| Dean Gagnon | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 29, 1971 |
| Occupation | President, Chief Evangelist, & Co-Founder CityMax.com |
Dean H. Gagnon is the President, Chief Evangelist, and Co-Founder of the CityMax.com easy business website builder. An entrepreneur from a young age, Dean has spearheaded many business ventures and is a vocal and active supporter of small business and entrepreneurs.
Contents |
In 1999, Dean Gagnon co-founded MeZine Inc. and the CityMax.com easy website builder along with his business partner and former BCIT classmate, Sunny Hirai. After taking a brief break from CityMax.com to work with internet marketing company, The Guide Publishers (now Qool.com), Gagnon returned to CityMax.com in November 2007 as President and Chief Evangelist.
Since Gagnon’s return to CityMax.com, the company has won two WebAwards for Outstanding Achievement in Website Development, a People’s Choice Award from ad:tech for best B2B Marketing Website, and was a finalist for the 2009 Cultural Diversecity Awards.[1][2][3][4] The company was also listed by PROFIT Magazine as one of the NEXT 100: Canada's Fastest-Growing Companies and the #2 Best Company to Work for in BC by BC Business Magazine.[5][6]
Prior to CityMax.com, Gagnon co-founded the TidBits Breaktime Paper in 1993 – a small publication distributed in retail locations and coffee shops. He then acquired the North American rights for interTechno AG (LSE System) and introduced commercial, industrial, and residential pipe restoration to North America.
While spending much of his childhood in Oshawa, Ontario, Gagnon’s family moved to White Rock, British Columbia where he attended Crescent Park Elementary. An early indication of his leadership abilities, Gagnon earned Chief Boy Scout at the age of 15.
After struggling with dyslexia and repeating the fourth grade, Gagnon went on graduate from Semiahmoo Senior Secondary in 1990 as Student Council President, also winning a Citizenship Award.
He then graduated from the British Columbia Institute of Technology’s Small Business Entrepreneurship Program in 1993 and North West Digital’s Ecommerce Program in 1999. Most recently, Gagnon completed the MIT Master of Entrepreneurship program (a.k.a. “Birthing of Giants” or “BOG”) in 2009.
In 1993, as a personal challenge, Gagnon cycled across Canada.
In 1994, Gagnon crossed BC once more as the On-Road Manager for former Canadian politician Grace McCarthy (Social Credit Party) during her final leadership campaign.
From 1997 to 2000, Gagnon competed in 3 Canadian Ironman competitions.
Since 2006, Gagnon has been a member of the Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) Vancouver Executive, where he has served as Integration, Membership, and Mentorship Chair. He currently mentors 11 members of the EO Accelerator Program.
In 2008, Gagnon was recognized as one of the “Top Forty Under 40” by Business in Vancouver Magazine.[7]
In November 2009, was appointed to the judging panel for the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards.[8]
In 2010, Gagnon has been featured in several articles focused on unique company culture, including the Wall Street Journal,[9] Vancouver Sun,[10] Business in Vancouver,[11] and Inc..[12]