence, belief and pride.  And it’s contagious!

And this is exactly the store of Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures past and present.  Canada’s 10 set ambitious goals and in spite of tough times in 2009.  They worked hard to retain their best people and recruit the best new ones.  Canada’s 10 Most Admired know that leadership shapes corporate culture and culture drives the behaviour that generates results.

My challenge to all the winners is to take your outstanding achievement of being one of Canada’s 10 to the next level.  Let it push you forward to continue to set more lofty goals, to give you the courage to invest in retaining your best people and to find new stars that fit your cultures.  This will be harder in 2010 as 40% of the Canadian workforce will reach retirement age this year!

Canada’s 10 winners know celebrating corporate culture is not just a once a year thing but like the Olympic torch run…it is an each-and-every-day thing.  Your cultures, like the torch, provide the light to guide your people forward to achieve exceptional results.

In closing, I’d like to tell you what I think the real value is of this program.  The real value is this roomful of people here tonight – best-in-class organizations gathering to celebrate winning corporate cultures.

Tonight, we are recognizing the importance of great workplaces, but more importantly – great workplaces where culture impacts performance.  That’s what sets this award apart.  That is what sets YOU apart.

We are fortunate at Waterstone to have the privilege to find and work with many of the best people across our great nation.  And earlier today, through the Corporate Culture Institute – we were able to share some of these stories and best practices with you.  But only on rare occasions like this, do we get a chance to celebrate with you.  And as Canadians, I think we can all agree, we have a lot to celebrate and be thankful for.  So this makes tonight very special. 

Merci d’avoir été presents ici aujourd’hui, avec nous.  Nous espérons vous revoir en 2011, pour le 6 anniversaire des prix des 10 Cultures.  D’entreprises les plus admirées au Canada.

So let’s get on with celebrating the great achievements of Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures.  Let the games begin!

Thank you.