ABHF Past Laureates

Jim Thunder

While leading his community of Buffalo Point First Nation as hereditary Chief for 30 years, Thunder transformed an empty land into a world-class vacation destination.

C.T. (Manny) Jules

Chief Commissioner and CEO of the First Nations Tax Commission.

Gregory Koostachin

An entrepreneur with 35 years of business leadership in his community Attawapiskat First Nation in northern Ontario.

Dave Tuccaro

Founder, President and CEO of Tuccaro Group of Companies.

Chief Clarence Louie

Elected Chief of the Osoyoos Indian Band since 1985 and employer of hundreds of people at Band owned businesses.

Ruth Williams

CEO of All Nations Trust Company (ANTCO) and has a 25 year history of leadership in social and economic development in the Aboriginal community.

Pita Aatami

President of Makivik Corporation and Chairman of First Air and Director of Air Inuit, both subsidiaries of the Makivik Corporation.

Mervin Dewasha

CEO of Neegan Burnside, an Aboriginal owned engineering firm and has been a leader in encouraging Aboriginal youth to pursue careers in science and engineering.

Jim Boucher

Chief of Fort McKay First Nation and Chairman of the Board of the Fort McKay Group of Companies.

Judith Sayers

Former Chief of the Hupacasath First Nation and current Co-Chair of the Island Corridor Foundation.

Nellie Cournoyea

Chair and CEO of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC) and is a former Premier of the Northwest Territories.

Ron Jamieson

a Mohawk from Six Nations, Ontario, and former Senior Vice President of Aboriginal Banking at the Bank of Montreal.

Victor Buffalo

a Cree from Samson Cree First Nation, business leader and entrepreneur.

Harry Cook

Former Chief of Saskatchewan’s Lac La Range Indian Band First Nation, who oversaw the exceptional success of Kitsaki Development Corporation.

Garfield Flowers

An Inuk from Hopedale, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Fred Carmichael

A Gwich’in from the Northwest Territories and Aboriginal aviation pioneer.

The late Suzanne Rochon-Burnett

A Metis from Ontario who founded the first Aboriginal owned radio station.

The late Dr. Billy “Chief’ Diamond

A northern Quebec Cree, and founder of Air Creebec.

Irvin Goodon

A Metis from Boissevain, Manitoba and founder of Canada’s largest post frame construction company.