Four Algonquin alumni named to Forty Under 40 awards

Posted on Tuesday, May 3rd, 2022

Four Algonquin College graduates who are rising stars in their fields are winners in the Ottawa 2022 Forty Under 40. The award recognizes 40 professionals under the age of 40 who are innovative and talented leaders with outstanding business accomplishments, professional experience and community involvement.

The judges had the difficult task of selecting the winner from hundreds of accomplished applicants.

“The individuals included in the running have achieved results that are of global quality, with a local Ottawa focus,” judge Charlotte Karam, the new director of the Executive MBA at the Telfer School of Management, told the Ottawa Business Journal. “I am inspired by their ability to exceed all expectations during a time of great uncertainty and disruption, while remaining steadfast champions and beacons of service to the local Ottawa community.

“The final 40 are a group to be celebrated, having achieved so much thus far, and I can’t wait to see what they do next!”

The 2022 awards gala will be held in-person on June 17, after two years of virtual events. It will also be broadcast.

Forty Under 40, which is celebrating its milestone 25th year in 2022, is a joint initiative between the Ottawa Business Journal and Ottawa Board of Trade.

Adam Joiner

Adam Joiner, Social Service Worker, 2004, was named chief executive officer of BGC Ottawa, formerly known as the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa, in May 2020, after a lifetime of devotion to the organization. Joiner was a client of the organization when he was a child and went on to volunteer and work in a variety of positions, his first being a coat-check boy at the Prince of Wales Drive clubhouse. He has served on multiple committees, as a Member of the Board of Directors for BGC Canada, and adviser for BGC of Ontario Provincial Youth Conference. Joiner has a deep background in government relations and works collaboratively with local partners.

Joiner has led the organization through the turbulence of the pandemic, during which time the organization secured government funding to build a new, larger “pandemic-proof” clubhouse. Joiner oversees a staff of 180 full- and part-time employees, and a budget of more than $6 million.

Riaz Sidi

Riaz Sidi, Journalism – Print, 2006, established and runs Sidi.io, a digital marketing company that specializes in demand generation and digital marketing with a niche focus on technology companies. Established in his basement in 2017, Sidi grew Sidi.io from three employees at the start of the pandemic to 20 one year on, with further growth since. Sidi’s clients include SaaS North, Ottawa’s largest tech conference, the National Arts Centre, Stratford Group and Syntronic. Sidi is also the founder of AdPuzl, a software that helps anyone easily create and book their own Facebook and Instagram ads.

Kanata’s L-Spark, which runs a SaaS Accelerator Program for start-ups across Canada, chose Sidi.io to work with these businesses to create individualized digital marketing solutions for participating businesses. Sidi has been a guest speaker on Hootsuite’s social media marketing webinar and was a featured guest on Intuity Performance’s Elevate Business Podcast. In 2022, Sidi.io was named one of Ottawa’s fastest-growing companies by the Ottawa Business Journal.

Karsh (Utkarsh) Singh

Karsh Singh, Green Architecture, 2015, has worked for Soublière Interiors since graduating from Algonquin College. After positions as project manager and director of operations, Singh was appointed president in May 2021. Singh works with clients that include government agencies, contractors, subcontractors, and the public. He was appointed director/trustee of the Ottawa Walls and Ceilings Training Center in January 2020.

Singh has a Bachelor of Technology – BTech, Civil Engineering degree from Amity University in India and a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification indicating a proficiency in sustainable design, construction, and operation standards.

Laura Townson

Laura Townson, Public Relations, 2006, joined Iversoft, a software development company that provides digital product strategy, mobile app and web development services, as studio director in 2016. The company credits her with helping shape its daily operations, build a foundation of good processes, and develop the company culture. She was promoted to chief operating officer in 2020.

In 2021, Townson won the InterCon Award for Tech Excellence in recognition of her efforts to create a people-first software development agency. With her guidance, Iversoft became a fully remote company and employees experienced improved mental health. Productivity remained stable or improved.

Townson is an expert in sales enablement and strategy, agency operations, and project management. Before joining Iversoft, she worked in various roles, including account manager, project manager, and senior producer. Her career highlight clients included Lucas Films, Sony, Mattel, Marvel, Disney, Rogers, UPS and Bell.


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