The Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year Award is presented in collaboration with the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre to recognize alumni who have achieved outstanding entrepreneurial success in sustainability, innovation, and community outreach. A maximum of three candidates per year will be granted the Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year award.
Candidates are considered annually by the Saint Mary's University Alumni Association's Awards & Nomination Committee. Winners will be announced and celebrated at the Alumni Awards.
The nomination period for the 2024 Alumni Awards is now closed.
Boris Mirtchev BSc'96 MBA'99Born in Bulgaria and raised in Mozambique, Boris Mirtchev came to Halifax in the early 1990s to attend Saint Mary’s University, earning a Bachelor of Science in 1996 and an MBA in 1999. Today, he is the Founder and CEO of Ocean Fresh Seafood, a global company supplying live lobster and seafood worldwide, and also leads Struggle to Breakthrough Inc., coaching entrepreneurs to achieve success. Boris is passionate about empowering people in business, helping them navigate challenges, and seize opportunities in an ever-changing global environment. Boris has founded 15 businesses over 30 years, earning multiple Halifax Chamber of Commerce and Consumer Awards. His commitment to the community extends beyond his professional work. Boris served two terms on the Board of Feed Nova Scotia and has spent many years coaching youth soccer and basketball for Halifax City Soccer, St. Agnes Jr. High Soccer and the West End Steelers Basketball program. Boris gives back to Saint Mary’s University by participating in case competitions, speaking engagements, and supporting students by sharing his knowledge and experience. Mandhir Singh MBA'14Mandhir earned his MBA from Saint Mary’s University in 2014. He is the founder and CEO of Easy Platter, a rapidly growing Canadian startup helping busy families live longer, healthier lives by having a chef cook for them at home, think Uber for Chefs.
Since launching, Mandhir has appeared on CBC’s Dragons’ Den, attended Techstars Seattle, home to several billion-dollar startups, and raised significant capital to scale the company.
Easy Platter has served thousands of families across Canada and built partnerships with leading grocery and wellness platforms. Under Mandhir’s leadership, the company has evolved beyond a personal-chef marketplace into a personalized health innovation startup that uses AI to help families eat for longevity and disease prevention.
Next year, Easy Platter aims to launch in the U.S including its B2B growth plan. Mandhir’s vision is to help people live longer, healthier.