Monique Leroux, chairwoman, president and CEO of Lévis, Que.-based Desjardins Group has been named the 2011 Quebec Financial Person of the Year by Montreal-based financial newspaper Finance et Investissement.

The selection panel recognized the positive results posted by Desjardins Group and the effect of the reorganization of the co-operative movement that she was instrumental in achieving. The many accolades that she received throughout the year were also taken into consideration.

Desjardins Group is the leading co-operative financial group in Canada with assets of nearly $190 billion.

The award was presented Tuesday evening in Montreal at an event unveiling the Top 25 most influential financial personalities in the Quebec financial services industry.

Louis Vachon, president and CEO of National Bank Financial Group and Jean-Guy Desjardins, chairman of the board and CEO of Fiera Sceptre Inc., took second and third place, respectively.

Bernard Dorval, interim president of TD Canada Trust and president of Équipe Québec (retired in January 2012), ranked fourth, while Joseph Iannicelli, president and CEO of the Standard Life Assurance Co of Canada, closed out the top five.

For a complete list of the 25 winners and to read an article about each, please visit: www.finance-investissement.com/templedelarenommee.

The Top 25 were chosen by a selection panel of experts in the financial industry that comprised three editors and publishers from TC Media and three individuals who work independently in the financial industry.

Advisors honoured

Finance et Investissement also celebrated the excellent work and commitment of three advisors in the financial industry during the same event.

Luc Blanchard, wealth management advisor and vice president of BMO Nesbitt Burns, received the Advisor Emeritus award in recognition of the success that he achieved in developing the Sherbrooke branch and its clientele.

The award for Advisor most involved in the community went to both Christian Lamarre, advisor and portfolio manager for the National Bank Financial, and Gilles Sinclair, assistant vice-president of business development for B2B Trust, in a dead heat.