WINNIPEG, (July 7, 2004) — The owner of a Winnipeg-based common carrier is one of several dozen Canadian business people up for the prestigious Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2004 awards.

Thomas Payne, president and CEO of 160-truck fleet Payne Transportation, has been nominated in the business-to-business products and services category. He is one of six Manitoba business people selected as Prairies region finalists.

Payne opened the doors of the self-named company in 2000, after 30 years with Tri-Line Expressways. He spent the last nine of those years serving as president and COO before resigning and starting his own company.

The Manitoba contingent is up against 27 entrepreneurs from Alberta and four from Saskatchewan. In October, the winners from each business category in the Prairies, Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic and Pacific regions will be announced — with national winners honoured in Ottawa a month later.

Next June, Canada’s entrepreneur of the year will move to the world stage, competing against business people from more than 30 countries for the title of World Entrepreneur of the Year.

— with files from the Winnipeg Free Press