Transformation Awards gala showcases community leaders and innovators 

The 2017 Transformation Awards recipients are: Leadership Award, Dr. Ajay Virmani, CEO of Cargojet; Lifetime Achievement, General Roméo Dallaire, Humanitarian & Retired Senator; Entertainment Award, Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director, Toronto International Film Festival; Professional Excellence, Raj Kothari, Managing Partner, PwC; Development Award, Heather Yang, President, Anderson College.

The Public Service Award goes to Chief Eric Jolliffe, York Regional Police; Enterprise Award, Isaac Olowolafe Jr., CEO, Dream Maker Corporation; Harmony Award, Anita Bromberg, Race Relations & Human Rights Specialist; Innovation Award, Latiq Qureshi, CEO, QLogitek; Community Service, Debbie Douglas, Executive Director, Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants; Media Award, Don Barraclough, President, NationTalk, and Heritage Award, Isabel Cuellar, Executive Director, Canadian Latin Heritage Association.

The awards are presented by the Transformation Institute for Leadership and Innovation as well as Silvertrust Media, which publishes Diversity Magazine. 20,000 copies of Diversity are distributed via blue street boxes, transit stations, shopping centres, GM Dealerships and others in the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. The Transformation Institute also runs the Crossover Mentorship program for youth. The mission is to equip Crossover Ambassadors with tools that change lives for good.

Recipients of the 2017 Transformation Awards are considered for inclusion on the Canada 150 Leadership and Innovation list. The list includes Indigenous success stories, other extraordinary Canadians and immigrants, to commemorate Canada’s 150th anniversary. They will be highlighted in television biography specials, a documentary film and interstitials as a part of the Envision Canada television initiative, developed for broadcast on Canadian and other stations. A world-class coffee table book is also being developed and will profile the 150 leaders and innovators.

This year’s sponsors and lead supporters include: RBC Insurance, Ryerson University, Jodal Health Care, TD Bank, Diversity Magazine, OMNI Television, Afroglobal Television, Skylink Capital, Kii Naturals, ComponentBed Inc., Legacy Magazine, Highburry Canco and Silvertrust Media. The gala is set to be showcased on OMNI Television, Diversity Magazine as well as other media platforms.