MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - Oct. 31, 2011) - Last Friday, National Bank unveiled the names of the winners of the 18th edition of the SMEs of the National Bank recognition program. This year, the program's theme was "Deciding is winning," supported by messages such as "Proud to be a decision maker."

"National Bank is especially proud to encourage entrepreneurship in Quebec by recognizing the achievements of business owners and their teams. Many jobs are created thanks to these leaders of small- and medium-sized businesses, who one day decided to make their dream a reality," said Réjean Lévesque, Executive Vice-President – Personal and Commercial Banking, National Bank. "I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate the finalists this year for their admirable performance."

The SMEs of the National Bank is a way for the Bank to highlight the exceptional performance of Quebec companies and acknowledge leaders in four categories: SME, Small Business, Agribusiness SME and Export SME.

The awards gala took place in Montreal and was attended by more than 200 people, including the finalists, National Bank representatives and leaders of the business community. The Gold winners in each category are:

Small Business Category: Service d'intervention sur mesure inc. (SIM), based in Shawinigan

Service d'intervention sur mesure made valuable contributions to health and safety training thanks to its Cognibox software. [ www.simexperts.com ]

SME Category: R. Vaillancourt et Fils inc., based in Saint-Germain-de-Grantham

High-efficiency and innovative products enabled R. Vaillancourt et Fils to stand out in the very competitive market of windows and doors. [ www.rvaillancourt.com ]

Agribusiness SME Category: Ferme Rojoie inc., based in Saint-Barnabé-Sud

Ferme Rojoie, which raises chickens and turkeys, had a remarkable performance while paying higher salaries than the regional average.

Export SME Category: Laboratoire Dermo-Cosmetik – G.M. Collin inc., based in Montreal, has continued to grow and remain stable because of the innovative G.M. Collin skincare products it offers, which are sold all over Canada and, since 1994, the U.S. [ www.gmcollin.com ]

Lastly, National Bank highlights the cooperation of its valued partners: Bell, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Export Development Canada, IBM Canada Ltd, La Presse, La Terre de chez nous, Lavery, Samson Bélair/Deloitte & Touche, TÉLUQ – Université à distance de l'UQAM, TVA and Union des producteurs agricoles. Together they recognize the daring, determination and excellence of the Quebec entrepreneurial spirit.

About National Bank of Canada

National Bank of Canada is an integrated group that provides comprehensive financial services to consumers, small and medium-sized enterprises and large corporations in its core market, while offering specialized services to its clients elsewhere in the world. National Bank offers a full array of banking services, including retail, corporate and investment banking. It is an active player on international capital markets and, through its subsidiaries, is involved in securities brokerage, insurance and wealth management as well as mutual fund and retirement plan management. National Bank has over $153 billion in assets and, together with its subsidiaries, employs 19,217 people. The Bank's securities are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:NA). For more information, visit the Bank's website at [ www.nbc.ca ]. To access National Bank's financial education portal, visit [ www.clearfacts.ca ].

Note : Photos of the Gold winners are available upon request at [ catherine.deshaies@nbc.ca ].

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