MONTREAL, July 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ - Enerkem Inc., a leading waste-to-biofuels and bio-chemicals company, welcomes the nomination of its President and Chief Executive Officer, Vincent Chornet, as a finalist for Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year.

"Being recognized as a finalist for this prestigious award is a great source of pride, which I wish to share with the entire Enerkem team. This honour reflects on us all and I wish to thank our partners and investors who allow us to achieve our vision and solidify our leadership", said Vincent Chornet, President and CEO of Enerkem. "With their support and our employee's hard work, Enerkem is now favourably positioned to meet the growth in the demand for biofuels produced from waste that would otherwise end up in landfills."

Vincent Chornet is co-founder and President and Chief Executive Officer of Enerkem. By way of his leadership, the company earned a prominent position in the cleantech and renewable energy sectors. In only ten years, the company raised more than $130 million in private capital and secured $164 million in government financial support. Due to Vincent Chornet's vision and perseverance, Enerkem has grown from a local enterprise to a leader in the advanced biofuels and clean chemicals market.

Enerkem was recently recognized by Fast Company magazine, as part of its list of the World's 50 Most Innovative Companies, among the likes of Apple, Google and Twitter.

Quebec recipients of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award will be announced on October 6. Mr. Chornet is nominated in the Technology solutions category.

About Enerkem
Enerkem is pioneering a new line of chemicals and fuels made from garbage instead of oil or other fossil fuels. Enerkem's cost-effective thermo-chemical technology converts waste - such as unrecyclable household garbage, demolition debris and used utility poles - into chemical-grade syngas, which is used to create advanced ethanol, bioacetates and other intermediate chemicals that form everyday products. The company currently operates two facilities in Quebec and in 2010, began construction of a municipal waste-to-biofuels plant in Alberta. In 2011, Enerkem expects to break ground on a similar facility in Mississippi for which it is receiving financial support from the USDA and U.S. DOE. www.enerkem.com

About Entrepreneur Of The Year
The Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards honour the spirit and contribution of entrepreneurs here and around the world. Nominees are reviewed by an independent judging panel, which is composed of several distinguished business leaders and previous award recipients. The 2011 Quebec region judging panel consisted of Jean Cloutier, Vice President,Operations and Finance, Outdoor Gear Canada (OGC), 2010 award winner, Manufacturing category; Jean Gattuso, President and Chief Executive Officer, A. Lassonde Inc., Chief Operating Officer, Lassonde Industries Inc., 2008 Quebec Entrepreneur Of The Year; Nina Gupta, President, Greenlite Lighting Corporation, 2008 award winner, Social entrepreneur category; Andrée-Lise Méthot, Founder and Senior Partner, Cycle Capital Management; Pascal Pilon, President and CEO, Averna, 2009 award winner, Technology category; Alexandre Taillefer, Partner, XPND Capital, Étienne Veilleux, President and CEO, Distech Controls Inc., 2010 award winner, Cleantech category.

For more information on the program, FAQs, and key dates please visit ey.com/ca/EOY.

Entrepreneur Of The Year is sponsored nationally by National Post, La Presse and RDI. The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Quebec Awards are sponsored by Fonds de Solidarité FTQ.

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SOURCE ENERKEM INC.