Winnipeg, MB (Wednesday, February 10, 2010) - Justin Kathan has been named the 2010 Student Entrepreneur Manitoba Champion by national charitable organization, Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship (ACE) and proud program supporter, CIBC. Justin is the owner of KuRV Apparel, as well as a consulting company owning the Manitoba license to operate DECO Windshield Repair. In addition Justin is a full time student at the University of Manitoba.

Since 2008, Justin has owned and operated DECO Windshield Repair within Manitoba, a service that provides expert windshield chip and crack repair within 15 minutes, often at no cost to the customer through comprehensive insurance coverage; which additionally saves thousands of windshields from landfills each year. More recently, Justin launched his second business - KuRV Apparel, a company providing high school students with an easy way to purchase, customize, and order high school graduation clothing.

Justin’s largest business accomplishments to date include ranking 3rd in sales, in comparison to other licensees, as well as being named “Rookie of the year” for his leadership within DECO Windshield Repair. With KuRV Appeal, Justin and his business partner won 2nd place in the Wes Nicol Business plan competition, which provided with some extremely valuable feedback from a number of business leaders.

“It is a great honor to be the recipient of this award as it acknowledges the merits  of entrepreneurship and the benefits that it can and has created for so many, including myself.”, comments Owner of DECO Windshield Repair Manitoba and KuRV Apparel, Justin Kathan.

As a provincial champion, Justin will now move on to represent Manitoba in the regional round of competition taking place at the 2010 ACE Regional Exposition in Calgary on March 5, 2010. Provincial Champions will each present their business to a panel of entrepreneurs and industry professionals who will determine two Regional Champions, who will each receive a $1,000 cash prize and move on to the final round of competition at the 2010 ACE National Exposition in Calgary on May 12th, 2010. The National Champion will receive a $10,000 cash prize and represent Canada at the international level of competition, the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards.

“With today’s ever changing economic situation, ACE is proud to continue its work developing leaders, creating connections and impacting communities, explains President of ACE, Amy Harder    . Our 2010 Student Entrepreneur Provincial Champions will no doubt contribute meaningfully to the Canadian economy for years to come.”

About ACE
Founded in the mid-1980s, ACE is a national charitable not-for-profit organization that is teaching and igniting young Canadians to create brighter futures for themselves and their communities. Working in partnership with business and higher education, ACE provides post-secondary students with the opportunity to gain entrepreneurial and leadership skills, outside of the classroom, through a team based program, Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) and an individual based program, Student Entrepreneur. Due to direct involvement with ACE, students move on to become entrepreneurs and business leaders who will make a meaningful contribution towards a better Canada.

CIBC became a founding corporate sponsor of ACE in 1995 and has sponsored the Student Entrepreneur Competition since its inception in 1997.

Contact:
Jaime Szegvary
Communications Consultant, ACE
416.619.8994
jaime@acecanada.ca   
www.acecanada.ca
www.aceexpos.ca  

Justin Kathan
Owner, DECO Windshield Repair Manitoba and KuRV Apparel
204.981.9870
umkathaj@gmail.com
www.decorepair.com
www.kurvapparel.com  

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