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Vincenzo Guzzo

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Vincenzo Guzzo
OMRI SMOM
Guzzo in 2015
Born (1969-06-11) 11 June 1969 (age 55)
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Other names"Mr. Sunshine", Vincent Guzzo
Citizenship
  • Canada
  • Italy
Alma materWestern University
UQAM (Université de Québec à Montréal)
Known forCinémas Guzzo
Dragons' Den
Spouses
Annie Claude De Paoli
​
​
(m. 1996⁠–⁠2005)​
Maria Farella
​
(m. 2007⁠–⁠2024)​
Children5
WebsiteMr. Sunshine

Vincenzo "Vince" Guzzo[1] OMRI SMOM[2] (Italian pronunciation: [vinˈtʃɛntso ˈɡuttso]; born 11 June 1969) is a Canadian businessman and television personality. He is CEO of Cinémas Guzzo, Groupe Guzzo Construction inc., Guzzo Medical and Guzzo Hospitality. He has also opened a chain of Neapolitan pizzerias called Giulietta in Montreal. Guzzo was a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012, he was knighted by the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic and is a member of the Order of Malta.[2]

In 2018 Guzzo joined the cast of the CBC Television business reality show Dragons' Den as one of the investor "Dragons" in season 13 through season 18.

Early life

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Guzzo was born on 11 June 1969 in Montreal, the only son of Italian immigrants.[3] Guzzo attended Selwyn House School,[4] a private boys' school in Westmount, Quebec, where his classmates included Greg Fergus, Mark Pathy and Michael Penner.[5][6] A 19 September 2018 profile in the Montreal Gazette talks about his early life:

As a student at Selwyn House School, Guzzo would do his homework in his father’s office at the movie theatre. He later worked as an usher, and then in other capacities in the business.[2]

He studied economics at Western University in London, Ontario, and law at Université de Québec à Montréal.[2][7]

Business career

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Cinémas Guzzo

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Guzzo is the president and CEO of Cinémas Guzzo—the largest movie operator in Quebec, with 141 screens and 10 locations, and the third-largest in Canada.[2] He has another new cinema Méga-Plex St-Jean 12 opened in 2021.[8]

Cinémas Guzzo was started by his father, Angelo Guzzo, who remains chairman of the board. He came to Canada from Italy in 1967 and worked as a machinist for Pratt & Whitney. In 1974, he bought a movie theatre,[2] the Cinéma Paradis, which had been closed and left abandoned for the previous ten years, creating friction with the local citizens. Vincenzo Guzzo worked as an usher and in other small roles as a student. In 1991 he joined his father in the family business. As the chain expanded in the late 1990s and new locations were established, the construction division of Cinémas Guzzo did the building and Guzzo helped with the design work.[2]

Other businesses

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Vincenzo Guzzo is also CEO for the following companies:

  • Club discotheque L'astre 5
  • Groupe Guzzo Construction Inc.[2][9]
  • Guzzo Hospitality[2]
  • Guzzo Medical Services Inc.[2][10]
  • Cinémas Guzzo Les Films Inc.[11][12]

All of the cinemas owned by Cinémas Guzzo were built by Le Groupe Guzzo Construction Inc.[13] Guzzo also owns a chain of Neapolitan pizzerias called Giulietta.[14]

In May 2019, Guzzo submitted a bid to purchase the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.[15] He later pulled out of the running to buy the team, citing "personal conflicts with people around the deal."[16] Guzzo later tweeted in a series of threads that he did not believe that CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie knew what he was doing during negotiations and acted "in a non transparent way and wasted my time."[17]

Guzzo has also been President of APCQ (L'Association des propriétaires de cinémas du Québec)—an association of Québec cinema owners—since 2012.[18]

Media

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Dragons' Den

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Guzzo joined the cast of the CBC Television business reality show Dragons' Den as one of the investor "Dragons" for season 13.[2] The first episode of season 13 including the two new "Dragons" Vincenzo Guzzo and Lane Merrifield aired on September 20, 2018. Dragons' Den is a Canadian TV show on the CBC Television network, with an average of 519,000 viewers per episode in the 2017–2018 season.[19]

Other media appearances

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Vincenzo Guzzo has made the following additional media appearances:

Controversy

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Financial Troubles and Creditor Disputes

