Helmut Eppich - West Vancouver

In 1953, Helmut Eppich emigrated to Canada from Yugoslavia and together with his twin brother, Hugo, established EBCO Industries Limited, of which he is now Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. The company is a great success story, having grown from a small tool and die shop into a multi-faceted group of companies engaged in heavy equipment manufacturing, high-tech, sophisticated computer data collection systems and aerospace technology with projected annual sales of $100 million and 900 employees.

This work force is comprised of employees from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds representative of over 50 different countries, holding positions throughout the company from the shop floor to senior management.

The Ebco Group has shown a remarkable generosity of spirit and interest in the welfare of these employees. Its Multicultural Policy, which respects the religious and cultural backgrounds of employees in tangible ways, has gained great respect, admiration and national recognition, including the 1990 Ministerial Award for Multiculturalism from the federal government.

Helmut Eppich is a member of the B.C. Premier's Advisory Council on Science and Technology and Director of the National Research Council and the Discovery Foundation.

Mr. Eppich has also significantly contributed to his adopted country in other ways. He is noted for his philanthropy in the arts, science and education. He has undertaken a leading part in major fund-raising projects for SFU and the Germanic Studies Fellowship Endowment at U.B.C.