Marion, SC, November 8, 2007: Beneteau USA is proud to communicate the recognition of their parent company’s leaders as France Entrepreneurs of the Year.

Announced in Paris on Oct. 16, French business leaders honored  Annette Roux, chairwoman, and Bruno Cathelinais, CEO of Groupe Beneteau as Entrepreneurs of the Year 2007. The award acknowledges the recipients for innovation, conquering new markets and superior management, applauding the best in France’s industrial circles.  

 This year’s awards were exceptionally important because it coincided with the celebration of the inaugural “Day of the Entrepreneur” in France, honoring the business spirit and the path of the entrepreneur that leads to economic success.

This 15th edition of the Prix de l'Entrepreneur of the Year is the French version of the famous award World Entrepreneur of the Year. First created in the United States by Ernst & Young, it is now held in 40 countries around the globe. As the winners in 2007, Madame Roux and Mr. Cathelinais will represent France at the World Entrepreneur of the Year in Monaco.

To participate in the Prix de L'Entrepreneur of the Year, companies must be at the "Top 100" published by The Enterprise magazine, and meet stringent criteria:

The Beneteau Group has excelled in the past decade, including racking up a record-setting 1 billion Euros ($1.4 billion US) in revenue this year with a 12.6 percent profit margin and nearly a 30 percent increase in sales. In the states, Beneteau USA, the  American subsidiary in Marion, S.C., set records for production and shipments of its luxury watercraft.

The Path of the Entrepreneur:

Born in Saint Gilles Croix de Vie, Annette Roux studied at the school of business at Roche Sur Yon. In 1964, Mrs. Roux took over the leadership of the family business. Nurtured by family values, she has managed to guide the small family company into the multinational organization Beneteau has become. With determination and business acumen, Roux continuously demonstrated extraordinary perseverance and intuition in her matriarchal role at the business her grandfather started in 1884.   In 2005, she turned over the helm of Beneteau to Bruno Cathelinais.   Today, Roux applies her passionate innovation to the Foundation Beneteau whose main mission is to encourage new talent. She is also the director of the board of L'Oreal, the cosmetics giant.

Bruno Cathelinais, born in 1956, graduated from the Ecole Superieure de Nantes (Audencia) and also holds the DECS and started his career with Manitou Sicof, a subsidiary of Elf Aquitaine.  In 1989, he decided to "look-out” for the family business of Beneteau as Chief Financial Officer. In 1994, he was promoted to Director General of the group before being promoted to the chairmanship of the board in 2005.   Much of the success at Beneteau is thanks to the synergy between these two professional powerhouses. Their secret to success is viewing opportunities from several very different angles and always sharing everything.

Under Roux and Cathelinais, Beneteau developed a short list of keys to success, including:

- Investment in the latest technology

- A major policy of supporting leading brands in France and abroad

- An approach based on entrepreneurial development and the proximity of people

“Beneteau USA is a living example of these keys being put to outstanding effect,” Wayne Burdick, president of the American operation said. “We congratulate Madame Roux and Bruno Cathelinais, and we are certain that the entire world will know their names when they win the World Entrepreneur of the Year title in Monaco.”