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In 2023, significant financial challenges emerged for Cinémas Guzzo, the theater chain helmed by Vincent Guzzo. According to reports from La Presse, creditors, including CIBC and private lenders, initiated legal proceedings against Guzzo’s group, demanding repayment of over $60 million in outstanding debts.[23] CIBC, the largest creditor, sought $37 million, citing "negligent management," including prolonged overdrafts and unpaid property taxes totaling $1.4 million.[23] Additional claims from Banque Équitable and private lenders Q-12 Capital and Q-8 Capital amounted to nearly $26 million.[23]

In November 2023, Quebec Superior Court placed Cinémas Guzzo under interim receivership and ordered the company to open its books to Raymond Chabot, a financial recovery firm. Judge Michel Pinsonnault criticized the company for failing to take its financial situation seriously, stating, “Burying one's head in the sand will not make Groupe Guzzo's financial problems disappear.”[24]

Despite Guzzo’s claims of imminent refinancing and optimism about resolving the debt, the chain's struggles became more visible when Guzzo confirmed the closure of Cinema Des Sources in Dollard-des-Ormeaux.[24] Employees of the location reported late or missed paychecks, allegations Guzzo denied.[24] The financial strain also reportedly led to operational issues, including the heat being shut off in some theaters.[24] Guzzo declined to comment on these claims but stated he is taking steps to comply with court orders.[24]

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In June 2023, Vincent Guzzo faced criminal charges for harassment and breach of conditions related to a family dispute.[25] The allegations included engaging in harassment and violating a communication ban with the complainant.[25] Guzzo denied the accusations and described the charges as unfounded.[25] In December 2023, the Crown dropped all charges, citing insufficient evidence to ensure a reasonable prospect of conviction.[25] Guzzo expressed relief at the resolution of the case, framing the ordeal as a misunderstanding stemming from personal disputes.

Allegations of Nonpayment and Unfinished Projects

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Separately, Vincent Guzzo’s group faced lawsuits from landlords of properties housing Cinémas Guzzo theaters.[23] These landlords alleged that the company issued bounced checks and failed to pay millions in back rent.[23] In one case, Guzzo was accused of failing to complete promised construction work for a shopping center, despite receiving $9 million in payments.[23] Guzzo asserted that he was actively working to resolve these disputes, including plans to repurchase one of the contested properties.[23]

Adding to these challenges, Vincent Guzzo faced backlash from employees at Cinema Des Sources.[24] Workers expressed frustration over operational mismanagement, citing irregular pay and a lack of communication about the theater's closure.[24] Guzzo denied the claims, stating that all employees were paid and that the decision to close the theater was unrelated to financial troubles, as the lease was set to expire.[24] Nevertheless, the closure underscored the ongoing struggles within Guzzo's theater empire.

Industry Challenges and “Popcorngate”

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Vincent Guzzo has also faced industry-wide challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. A critic of Quebec’s lockdown measures, including a temporary ban on the sale of popcorn in theaters, Guzzo publicly opposed the government’s restrictions.[24] The backlash was dubbed “Popcorngate,” leading to eventual compensation for theater owners from Premier François Legault.[24] Guzzo has cited the pandemic as a significant factor in his company’s prolonged financial recovery.

Personal life

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Vincenzo Guzzo has five children (Angelo II, Vittorio Emanuele, Vito, Delano, and Rossella).[2] He and the family raise money for the Jewish General Hospital, the Shriners Hospital and Youth Mental Health.[13][26]

Guzzo holds both Canadian and Italian citizenships.[2]

The CBC Dragon's Den blog explains:

[The Guzzo family], are renowned philanthropists, giving generously to numerous hospitals and culminating in the establishment of the Guzzo Family Foundation in 2007, which is aggressively invested in cancer nanotechnology research at Montreal’s Jewish General Hospital and McGill University. Guzzo’s contributions have been internationally recognized as he is the recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, was knighted by the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic and is a distinguished member of the Order of Malta.[13]  

Guzzo is nicknamed "Mr. Sunshine", and his outfits usually display that with wearing the colour yellow.

Guzzo was charged with criminal harassment and breach of conditions in 2023, for "engaging in criminal harassment against a person (his wife) between November 2022 and June 2023[27]", in the context of a family dispute. It was alleged Guzzo also breached his conditions by failing to not communicate, directly or indirectly, with the individual. All charges were dropped on December 4th, 2023 [28]".

