Jay Mandarino
CJ Group of Companies | President & CEO
As President & CEO of The CJ Group of Companies, Jay Mandarino oversees the daily operations of 35 companies (and currently still growing!), including his Not-For-Profit ventures, with total sales reaching over 40 million dollars. Located in just under 1/4 million sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, the companies continue to grow despite the economic challenges our industries face.
Jay’s founding company, CJ Graphics Inc., is the most award-winning printing and communication solutions company in the world, receiving over 6,500 awards to date including 70 Bennys and the first company in the world ever to win 22 Benny awards in one year – the highest honour from the most prestigious print competition in the world. Jay was previously named Canada’s Printing Leader of the Year at the Canadian Printing Awards, celebrating world-class printing and industry achievement. His accolades include Canada’s Printer of the Year (Graphic Monthly magazine), making the list of 100 Most Profitable Companies in Canada (Profit magazine), Entrepreneur of the Year (Etobicoke Chamber of Commerce), and he has appeared on the front cover of PrintAction magazine several times followed by many feature articles where he discusses growth by mergers and acquisitions. Jay gives back to the community through his philanthropy. He was voted Community Leader of the Year by his peers in PrintAction and in 2019 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award and was the first person under 60 to receive this honour.
Jay currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario and has served on The Advertising & Design Club of Canada (ADCC), was past Director of the Graphic Designers Association of Toronto, past President of the Toronto Club of Printing House Craftsmen, past President of the Waterless Printing Association of North America and has served on several boards and committees for PIA, OPIA and IAPHC. Jay’s philanthropic work has been acknowledged in many editorial articles, letters of praise and with numerous awards including three medals – the Diamond Jubilee Medal from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship from the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, recognizing individuals who, through exceptional long-term efforts, have made outstanding contributions to their communities, and the Order of International Ambassadors Medal. Jay was awarded Hero of the Year by the Mississauga Christian French School (previously won by Michael “Pinball” Clemons) and the Urban Hero Award in the category of sports for CJ’s SKATEPARK from The Rotary Club of Toronto for exemplary contributions and dedication to assisting youth. In 2019, he received the Sam McCallion Community Involvement of the Year Award for CJ’s SKATEPARK from the Mississauga Board of Trade Business Awards, and was also awarded the 2020 Business Person of the Year. Jay intuitively thinks outside the box, which empowers his team to be both innovative and successful. He employs the best of the best, believing that if you surround yourself with excellence, the result can only be exceptional. Jay has also consulted for many printing and communication companies around the globe. He is an international speaker who is both informative and captivating, using humour to make his presentations more memorable and engaging. Jay is the author of two books – Cause For Laughter, a joke book whose entire proceeds go to charities, currently in its second printing and Ramp Up, a guide on how to skateboard.