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Selim Bassoul Honored at 2015 Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of the Year

Addressing Crowd at Opéra Garnier in Monaco, Bassoul describes his true passion

Elgin, Ill. (September 15, 2015)—Selim Bassoul was honored for his innovation developed for refugees at the 2015 Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of the Year in Monaco on June 4. In collaboration with Ernst & Young and in partnership with two other entrepreneurs Selim created Entrepreneurs Without Borders. (click here for video)

Mr. Bassoul was honored at the event, held at Opéra Garnier, for manufacturing a one-of-a-kind portable stove, which holds several patents and is specifically developed for the refugee community. Mr. Bassoul was born in Lebanon, where today 50% of the population is refugees. His interest in the plight of refugees remains the forefront of his philanthropy.

“Why can’t we use our technology to change the world?” he asked both himself and the audience upon being honored for this philanthropy and innovation.

According to the UN Refugee Agency there are nearly 60 million refugees and internally displaced persons, which are those forcibly uprooted and displaced from their country. Last year, 51% of refugees were under 18 years old, mainly women and girls. This is the highest figure for child refugees in more than a decade.

In a discussion with Dr. Jennifer Nkuene Riria of Kenya and Say Jim Tan of Malasia, Mr. Bassoul compared views on how social entrepreneurship can transform people’s lives. They concluded a lively session with a decision to collaborate on a multinational project addressing the global refugee crisis.

Their collaboration, born at World Entrepreneur of the Year, will have many moving parts, including multifunctional portable ovens, polystyrene housing and hydroponic farming— all enabled by micro-financing approaches to women refugees.

Moderator Morgan Clendaniel, Senior Editor of Fast Company with “Entrepreneurs Without Borders” Jennifer Nkuene Riria, Selim A. Bassoul and Say Jim Tan.  

In addition to his work with refugees, this year Selim created The Bassoul Dignity Foundation which addresses the needs of former felons and young adults by providing them with a second chance in life. More information is available at www.bassouldignityfoundation.com.

About The Middleby Corporation

The Middleby Corporation is a global leader in the foodservice equipment industry. The company develops, manufactures, markets and services a broad line of equipment used in the commercial foodservice, food processing, and residential kitchen equipment industries. The company's leading equipment brands serving the commercial foodservice industry include Anets®, Beech®, Blodgett®, Blodgett Combi®, Blodgett Range®, Bloomfield®, Britannia®, Carter-Hoffmann®, Celfrost®, Concordia®, CookTek®, CTX®, Desmon®, Doyon®, Eswood®, frifri®, Giga®, Goldstein® , Holman®, Houno®, IMC®, Induc®, Jade®, Lang®, Lincat®, MagiKitch'n®, Market Forge®, Marsal®, Middleby Marshall®, MPC©, Nieco®, NuVu®, PerfectFry®, Pitco Frialator®, Southbend®, Star®, Toastmaster®, TurboChef®, Viking®, Wells® and Wunder-Bar®. The company’s leading equipment brands serving the food processing industry include Alkar®, Armor Inox®, Auto-Bake®, Baker Thermal Solutions®, Cozzini®, Danfotech®, Drake®, MaurerAtmos®, MP Equipment®, Processing Equipment Solutions®, RapidPak®, Spooner Vicars®, Stewart Systems® and Thurne®. The company’s leading equipment brands serving the residential kitchen industry include Brigade®, Jade®, TurboChef®, Viking® and U-Line®. In 2015 and 2014, The Middleby Corporation was named a Fastest Growing Company by Fortune Magazine.

For more information about The Middleby Corporation and the company brands, please visit www.middleby.com

Contact: Darcy Bretz (847) 429-7756