Anybody remember Steve Barban?

Former Saultite Steve Barban has done well for himself in Ottawa.

This week, the Ottawa Business Journal recognized him at a gala awards ceremony at the posh Chateau Laurier hotel for its Forty under 40 Awards.

The awards honour young business people whose careers and community involvement have had a positive lasting effect on the City of Ottawa.

Barban (shown) is branch manager and senior financial advisor at the Gloucester, Ontario office of investment dealer Berkshire Securities Inc.

In a 1999 advisor satisfaction poll conducted by Dalbar Inc., Barban's clients awarded him the highest overall satisfaction rating of any participating advisor across Canada.

Together with wife Krista, Barban has owned a successful Dairy Queen outlet since 1997, and he plans to open two additional DQ locations in Ottawa later this year.

He's mentored some 40 people in the financial services industry, teaches night-school courses on financial planning at Algonquin College and is a member of the President's Advisory Council at Carleton University.

In his spare time, Barban coaches his son's hockey team.

You can send a note of congratulations to Barban by clicking here.

EDITOR'S NOTE: After the initial version of this article appeared, Barban sent us the following note, which has been edited for brevity and personal content:

**************************************************************** Hi David,

Hope all is well back home.

I miss all kinds of things about the Soo, and in fact kept a subscription to the Sault Star going for many years here in Ottawa.

For the record, I grew up in the west end on East Balfour, went to St. Veronica School, then Korah, then Carleton University here in Ottawa.

While I would have loved to come back home, opportunities presented themselves in Ottawa that I couldn't pass up.

Got married had a couple of kids, heavily involved in business, the rest is history...

My two brothers had moved to Ottawa prior to me. One is now Deputy High Commissioner to Australia for the Canadian Government (living in Canberra), while the other is in the import and manufacturing business.

My folks sold their place in town in the late 90's as well as their "camp" (Soo term) at Goulais a year later and also moved to Ottawa.

All to say that my immediate family has all made their way to Ottawa, however I am related to all of the Barbans in the Soo.

I haven't been back in 5 years (still can't believe that!), but will be in town this August for Victor Barban's wedding.

I hope to see as many family and friends as possible - perhaps a message to them to that affect would be in order.

It is going to be 'so weird' coming home and staying at the Holiday Inn?!?!?!

If you would like, and you think it's appropriate to add to the story, my email address is [email protected].

Take care, and hats off to a great website.

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