44 business elite canada
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NOV 2014
teams grow their business. The program out-
lines a recipe of success for companies of all
scopes, and Hughes works with firms, families
and institutions on issues unique to entrepre-
neurs in privately held companies.
Hughes advocates that the program’s in-
ception was sparked by the recession in 1992
where “there was nothing but bad news be-
ing printed those days. The concept was ‘why
don’t we print some good news for Canadians’
and in particular we wanted to celebrate small-
er businesses because they are the ones that
don’t often get the recognition that the larger
ones do.”
The program is a celebration of enterprises
that contribute to the nation’s business acu-
men and is more of a methodology to evaluate
companies based on fundamental distinguish-
ers. The corporations are vetted based on their
communal efforts and the uniqueness of the
program stems from focusing on the collective
group of individuals working towards a higher
purpose. “It’s important that we celebrate the
entire team, rather than a product, CEO, or in-
dividual employee,” says Hughes. The program
does not distinguish by size, geography or in-
dustry, though those that choose to participate
in the program must follow a minimum thresh-
old of $10 million in revenue for the past three
John Hughes, National Leader
of Canada’s Best Managed
Companies and Managing
Partner at Deloitte
