Risking it all: veteran pilot sacrificed job security for the independence of entrepreneurship.

• Position: Young Entrepreneur of the Year awardee Sylvain Seguin - Northern Ontario Business Awards

A strong desire to succeed and a willingness to take risks are two of Sylvain Seguin's qualities which impressed our awards judges.

Seguin, the president and operations manager of Heli-North Aviation Inc./Heli-Nord Aviation Inc., is this year's winner of the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award sponsored by Peat Marwick Thorne.

Seguin, 30, is a well-travelled helicopter pilot with more than 4,000 hours of flying time. He started his flying career while still in high school and has since been a flight instructor, fought fires, sprayed crops and flown mining exploration crews over deposits in the Yukon and North West Territories.

Prior to starting his own company, which now employs six full- and two part-time employees, Seguin was a pilot for Bandage Two, the Ministry of Health's air ambulance helicopter based at the Sudbury Airport.

One year ago Seguin met up with his old friend Roger Ranger, a helicopter engineer, and the two decided to launch their own aviation business. Although there were already several aviation firms operating in Sudbury, all had head offices outside Northern Ontario.

"We will always remain in Northern Ontario. This is our home," said Seguin, explaining the decision to take on the established competition.

With the assistance of a New Venture loan from the province, Seguin and Ranger purchased a Bell 206 Jet Ranger helicopter. They brought it up to flying standards after many long days and sleepless nights.

Today Heli-North conducts charters and serves such clients as Inco Ltd., Falconbridge Ltd., E.B. Eddy Forest Products and CP Rail. Its largest client is the Ministry of Natural Resources.

For Seguin it has been satisfying to launch and nurture a business during a recession.

"We managed to pull it off at the worst time," he says.

"The trick is that once you make the decision to start a business you have to go all the way. That is the key to success."

Seguin has since...