James S. Kinnear, president of Pengrowth Energy Trust, has been named as the Ernst & Young 2001 Entrepreneur Of The Year in the Prairies.

Pengrowth Energy Trust is a Canadian oil and gas producer and one of North America’s largest energy trusts.

Kinnear was among 11 award recipients in nine categories who received honours this week at the Ernst & Young 2001 Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards ceremonies held at Calgary’s Telus Convention Centre.

“Jim Kinnear’s vision, ambition and tenacity toward achieving business excellence make him an outstanding representative of entrepreneurialism across this region and this country,” said John Murphy, director, Prairies’ Entrepreneur Of The Year and office managing partner, Calgary, Ernst & Young.

Kinnear will advance to the national level to compete with the Entrepreneurs Of The Year from the Pacific, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic regions for the title of Canada’s Entrepreneur Of The Year.

In Spring 2002, Canada’s Entrepreneur Of The Year recipient will participate in the competition for the title of World Entrepreneur Of The Year.

The other prairie Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards recipients are:

* Business-to-Business Products & Services: Jennifer Wood, Wood Group of Companies (beef cattle feeding, brokering, financing, supply management, financial risk management, and professional animal health reporting), Edmonton.

* Business-to-Consumer Products & Services: Leo Ledohowski, Canad Corporation (hotel entertainment, accommodation, beverages, amusement centres), Winnipeg.

* E-Business: Chuck Loewen, Online Business Systems (professional consulting regarding e-business strategies and solutions), Winnipeg.

* Emerging Entrepreneur: Daniel Weber and Garnette Weber, Itracks (software developers for market research industry), Saskatoon.

* Energy/Natural Resources: James S. Kinnear, Pengrowth Energy Trust (oil and gas producer, one of North America’s largest energy trusts), Calgary.

* Manufacturing: Robert I. Silver, Western Glove Works Ltd. (manufactures and distributes casual clothing), Winnipeg.

* Professional / Financial Services: Randy Ward, Diversified Staffing Services Ltd. (temporary office and industrial staffing, recruitment, and payroll and benefits provider), Calgary.

* Software and Information Services: Raymond Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk, BioWare Corp. (electronic entertainment (video games) developer), Edmonton.

* Turnaround Entrepreneur: Harvey Sheydwasser, LogiCan Technologies Inc. (electronic manufacturing services), Edmonton.

Arthur DeFehr received the Ernst & Young 2001 Entrepreneur Of The Year Lifetime Achievement award for outstanding entrepreneurial leadership as the president and CEO of Palliser Furniture.

The Lifetime Achievement award is bestowed on individuals who exemplify entrepreneurialism of world-class calibre.

The award winners were picked by a panel of independent judges.