Here’s a rich one for you; Paletta named BEDC Entrepreneur of the year while the family firm fights city hall on major developments.

By Pepper Parr

BURLINGTON, ON  December 8, 2012  The Burlington Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) has named Pasquale Paletta as the 2013 Entrepreneur of the Year.

Paletta founded Paletta International, a Canadian-owned and family-managed company, in 1951.

Pasquale Paletta, named Burlington Economic Development Corporation’s Entrepreneur of the year for 2013.

“I am very thankful and honoured to be named the 2013 Burlington Entrepreneur of the Year,” Paletta said. “Burlington has always been home. Burlington has grown together with me and I look forward to our future growth and continued partnership with the city to continue its growth and achieve our combined dreams. I hope I can do more for Burlington.”

Paletta came to Canada as an Italian immigrant after the Second World War and moved his family to Burlington in 1964 and started a 10,000-square foot meat packing plant.

Today, the family has a facility of more than 200,000 sq.ft. and exports to more than 17 countries worldwide.

The family is believed to be the largest holder of undeveloped lands in Burlington and has in the past number of years fought the city on almost every development project it has started.

Paletta International head office in Burlington

His family has developed thousands of residential units, constructed more than 500,000 sq. ft. of buildings, developed hundreds of acres of property for retail and employment, farmed thousands of acres and expanded into film, media and entertainment.

Over the past eight years, BEDC has inducted the following acclaimed business people into Burlington’s Business Hall of Fame: Harry Voortman (Voortman Cookies), Mark Chamberlain (Trivaris), Michael Lee-Chin (AIC Ltd. /Portland Holdings), Michael DeGroote Sr. (Laidlaw/Republic), Ron Joyce (Tim Horton’s), Murray Hogarth (Pioneer Petroleums), Ron Foxcroft (Fox40 International) and Reginald Pollard (Pollard Windows Inc.).

Each year a call for nominations is sent out to the business community. Then a nominating committee made up of BEDC board of directors chooses the entrepreneur by using stringent evaluation criteria.

“We have been very fortunate to have had some of Burlington’s most successful entrepreneurs inducted into our Business Hall of Fame, Mr. Paletta is an ideal choice for this significant accomplishment,” said Alf Zeuner, chair of the BEDC’s board of directors. “It was with great interest to review the achievements of all nominees. Making the decision of the final recipient was not easy as Burlington is home to many outstanding entrepreneurs.”

The award will be presented at BEDC’s annual signature event, which will be held on Thursday, June 6 at the Burlington Convention Centre.

The Paletta International head office operation is massive and includes the poultry packing operation as well as administrative and property management divisions.

The Paletta interests were   instrumental in an attempt to bring the Hamilton Tiger Cats  to Burlington   and  make the city their “home” town.  Mayor Goldring, new to the office of Mayor at the time didn’t champion that idea.

Several of the Paletta developments before the city are tied up in differences of opinion or before the Ontario Municipal Board.

Angelo Paletta, Pasquale Paletta’s son, was one of 35 people chosen by Mayor Goldring to be part of the group involved with the Mayor in defining the dream for Burlington.

The Paletta family donated a large sum to the restoration of a mansion on Lakeshore Road now known as the Paletta Mansion.

 

 

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