ABOUT BEN

Ben is originally from the Eastern Townships in Quebec.  Thanks for his parents’ guidance and support, Ben learned at a young age that he wanted to dedicate his career to enhancing the prosperity and quality of life of his community. 
 
After his studies in economics at l’Université de Sherbrooke as well as at Eastern Connecticut State University in the United States in the mid ‘90s, Ben dedicated the next 25 years of his career to making a positive difference in his community through his different roles in market analysis, health, human resources, community business development, tourism, arts and culture.      
 
Ben developed his research and analytical skills when started his career as a Market Analyst within the Health Protection Branch at Health Canada in Ottawa.  The focus of his work at Health Canada was the completion of a study on the economic impact of the coming into force of Bill C-91, an act to amend the Patent Act.  His study was presented to the Senate and is still referred to as Champoux Report on Parliament Hill, more than twenty years later. 
 
His work and reputation with Health Canada led him to pursue a Masters in Health Administration (MHA) at l’Université de Montréal.  Ben went on to work as a Human Resources consultant in the Health Care sector in Montreal after completing his MHA.  Ben developed his communication and negotiation skills as he worked with union representatives and the Senior Management Team of the hospital of the settlement of grievances.     
1998 marked a turning point in Ben’s career.  Ben moved from Montreal to Moncton that year when Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation (CMHC) offered him the Market Analyst position for the Province of Prince Edward Island and Greater Moncton.  By 2000, Ben had become the Senior Market Analyst for New Brunswick, a position that he held for 5 years. During those 7 years with CMHC, Ben wrote numerous economic and housing reports on the socio-economics and housing market conditions in several communities throughout PEI and NB and gave hundreds of media interviews and presentations to builders, developers, realtors and government leaders.       
 
In June 2005, Ben joined the City of Moncton to implement and lead the new Economic Development Office.  In his role as the City’s Business Development Specialist, Ben was responsible to reinforce Moncton’s ‘Open for Business’ reputation, by assisting builders and developers with their projects and facilitating the processes at City Hall.  Ben was also accountable for planning and executing initiatives to attract investment and immigrants, enhance the City’s Downtown, raise Moncton’s visibility nationally and internationally.  
 
In March 2012, Ben became Director, Tourism & Culture.  In that role, Ben was responsible to enhance the City’s prosperity and quality of life by managing the City’s Tourism Strategy, Arts & Culture Strategy, the Magnetic Hill Zoo, the Moncton Museum and its transformation into RESURGO Place. Ben was also responsible to lead Moncton’s Intelligent City Agenda. Under his leadership, Moncton was recognized as one of the Top-7 Intelligent Cities in the world in 2009 by the Intelligent Community Forum.  Ben represented the interests of the City of Moncton as a Founding Board member of the Intelligent Community Forum Foundation.  Ben is also a Founding Board Member of ICF Canada.    
 
In November 2013, Ben was named the Chief Executive Officer of the 3+ Corporation, formally known Enterprise Greater Moncton.  3+ is the economic development corporation for Dieppe, Moncton and Riverview, responsible to lead the way in fostering new job creation and economic growth in Greater Moncton. During his two years as CEO of 3+, Ben transformed the Corporation by re-organizing the organizational structure and culture, the team, the funding model, including the strategic partnership program, as well as the brand name and logo of the Corporation. 
 
In January 2016, Ben started his own Economic Development firm, Champoux Inc., which allows him the flexibility to pursue his career goal to enhance the prosperity and quality of life of his community on his own terms. 
 
Ben’s proudest life moment is the adoption, in August 2009, of two wonderful children from Haiti, Ysloby, 19, and his sister, Widline, 16.