Awards and honours

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References

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  1. ^ Sara Harvey (3 July 2020). "Vince Guzzo: U.S. COVID crisis bigger threat to cinemas than box office slate". BNN Bloomberge.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Schwartz, Susan (19 September 2018). "Montreal cinema mogul Vincenzo Guzzo enters the Dragons' Den". Montreal Gazette. Montreal. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  3. ^ "Society Extra: Vincenzo Guzzo talks Notte in Bianco, Dragons' Den and running for Prime Minister". thesuburban.com. 20 September 2018.
  4. ^ Schwartz, Susan (19 September 2018). "Montreal cinema mogul Vincenzo Guzzo enters the Dragons' Den". Montreal Gazette. Montreal. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  5. ^ Selwyn House School | Alumni Updates 07-08
  6. ^ Selwyn House Yearbook 1985
  7. ^ "New Montreal Dragon on Dragons Den Vincenzo Guzzo – Montreal Times - Montreal's English Weekly Newspaper". mtltimes.ca. 15 September 2018. Retrieved 2018-11-21.
  8. ^ "Vincent Guzzo: populaire | Marc Cassivi | Entrevues". La Presse (in Canadian French). 9 October 2018. Retrieved 2018-11-19.
  9. ^ "LE GROUPE GUZZO CONSTRUCTION INC". www.quebecentreprises.com. Retrieved 2018-11-19.
  10. ^ "Federal Corporation Information - 453884-6 - Online Filing Centre - Corporations Canada - Corporations - Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada". www.ic.gc.ca. Retrieved 2018-11-19.
  11. ^ Marc-André Lussier [fr] "Des primeurs aux cinémas Guzzo?". La Presse (in Canadian French). 2018-03-30. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  12. ^ "CINÉMAS GUZZO INC". www.registreentreprises.gouv.qc.ca. 26 March 2007. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  13. ^ a b c "Meet new Dragon Vincenzo Guzzo". Blog. Dragons' Den. CBC. 26 April 2018. Retrieved 2018-11-21.
  14. ^ "Montreal theatre chain Guzzo Cinemas eyes expansion to Calgary, Vancouver | CBC News". CBC. 20 November 2018. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  15. ^ "Vente des Alouettes : Vincent Guzzo met son offre sur la glace". Ici Radio-Canada Tele (in French). May 28, 2019. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  16. ^ "Vincenzo Guzzo puts buying Alouettes on hold due to 'personal conflicts with people around the deal' | 3DownNation". May 27, 2019. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
  17. ^ @Guzzo_Vincenzo (June 6, 2019). "As for the CFL not answering they shouldn't..." (Tweet). Retrieved 2023-04-01 – via Twitter.
  18. ^ "Industrie et exploitation de cinémas - Association des propriétaires de cinémas du Québec". www.apcq.ca. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  19. ^ "New additions to Dragons' Den seek to fan entrepreneurial flames". CBC News. CBC. 26 April 2018. Retrieved 2018-12-10.
  20. ^ "Episode dated 9 February 2014". Tout le monde en parle. Season 10. 9 February 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  21. ^ ""L'univers culturel de l'entrepreneur Vincenzo Guzzo"". Culture Club. Season 2015-2016. 31 January 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  22. ^ There's a new dragon in the den and he's breathing fire, January 11, 2019, retrieved 2019-01-14
  23. ^ a b c d e f g Joncas, Hugo (2024-10-05). "Créances de plus de 60 millions: Guzzo menacé de faillite". La Presse (in Canadian French). Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Cinemas Guzzo closing West Island theatre amid major financial troubles". Montreal. 2024-11-26. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  25. ^ a b c d "Charges dropped against Quebec businessman Vincenzo Guzzo". CBC. CBC. 2024-12-04. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
  26. ^ Suburban, Mike Cohen The (26 September 2018). "Life as a Dragon begins for Vincenzo Guzzo". The Suburban Newspaper. Retrieved 2018-11-21.
  27. ^ The Canadian Press (June 27, 2023). "Quebec businessman Vincenzo Guzzo charged with criminal harassment".
  28. ^ The Canadian Press (December 4, 2023). "Charges dropped against Quebec businessman Vincenzo Guzzo".
  29. ^ "Canada's Top 40 Under 40 - Honourees 2002". www.canadastop40under40.com. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
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