Canada’s Top 40 “Men” Under 40 part 4

It looks like the Top 40 under 40 selection committee got the message last year. For the 2007 list, nine women made the cut, up from just five in 2006 (see prior post “Canada’a Top 40 “Men” under 40 part 2” May 11-07).

I recognized the names of several of the candidates. Sarah Richardson, 36, is one of those all-round, just perfect people for the Top 40 group. Great entrepreneur. Attracts media attention to her business without being boorish about it. Turned her own delightful personality into a brand, which in the business of fashion, real estate and design is all that anyone can ever hope to do.

Hamnet Hill, 36, is well known in Montreal technology circles. His firm, Radialpoint, is as important to Bell Sympatico as any tech supplier in the world. Our firm had the chance to see the story last year and are big fans of what they are doing.

Brendan Caldwell, 37, has taken the reins of the firm his father founded, Caldwell Securities, and proven that the day of the independent wealth management brokerage firm is not over. Active in his community and charitable work, Mr. Caldwell proves that you can be successful on Bay Street without being a shark.

Caldwell Partners and the Top 40 Board of Directors deserves a pat on the back for learning from last year’s embarrasing gender imbalance. 9 women of 40 “winners” is still less than 25%, but the trend is in the right direction.

Canada’s Daughters can continue to hope for parity.

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MRM