Mike Fredericks, president and CEO of Annex Business Media, has been presented with the Paul Harris Fellow award.
Fredericks was presented the award by Rotarian and longtime friend Wally Anderson at a meeting of the Rotary Club of Simcoe on Dec. 19.
Fredericks first came to Simcoe about 30 years ago when he and his business group were looking to acquire the Simcoe Reformer. Anderson and a committee convinced him to stay and join Rotary.
Fredericks said the principles of Paul Harris, who founded Rotary in 1905, including truth, fairness, benefit to all concerned and goodwill, have guided him all his life.
When Fredericks established his company, Annex Business Media, the goal was to be the “best” business media publisher in Canada. Little did he know that, years later, he would also become the “biggest.”
As the business grew, Fredericks was unable to attend Simcoe Rotary consistently. Eventually he left the club but has always directly or indirectly supported the work of the Simcoe Rotary Club of Simcoe, other community service clubs and volunteer organizations.
While visiting his parents’ home in Nova Scotia, Frederick’s passion for fishing involved him with a group restoring habitat of a salmon river.
When hurricanes struck at his southern vacation spot, the home of this small community’s “pillar/justice of the peace” was destroyed. Fredericks and group of others are working to get it rebuilt.
The Paul Harris Fellow Award acknowledges those who contribute or have contributions made in their name of US$1,000 to The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.
Fredericks joins more than 111 Paul Harris Fellow recipients over the 97-year history of the Simcoe Rotary Club.
Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. It connects 1.2 million members of the more than 34,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.