Personal Achievements

Recipient of two scholastic awards during his education from the Chapleau Cree First Nation. (Ottawa and Chapleau, ON)

1996 Youth Entrepreneur of the Year from the Nishnawbe-Aski Business Awards. (Timmins, ON)

1998 Youth Recipient of the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards, the highest Aboriginal achievement order in Canada. (Toronto, ON)

1998 Innovation in Geographic Information Systems Award from the Environmental Systems Research Institute, the other recipient was the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. (Sault Ste. Marie, ON)

1999 Recipient of the First Nations Business of Excellence Award from the Northern Ontario Business Awards. (Thunder Bay, ON)

2000 Recipient of the World Young Entrepreneurs Millennium Awards from the United Nations and the Institute for Leadership Development. (World Trade Centre, New York, NY)

2001 Youngest Recipient of the Canada’s Top 40 Under 40™ awards. (Toronto, ON)

A Scholarship was awarded in the name of Wade R. Cachagee in 2002 at the Canadore College Scholarship Awards (North Bay, ON)

Wade R. Cachagee lives on the Fox Lake Indian reserve located just outside of Chapleau in northern Ontario. After high school, Wade enrolled into the Electrician Construction and Maintenance program at Mohawk College and started into his Electrician apprenticeship. He continued his apprenticeship for the summers while he completed his Geographic Information Systems Diploma Program from Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology in Ottawa. Since graduation he has taken numerous courses in the area of GIS from professional institutes and other management organizations.

Wade is often called upon to participate in many events, award ceremonies and international conferences. Through his travels he has always been a strong promoter of entrepreneurship, leadership development, education and self success. While participating as a keynote speaker, award recipient to over 40 world wide events, he prides himself to help others achieve success. At many of these events he encourages others to believe that he was just a normal student who had a dream and if anyone believes in themself, they too can achieve success.

Wade has volunteered his time in community construction activities and by sitting on various committees, boards on his home First Nation and in the nearby community of Chapleau. He was a past member of the Chapleau Cree Education Committee and he also attends all Band membership meetings. He volunteers in fish & wildlife, tree planting, land conservation and construction activities on his First Nation. He has also served as a Director for the Fox Lake Community Development Corporation, which was the economic development arm of the Chapleau Cree First Nation. He was also a member of Council for the Chapleau Cree First Nation. In the local community of Chapleau, Wade has also served a term as a director for the Chapleau Regional Development Corporation. This organization is involved in numerous local projects, one in particular is the development of a tourism action plan for the world’s largest game preserve which neighbors the town of Chapleau. Wade has also volunteered by giving professional advise to other Aboriginal Entrepreneurs through a website developed by the Ontario Native Affairs Secretariat. He was also appointed by past minister of Industry Mr. John Manley, to sit on the National Selection committee of the Smart Community Demonstration Project. This committee has chosen 14 communities across Canada and allocated up to 5 million dollars to each community to support their smart community vision over a three year period. The Business Development Bank of Canada has obtained Wade for his expertise in assisting in the first ever national online business planning competition for Aboriginal youth throughout Canada. He continued to assist in the second annual business planning competition through his volunteer mentorship services.

Wade is co-founder and President of CREE-TECH INC. In 1995 Wade established this company with his business partner Kevin R. Lindquist a Registered Professional Forester, which is the largest aboriginally owned company in Canada specializing in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for the forestry sector. The company employs a number of full time professionals with a head office on his home First Nation. At the age of 24 Wade built his home/office complex which totals over 4000 square feet in size overlooking a beautiful northern Ontario lake. CREE-TECH INC. addresses the needs of the forest industry, First Nation people and all levels of government including: municipal, provincial and federal levels.
CREE-TECH INC. has membership in the Geomatics Industry Association of Canada, the National Aboriginal Forestry Association, the Ontario Arc User’s Group, the Registered Professional Forestry Association and the northern Ontario GIS Association. Wade is also a member of the Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 Alumni.

This young corporation has developed innovative technologies to compete in the rapidly growing field of GIS. The company continues to keep abreast of new technologies and prides itself by staying on the cutting edge of technology.

The firm is very cautious throughout any expansion. The growth strategy is to grow in an intellectual manner rather than just growing to get big fast. All staff are young and innovative which also encourages all team members to achieve the corporate moto of “Using Tomorrow’s Technology To Manage Today’s Resources”.

Wade has received two scholastic awards throughout his education from the Chapleau Cree First Nation. In 1996 Wade was awarded the Nishnawbe-Aski youth entrepreneur of the year. This award was for the Treaty 9 territory, which covers over 60% of Ontario. This was the first year they included a youth entrepreneur of the year category.

