JA Waterloo Region’s Entrepreneur Hall of Fame celebrates local business founders who have made a positive, lasting impact in our community. Manfred is being honoured in the Legacy category, which recognizes an entrepreneur whose business has operated for a number of years and who has made significant contributions to the community outside of business (for example, through philanthropic activity, or support of arts and culture).
Manfred is the President, CEO, and founder of the Cora Group Inc., one of Waterloo Region’s largest commercial real estate development companies. In total, he has developed over one million square feet of office space in the Kitchener/Waterloo area, including the Accelerator building where the Conrad Centre is housed.
Manfred has been a generous supporter of the Conrad Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology Centre, which was named in honour of his family in 2010. He continues to serve on the Advisory Council and give his time to students at Entre Nous networking events and other activities at the Centre.
Manfred has lived the entrepreneurial journey to which both Conrad and JA students aspire; he is a most fitting recipient of this award," says Mark Weber, director of the Conrad Centre. "We are honoured to be associated with his legacy.”
Manfred is also a generous local philanthropist, supporting various institutions and initiatives including the Conrad Centre for the Performing Arts and the Manfred and Penny Conrad Institute for Music Therapy and Research (Wilfred Laurier University).
In June 2009, Manfred received a University of Waterloo honorary degree for his outstanding business and philanthropic community leadership and his partnership with the University of Waterloo. In 2011, Renison University College inducted Manfred as an Honorary Senior Fellow. He was also awarded the business leadership award for contributions to downtown Kitchener by the Downtown Kitchener Business Association in 2001.
Congratulations to Manfred Conrad on his well-deserved induction into the Waterloo Region Entrepreneur Hall of Fame.