Certain perceptions may persist in Mauricie, such as a biologist not being able to find work in the region. But this is not true for Luc Guillemette. He moved here to work and then to start his own company, Groupe Synergis, a major player in Quebec’s environmental sector. Luc has come a long way since leaving school in Rimouski. A native of Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc, Luc thought of the Mauricie region as a good place to set up his business. With its prime location, the region allows the entrepreneur to have access to everything and work anywhere. In fact, the company’s location means he can get to the City of Québec, Montréal, Saguenay and many other regions in 90 minutes at the most. “I like to be involved in a lot of things, so a small working environment wasn’t for me. I wanted to work in a large territory.”
Luc is very proud to be able to offer quality jobs in the region and counts on 75 employees, the majority of whom are located in and around the Mauricie region. “There are several graduates from neighbouring towns who have moved to Mauricie and now work for us.” His team is very close-knit and loyal. “Most of our employees have been with us for 10-12 years. That makes me very proud.”
A man of nature, Luc makes the most of the great outdoors that the Mauricie region has to offer. In the summer, it’s cycling and deck hockey, in the winter, ice hockey and downhill skiing. “I’m someone who loves nature, so I couldn’t see myself working in the big centres.” In his spare time, Luc enjoys taking advantage of the region’s wide range of cultural activities and gastronomy and plans to continue doing so for many years. On a day-to-day basis, Luc also has the opportunity to sit on two Mauricie Boards: CNETE and Bassin Versant Saint-Maurice. He enjoys sharing his expertise and feels that he can make a difference in the region.
Even after visiting all of Quebec, Luc still chooses to live and work in the Mauricie region. In fact, he bought his parents’ house, where he lived for 15 years, and then bought a plot of land nearby to build his own house. “I built on the same lake where I was born, and I’m going to die there.” Proof that he loves his little corner of the Mauricie! For Luc, Mauricie is synonymous with friendly people who get involved. “Despite the vastness of the area, people are close.” This passionate entrepreneur has no intention of tiring of the Mauricie and thinks he’ll be here for the rest of his life.