I was hired as Atlantic Business editor in 1998. That same year, my colleague (now co-owner), Tonia Hutton, suggested we launch an annual flagship issue recognizing Atlantic Canada’s corporate leaders.

While most corporate recognition programs celebrate individuals and companies making the most money, we wanted to do something that authentically represented what it means to be a corporate leader in Atlantic Canada.

After only a the few months on the job, I had already noticed a trend in the press releases coming my way: they were just as likely to announce a company’s charitable contributions as they were to share news about a new office or corporate acquisition. That’s why, from the first Top 50 list 27 years ago, and for every year since, the process for selecting the winning CEOs is based on three main criteria: corporate growth, industry innovation and community involvement.

Much has changed over the years but that “do good” philosophy is just as prevalent in today’s Top 50 CEOs as it was in 1998. And we are just as proud to share those honorees with you, our readers.

Dawn Chafe
Co-owner and editor

PROFILES BY ALEC BRUCE AND JANICE STUCKLESS

To submit a nomination for the 2025 list of Top 50 CEOs: https://atlanticbusinessmagazine.ca/nominate-top-50-ceo/

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