Joseph Moncada named 2008 National Student Entrepreneur of the Year by Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship Inc.

Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship (ACE) and proud presenter CIBC Small Business are pleased to announce the 2008 National Student Entrepreneur Competition Champion — Joseph Moncada of Sweet Tooth Candy Emporium and BBA student in the Schulich School of Business at York University.

Joseph made it through both a provincial and regional round of competition before competing for the national title including a cash prize of $10,000. At the national level of competition, six regional champions showcased their business success while attending a post secondary institution full time, to a panel of over 30 top executives who selected this year's award recipient.

Since 2006, Joseph has owned and operated Sweet Tooth Candy Emporium, a network of stores and kiosks offering rare, unique, retro and imported sweets from around the world. What started as a summer project through the "Summer Company Program" offered by the Ontario Government has grown exponentially into a successful franchise.

While in operation for only two years, Sweet Tooth Candy Emporium employs over 25 people and has grown into three stores based in prominent locations around the Greater Toronto Area and Wasaga Beach.

"For me, this competition was not solely about winning money but rather about introducing Sweet Tooth to a new community", explains Joseph. "It has further facilitated my growth and introduced me to new connections that will hopefully last a lifetime."

"Every year we continue to be amazed by the number of thriving businesses being operated by full-time university or college students throughout Canada", explains ACE President Amy Harder. "These young leaders exemplify exactly what ACE is aiming to do across the country — to be a leading youth entrepreneurship organization that is fueling the next generation of Canadian business leaders and entrepreneurs."

Joseph Moncada will now represent Canada at the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards to be held in Chicago, Illinois this fall. Currently operated by Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) and supported by Mercedes-Benz Financial, the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards program has recognized students who are successfully building businesses while pursuing academic degrees for nearly 20 years.

About ACE
Founded in the mid-1980s, ACE is a national charitable not-for-profit organization that is teaching and inspiring young Canadians to create brighter futures for themselves and their communities. Working in partnership with business and higher education, ACE provides post-secondary students with the opportunity to gain entrepreneurial and leadership skills outside of the classroom through a team based program, Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) and an individual based program, Student Entrepreneur. Many students who are involved with ACE move on to become entrepreneurs and business leaders who will make a meaningful contribution towards a better Canada.