2005 Alumni Achievement Award Recipient: Curwin Friesen
Born and raised in Altona, a small town in Manitoba, Curwin pursued undergraduate studies at the University of Waterloo. In 1993, he graduated with a BA in Honours Economics and Applied Studies Co-op (now Arts and Business Co-op) with an International Trade Specialization. At graduation, he was awarded the Governor General’s Silver Medal for the highest academic standing in an undergraduate program at Waterloo.
Named one of the 2005 Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 by Report on Business, Curwin is President and Chief Operating Officer of Friesens Corp. (no relation), a 95 year old, employee owned Canadian book manufacturing company that employs 600 staff, with offices in Canada and the United States.
Friesens was recognized with a 2003 Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies award. The company has won four major awards as an industry leader under Curwin’s direction, and received so many Gold Management Plus awards from the National Association of Printing Leadership over the past 10 years that Friesens became the first Canadian company inducted into the organization’s Hall of Fame.