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40 Under 40 Nicole Pereira

Wednesday February 24, 2010  |   Waterloo Region Record

40 Under 40 Special Edition



Age: 32
Location: Ayr
Occupation: General manager, Cambridge Centre Honda
Contribution: Supporter of Big Brothers Big Sisters and Junior Achievement
 
Nicole Pereira is living proof that good things happen to good people. A tireless volunteer for the Cambridge community , Pereira has been instrumental in supporting young people through her role as an active member with Junior Achievement of the Waterloo Region Inc. and as a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cambridge. The Wilfrid Laurier grad, who is now general manager at Cambridge Centre Honda, spent three years as a participant in the Junior Achievement program. She said that experience in high school taught her about leadership and business -and how to be a respected leader. Drawing on her own experience, she said participants quickly learn the weight of their decisions when their company faces real challenges and obstacles.

An opportunity to work in Hong Kong nine years ago saw her become instrumental in helping launch a Junior Achievement program in that country. Since then, the program has served more than 72,000 students from more than 300 schools with the support of more than 6,300 volunteers.

Upon arriving back in the region, and learning that Junior Achievement's after-school Company Program had folded in Cambridge, it was Pereira who led a team of volunteers to have it resurrected, taking the initiative to secure local volunteer and financial support for relaunching the Cambridge program in September 2003. She remains an active member of the program.

Recognized by the Cambridge of Commerce with the 2007 Keith Taylor Memorial Award for her ongoing contributions and support, Pereira continues to give back to the community as a member of the board of directors with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cambridge and the Waterloo Region Small Business Centres.