McCurdy Wins Region in Entrepreneur Competition

Linda McCurdy, president and CEO of K-Bro Linen Systems Inc., Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, recently was named a regional winner in the Canadian EY Entrepreneur of the Year® program, according to a news release from the awards program sponsored by the Ernst & Young accounting firm. She’ll now compete as a finalist for national honors in Canada.

McCurdy, who was named CEO before the age of 30, will represent the “Prairies” region of Canada, which includes the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, the release said. Other winners from across Canada, include candidates representing the Pacific, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic regions. The national Entrepreneur of the Year for Canada will be announced at a gala dinner on Nov. 29 in Toronto. In June 2019, the Canadian winner will vie with counterparts from 50 countries for the title of EY World Entrepreneur of the Year.

“Under Linda’s leadership, K-Bro has redefined industry expectations – from prioritizing sales and volume with a keen eye on reducing costs, to partnering with hospitals, health authorities and hospitality companies,” said Rob Jolley, program director for the Entrepreneur of the Year, Prairies, competition. “Linda’s progressive vision and execution over the last 20 years has not only revolutionized K-Bro, but the entire healthcare and hospitality industry.”

The release praised McCurdy for transforming K-Bro from a “sleepy privately owned and manually operated laundering and linen company into an international market leader.” K-Bro currently operates 15 facilities across Canada, and the company recently expanded into the United Kingdom with its acquisition of Fisher’s Topco Ltd. K-Bro plans to continue to grow internationally, the release said.

The changes that K-Bro has initiated under McCurdy’s leadership, such as managing hospital supply chain and cost-reduction efforts, have generated savings of 15%-20% for hospitals, the release said.

The Entrepreneur of the Year program is the world’s most prestigious business awards initiative for entrepreneurs, according to its organizers. The program makes a difference by encouraging entrepreneurial activity among business executives and recognizes the contributions of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement. Click here for details.