The president and CEO of a major Langley company has been named a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
Thomas Leavitt, of Leavitt Machinery, was announced as the winner for the Pacific Region, and will now be up for the national entrepreneur of the year as well.
The winner will be announced at a gala next month (Nov. 25).
He is up against regional winners from the Prairies, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic regions for title of Canada’s Entrepreneur of the Year.
“Thomas is a true innovator,” said Lui Petrollini, the Entrepreneur of the Year Pacific program director.
“He turned a good idea into a successful business that thrives on innovative thinking.
“From businesses processes to new technologies, Thomas’ desire for continuous improvement is what sets him apart.”
The dedication to continuous improvement also extends to the community, as the Langley City man and his wife established Harvest for Humanity in 2010.
The charity supports children and education in Haiti and the Philippines.
Through the organization, Leavitt Machinery has helped create several self-sustaining, income-generating and educational projects in developing or economically struggling areas.
Leavitt founded his company in 2001 after recognizing the need for a multifaceted equipment provision and services company in the market.
In just over a decade, he has grown Leavitt Machinery into one of the leading material handling equipment dealers in Canada and beyond.
The company provides sales, rental, servicing and operator/safety training for new and used material-handling equipment in western Canada and the United States.
