The Genesis of Guizzetti Developments Inc.

Over the past 50 years, Giovanni Guizzetti has worked to build the future he always wanted: an empire based on honesty and respect. Competing only against one person – himself – Giovanni’s labour has paved the way to a conglomeration of success, a legacy he has now passed on to his son Stefano.

Today, Guizzetti Developments Inc., which has revolutionized the Yonge Street Corridor with high-density, mid-sized commercial and residential projects, is a testament to the fortified bond between father and son. “I’ve never been afraid to make sacrifices,” says Giovanni, who left his hometown in Bergamo, Italy when he was 26. Arriving in Halifax on his birthday in 1956, he travelled to Montreal for work where he humbly accepted pay of 80 cents an hour. Patient and inquisitive for opportunities, Giovanni landed a job cutting wood in Timmins, Ont., which Read more

Remo Ferri — The Remo Ferri Group of Automobiles

Remo Ferri has every boy’s dream job. Personifying unyielding passion, Ferri’s fierce drive to end up in the automobile business gave him enough momentum to become owner of one of North America’s leading Ferrari and Maserati dealerships. “We don’t sell cars, we sell a dream; we sell excitement; we sell a moment. I love that I get to do that every single day,” says Ferri, founder of The Remo Ferri Group of Automobiles.

Though he admits that the road to success has its bumps, Ferri chooses to embrace all challenges, as they are essential facets for progress. Catering to a wide range of clientele in Toronto, Vaughan and even Alberta, Ferri’s group furthered its time-honoured reputation by adding BMW, Mini, and most recently, Ford and Lincoln to its distinguished roster of dealerships. “You need to be able to service your customers, not just with one brand, but Read more

Canadian Business Icons

It’s a tough world out there, but with instinct and passion, an idea can grow into a vast empire. Look to some Canadian titans of industry that had a dream and are now living it. Canadian Business Icons: Christine Magee, Harry Rosen, Gerry Schwartz, Michael Lee-Chin, and Michael Budman Read more

Mary Aitken’s Verity Club — A Social Revolution

Within the raw brick walls of a historic Queen Street East building exists a colourful collage of refined women who are laying the foundations for the future. Verity Club is the realization of one business veteran’s vision of a forward-thinking female community. With a direct aim of addressing the dismally small number of women in senior management positions, Mary Aitken founded a social environment that forges female friendships and business relationships.

Aitken’s storied past helped pave the way for Verity. As a former top-tier investment analyst and successful entrepreneur, Aitken often found herself at all-male roundtables. “Most of the industries that I’d been involved in were male-dominated, especially at the senior level, and I thought ‘this is just wrong,’” she says. Aitken was aware that companies in which women held senior positions Read more

Humanitaritween Bilaal Rajan

“I don’t know if I consider myself mature for my age but I definitely consider myself an average 13-year-old.” For someone who has shot the breeze with the likes of Nelson Mandela, Roméo Dallaire and Desmond Tutu, Bilaal Rajan is not your typical teenybopper; he’s not even your run-of-the-mill human being. He was just four years old when tackling global poverty became his playground. When I was that age, the idea of selling Clementine oranges door-to-door to raise money for earthquake victims in Gujarat, India, would never have crossed my mind as I pushed Barbie and Ken in a luxurious convertible Corvette across a laminate floor. Your childhood mentality was probably the same.

Let’s be completely honest with each other: making a difference in the world is as far from many of our Western minds as a remote ocean island on the most extreme point of the Earth. Read more

D&D Specialty Components Ltd.

A time-honoured tradition of treating their customers like kin is what has made family-owned D&D Specialty Components Ltd. a machining industry front-runner for more than 20 years. A pledge of satisfaction and an emphasis on using only the highest graded equipment on the market are the nuts and bolts of their solid reputation. Offering advanced services in the manufacturing of custom CNC machining, screw machine parts and custom die cutting, D&D – an acronym for husband and wife duo Ganu and Dora Desai – are grateful for the relationships they have built. “We try to make long-lasting impressions and create relationships that are based on our customers’ needs,” says Ganu. This rapport has been built on trust. Trade workers all across North America put their safety in the hands of D&D. Producing hard hats that protect construction workers, tradespeople and high-rise window cleaners during perilous activities and making vital components Read more

All Roads Lead to Tokmakjian Group

For a man who has successfully conquered the competitive industry of transportation, Vahe “Cy” Tokmakjian emanates bashful charm. He’s dressed in a light-coloured suit and dress shirt of a royal blue. Sipping on his morning coffee, Cy’s face is never without smile or nostalgic expression, as he delves into the storied past of his domestic and international conglomeration, Tokmakjian Group, a prodigy in the transportation business.

Headquartered in Ontario’s industrial community of Concord, Tokmakjian Group was conceived from childhood dreams and born via skilled experience. During a time when deals were sealed with a handshake, Cy set out solo at 29, unbeknown to what the future had in store for him. “I remember shaking hands with Tony DeGasperis, when we were both small businessmen beginning our journeys,” Cy, 69, reflects. Read more

Georges St-Pierre: One On One With An MMA UFC Legend

Everyone has a dream. Most often, it’s tales of rags to riches that give people inspiration, driving them to be like a heroic protagonist. For anyone whose dream involves becoming the Welterweight Champion of the UFC, there’s one man who knows exactly what it takes. Rising to the top with an already soaring career, Georges St-Pierre, also referred to as GSP, is the ultimate example of a winning warrior and a living legend.

Growing up in the humble parish municipality of Saint-Isidore, Que., St-Pierre’s early life was far from easy. Simple things like going to school provided big challenges for the young fighter, forcing him to defend himself as early as the second grade. “To tell you the truth, I was really concerned back in the day about my ego and my image,” St-Pierre admits during a telephone interview. “Even though I knew I was going to get beat up when somebody was trying Read more

Signature Developments: Making A Unique Mark On The Industry

Whether you’re talking about a convertible roadster or a diamond necklace, most quality manufacturers offer one rare product. Created to enjoy all that life has to offer, it’s usually a special series that distinguishes itself, symbolizing a personal touch. But when it comes to Signature Developments – a builder and developer that takes pride in being unique, bold and eco-friendly – everything is one-of-a-kind.

With a rich history in the construction industry, Signature Developments is part of the Clearway Group of Companies. Founded just five years ago, the company uses a set of fingerprints as part of its branding. The green etched image conveys a hands-on, tailored product built with nature in mind. “We’re innovative and different in the way we think,” says Sebastian Mizzi, development manager and planner. “We bring a unique, customer-centric Read more

Gord Martineau, Kicking up Good Will

Gord Martineau doesn’t just sit back delivering the news – he’s making it. Back to work from a relaxing getaway in the sun, Martineau sits across from me in Citytv’s CityNews boardroom, perfectly calm and coiffed and clad in a black blazer and crisp dress shirt. Although he’s just a few short hours away from delivering the 6 o’clock news to his faithful viewers, Martineau retains his composure, thanks to his early-morning regime of cycling, weights and martial arts. The 60-year-old also reveals that he has a fourth-degree black belt.

The lively pulse of CityNews trickles through the boardroom’s thick double-doors, yet his energy is much more palpable. And this isn’t just because of his recent jaunt to sun-drenched Sarasota, Fla., Read more

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