WhiteWater, a leading waterpark manufacturer, has announced that its President and CEO, Geoff Chutter, has been named as Ernst & Young’s Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year.
WhiteWater is proud to announce that Geoff Cutter has been recognised by Ernst & Young’s long-running and well-respected Entrepreneur of the Year awards programme, which attracts over 300 entries from across Canada each year. Chutter is the first-ever winner from the Pacific region and has been honoured for the work he has done in building WhiteWater from one water park to a market leader in the industry.
Unstoppable
The awards scheme asks, “are you unstoppable?” and looking at Chutter’s legacy, the answer is clear. From its beginnings as one of Canada’s first water parks in 1980, WhiteWater has grown to become a global force in the sector, with more than 600 employees and offices all over the world.
Chutter has used his expertise to create the broadest product portfolio in the industry, through both in-house innovation and strategic acquisitions. This means that the company is able to offer a full range of attractions for water parks around the world, as well as a few theme parks too.
WhiteWater first began exporting its products abroad in 1988 with a project in Japan, and it was also the first company in the industry to open an office in China, jumping at the water park boom in the region.
Characteristics of successful entrepreneurs
“Geoff’s and WhiteWater’s entrepreneurial ride towards being crowned the EY Canadian Entrepreneur Of The Year is truly an inspiring, ‘feel good’ story,” says Lui Petrollini, EY’s Assurance Partner and the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Pacific Program Director.
“It’s one thing to be acknowledged for entrepreneurial achievement, it’s another to be acknowledged in a sector that supports family values by enabling dreams to come true and lasting memories to be made.
“Becoming the largest global designer and the biggest manufacturer of water park products is no small feat. It’s taken Geoff, and WhiteWater, years of dedication to their business, product mix, and customer base to achieve this global reach and success.”
Chutter has several characteristics in common with other successful entrepreneurs, such as courage, vision, and a tireless work ethic, as well as the ability to inspire his colleagues. He also meets a key judging criteria for the award: that of social responsibility and personal integrity. Chutter himself attributes the achievement to the team around him.
A passion for waterparks
Chutter also demonstrates purpose-driven leadership and is passionate about the industry in which he works. He truly believes in the company’s mission statement: “We are uniting people around the world through joyful lasting memories.” In his acceptance speech, Chutter recounted a conversation when he was told by a dad that a day with his family in a water park was one of the best days of his life.
He will now also compete against 60 other country winners in the world finals of EY Entrepreneur Of The Year. The final will be held in Monaco, in June 2020.
This announcement follows WhiteWater’s recent success at IAAPA Expo 2019 in Orlando, where the company won three Brass Ring Awards.
