National Bank Financial Group unveiled the names of the provincial winners of the 15th edition of the SMEs of the National Bank recognition program at a gala held on Friday, November 7, 2008

The awards ceremony took place in Montreal and was attended by more than 200 people, including the finalists, National Bank representatives and leaders of the business community.

The winners in the SME categories were selected from among the regional finalists based on a number of criteria, such as their competence, their drive and the excellence of their human resources management. The winners in the Export SME category were chosen from provincial finalists who were selected for their recent export success. All the winners were selected by a panel made up of individuals from the business community who followed a rigorous selection process overseen by the professional services firm Samson Belair/Deloitte & Touche.

In the Export SME category, the GOLD award winner is Societe des Technologies de l'Aluminium du Saguenay inc. Aluminum holds no secrets for this Chicoutimi-based company which, with its 135 employees, designs, builds, installs and markets equipment and processes for electrolysis plants and aluminum foundries worldwide.