In the spring of 1998 he received an Innovation in GIS Technology Award from the Environmental Systems Research Institute. The other recipient for the award was the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Wade was also the recipient of the 1998 National Aboriginal Achievement Award. This is the highest Aboriginal achievement order in Canada. Some other recipients of the 1998 Achievement awards include: Tantoo Cardinal (Film and Television), Buffy Sainte-Marie (Lifetime Achievement) and Bryan Trottier (Sports). The awards ceremony was held at the Hummingbird Centre for Performing Arts in Toronto, which was later televised by CBC, with an audience that exceeded 2.2 million people.

In 1999 Wade was the recipient of the First Nations Business of Excellence award from the Northern Ontario Business Award. The award area covers north of Parry Sound, east to the Quebec border and west to the Manitoba border.

Wade was one of the recipients of the Canada’s Top 40 Under 40™ award for the year 2001. Nominations for Canada's Top 40 Under 40™ are submitted through a national competition and the candidates are evaluated under five selection criteria: Vision and Leadership, Innovation and Achievement, Community Involvement and Enhancement, Impact, and Growth Strategy. The Board of Directors, comprised of 23 industry and community leaders across the country, makes the selection of the final 40 to be honoured. Wade was the youngest recipient to receive this award. Other recipients include the President of Canadian Tire, President of Sympatico-Lycos, President of Air Canada and many other extraordinary executives throughout Canada.

Wade has been featured in many forms of media such as national and local newspapers, educational books, magazines, online web publications, television programs and many governmental publications. Some newspapers and magazines include the Northern Ontario Business Paper, The Toronto Star, ROB Magazine, The Financial Post, Time Magazine, The Globe and Mail and Aboriginal Times just to name a few. Wade was featured in the Ontario booklet titled “Investing in Ontario: some northern perspectives”, where he gave a testimonial on why northern Ontario allows him to operate such a technologically advanced company. He was featured as a technological innovator in last years Ontario Prospects “Ontario’s Guide to Career Planning”. He was also featured in the new REALM magazine which targets entrepreneur youths nationally. While in New York he was interviewed by CNN-FN for an Entrepreneurs program. Wade was also featured in the program Venturing Forth shown on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network.

The following is a list of the events Wade has participated in.

The First National GIS Conference On Aboriginal Lands, (Vancouver, BC)
-guest speaker on specific First Nation GIS applications

The Aboriginal Alliance Showcase, (Ottawa, ON)
-presentation about the establishment of CREE?TECH INC.

GIS On Aboriginal Lands Management, Banff Center for Management (Banff, AB)
-presented different GIS applications pertaining to Aboriginal resource management

Strengthening Mother Earth, An Environmental Challenge, National Environment Conf. (London, ON)
-facilitated a forestry/GIS seminar

Nishnawbe-Aski Nation 1996 Award Ceremony, (Timmins, ON)
-recipient of the 1996 NAN youth entrepreneur of the year award

ESRI, Ontario Users Conference, (Sault Ste. Marie, ON)
-received an Innovation in GIS technology award from the Environmental Systems Research Institute

XIV Keewaywin Conference as a Youth Delegate, (Webequie, ON)
-made a presentation to past minister Ron Irwin on the needs of the Chapleau Cree First Nation

Blueprint For The Future, (Vancouver, BC)
-keynote speaker and facilitator of a GIS applications workshop. The other two keynote speakers included Ted Nolan (NHL coach of the year) and Glen Clark past Premier of BC (the group totaled over 1400 people)

Accessing Our Future, (Thunder Bay, ON)
-Fed Nor Canada conference, keynote speaker and facilitator of an Access to Technology workshop

Kashechewan Career Fair, (Kashechewan, ON)
-guest speaker, instructor of a geography class

The National Aboriginal Achievement Awards, (Toronto, ON) 1998
-Youth recipient of the 1998 National Aboriginal Achievement Awards. The highest order in that acknowledges Aboriginal achievements in Canada.

New Business New People New Partners, National conference business (Toronto, ON)
April 1998
-guest speaker and also invited to speak on his success and accomplishments, this was the first annual Economic Renewal Conference in Canada

Aboriginal GIS (Toronto, ON) April 1998
-facilitator for a GIS development seminar

Mushkegowuk Annual Year End Banquet (Timmins, ON) June 1998
-keynote speaker, and to honour the graduates

Baibombeh Anishinabe School (Pawitik, ON) June 1998
-keynote speaker, and to recognize the academic achievements of the students

Dryden Tribal Council Forestry Conference (Dryden, ON) July 1998
-invited to speak as keynote speaker for the forestry students

Assembly of First Nations, and Indian and Northern Affairs (Ottawa, ON) July 1998
-presentation of CREE?TECH INC.

Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples: Implementation of the Do?Able Recommendations: Banff Center for Management (Banff, AB) September 1998
-Panel member and presenter

The World Summit on Young Entrepreneurs (Lyon, France) November 1998
-300 delegates were chosen world wide to participate

Introduction to GIS Workshop (Walpole Island) February 1999
-Facilitated a GIS workshop for the different management departments of Walpole First Nation

Opportunities in Science and Technology for Aboriginal People (Winnipeg, MN)
April 1999
-Acknowledged for his personal and business achievements, put on by Human Resources Development Canada and the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development

Our Lady of Fatima Career Day (Chapleau, ON) May 1999
-Guest speaker

Aboriginal Entrepreneurship for the New Millenium (Confederation College, Thunder Bay, ON) May 1999
-Opening Keynote speaker and presenter of a workshop

Chapleau Regional Development Corporation Annual General Assembly
(Chapleau, ON) June 1999
-The Unveiling of the Chapleau Website Presentation

The Northern Ontario Business Awards, (Thunder Bay, ON) October 1999
- First Nations Business Award of Excellence recipient

Smart Communities Demonstration Project (Ottawa, ON) Nov 1999 - March 2000
-National Selection Committee Member/Judge

NIIGAANTIGE “Looking To The Future”
(Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON) Dec 1999
-Opening Keynote speaker and presenter of an Entrepreneurship Workshop, Other speakers included Tina Keeper and Ted Nolan.

Aboriginal Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge (Birch Island, ON) Dec 1999
-Guest speaker and presentation of business careers

Workforce 2000 Conference “Building Economic & Employment Partnerships
(Timmins, ON) April 2000
-Opportunities for Aboriginals Presentation

Canadian Institute of Forestry
“Building Capacity for Aboriginal Forestry in Northeastern Ontario”
(Timmins, ON) June 2000
-Presenter of Forest Resource Inventories, Forest Information, GIS and Sustainable Forest Management Planning

The World Summit on Young Entrepreneurs (New York, New York) August 2000
-World Young Entrepreneurs Millennium 2000 Award recipient

Aboriginal Liaison Unit (ALU) and HRDC Ontario Region “Connecting For Our Future”
(Alliston, ON) October 2000
-Presenter of the Self-Employment Best Practices Workshop

Wabnode Institute “Wabnode Business Symposium” (Sudbury, ON) November 2000
-Opening Keynote speaker and presenter of a business success workshop

Our Lady of Fatima Speech Competition (Chapleau, ON) February 2001
-Judge, panel member and award presenter

Canadore College Twenty Ninth Annual Scholarship Awards Ceremony and Thirteenth Annual Richardson Memorial Lecture Series (North Bay, ON) March 2001
-Guest Lecturer and honorer of award recipients

Leadership Institute “Two day Top 40 sessions” (King City, ON) April 2001
-Participated in various workshops, presentations, self assessments and etc.

Canada’s Top 40 Under 40(TM) Recipient(Toronto, ON) May 2001
- The youngest recipient to receive this award. A national competition and the candidates are evaluated under five selection criteria: Vision and Leadership, Innovation and Achievement, Community Involvement and Enhancement, Impact, and Growth Strategy

Economic Renewal Forum on “Aboriginal Business Development Conference”
(Thunder Bay, ON) June 2001
-Luncheon Keynote Address: Planning for Development

APEC Young Leaders and Entrepreneurs Forum
(Beijing/Shanghai China) July 2001
-1 of 13 nominated to partake in the Canadian Delegation with The Honourable Martin Cauchon,
Minister of National Revenue, and Secretary of State responsible for Canada Economic Development as the head of the delegation.

Yukon Information Technology Expo
(Whitehorse, YUK) October 2001
-Workshop Presenter on “How GIS is Changing the World”

Chapleau Youth Forum
(Chapleau, ON) November 2001
-Guest speaker on “Why the Youth Are Leaving the North”

Youth Environmental Leadership Forum II
(Canadian Ecology Centre) May 2003
-Guest speaker on GIS and Forestry

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources North East Leadership Meeting
(Chapleau, ON) June 2003
-Guest speaker on Aboriginals and Forestry

Northern Ontario Youth Entrepreneurship & Leadership Conference
(Sault Ste. Marie, ON) June 2003
-Guest speaker on Leadership Development

Economic Indigenous Youth Symposium, Chiefs of Ontario
(Hamilton, ON) November 2003
-Guest speaker on Entrepreneurship and Leadership Development