WINNIPEG – APTN CEO Jean LaRose will be one of 14 Canadians that will receive a 2011 National Aboriginal Achievement Award.
The awards, which celebrate Aboriginal Canadians who have made a profound impact on their communities, will be officially presented at the 18th National Aboriginal Achievement Awards gala on March 11, 2011. The recipients are selected by a jury for their outstanding accomplishments in Canadian arts, business, medicine, and community involvement. LaRose will be honoured in the category of Media and Communications.
“We are very excited for and proud of Jean LaRose,” said APTN chair Dan Vandal, in a statement. “This award truly is an honour and a testament to Jean’s multitude of accomplishments and to his vital contributions to the inception and growth of APTN.”
A First Nations citizen from the Abenakis First Nation of Odanak, LaRose was named CEO of APTN in November 2002. Since his appointment, he has brought the network from a deficit position of more than $5.5 million dollars to a surplus position. The network has also moved to a digital, high-definition platform employing over 130 people.
In addition to his duties at APTN, LaRose sits on the board of directors of the National Screen Institute, the board of directors of On-Screen Manitoba and the Nisga’a Commercial Group.
