Insurance executive, car dealer, nursing staff instructor will join business hall of fame

Junior Achievement P.E.I. (JA P.E.I.) has announced this year's new inductees to its Business Hall of Fame.

On Tuesday, the organization revealed three new people recognized on its annual list:

• Fred Hyndman, an insurance executive with Hyndman & Company, in Charlottetown.

• Marguerite Connolly, founder of Marguerite Connolly Training and Consulting, and Connolly Home Health Care, in Charlottetown.

• Brian Hemphill, known for his three decades in the automobile dealership business at Hemphill Chevrolet Buick GMC, in Summerside.

The hall of fame awards started in 1998, JA P.E.I.'s website states, and recognize people who have "made an outstanding contribution to the success" of their profession or organization, and are seen as role models "for future generations of entrepreneurs and business leaders."

Each of this year's three inductees spoke briefly at an event marking JA P.E.I.'s announcement.

In addition to leading an insurance firm, Hyndman is known for being active in the community, serving on a number of local and national boards, including Confederation Centre of the Arts, Maritime Electric, Canadian Blood Services, and the Bank of Canada.

Hyndman said he attended the inaugural JA P.E.I. Business Hall of Fame dinner 25 years ago.

"It's quite a tradition that you've built up, and it's earned its place in our community," he said.

Fellow inductee Marguerite Connolly has trained and managed resident care workers for home care and long-term care homes. Connolly also earned praise for the hall of fame organization.

"This is quite a spot to be in," she said. "I guess when you're around as long as I am, it sometimes happens, and I'm really blessed for that."

Marguerite Connolly founded two key business in the long-term care community on P.E.I. (CBC)

Brian Hemphill was out of province and not able to attend the event, but his son Mark spoke on his behalf, saying his father's long business experience in Summerside touched many people.

"I'm now very accustomed to being stopped on the street by complete strangers — maybe a community organizer, a former customer, or a young entrepreneur — for them to share with me an anecdote or a couple of words of praise about my Dad," he said. "Those anecdotes have always filled me with such immense pride."

The three new inductees will be honoured at a dinner in May.