Portrait of a woman entrepreneur: Rebecca MacDonald, CEO of Just Energy Group Inc. (JE)

One of the richest women in Canada is also one of the richest Serbian women in the world. Rebecca MacDonald was born in Sarajevo (Yugoslavia) in 1953 under the name of Ubavka Mitic. In 1979, after passing several years living in Toronto, she married her late husband, Pearson MacDonald and than became Rebecca MacDonald.

Rebecca Macdonald father was a mathematic genius and was an electrical engineer. Her mother was from an affluent family. In her young years, Rebecca MacDonald family moves to Belgrade. In Belgrade, Rebecca MacDonald, than Ubavka Mitic was living a 500 square feet apartment. Her living condition was quite poor, but it doesn’t affect Rebecca MacDonald success. In her school years, Rebecca was having good result at school. Rebecca MacDonald obtains a medicine degree at the young age of 22 years old. In need of a better life and independency, Rebecca MacDonald applied for a Canadian Visa and the day after, was on a plane flight to Canada. When Rebecca arrives in Toronto, she only had a few hundreds in her pockets and didn’t speak English. She follows evening English class and during day time, was working as a secretary. Four years following her arrival in Canada, Rebecca MacDonald married her late husband. Shortly after, she funds her first company, Energy Marketing Inc. The company eventually becomes the largest natural gas retailers in Ontario. Shortly following the dead of her husband in a car accident, Rebecca MacDonald was selling, at profit Energy Marketing Inc.

In 1997, Rebecca MacDonald created the company that we later on become a unitholder of, Energy Savings Income Fund. In 2001, Energy Savings Income Fund became public. Following acquisition in the US, Energy Savings Income Fund (SIF.UN) changes its name to Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN). While achieving so much, Rebecca MacDonald had been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Mrs. MacDonald generously donates funds to help to cure to the disease and a centre had been name at her name at Mt.SinaiHospital in Toronto, the “Rebecca MacDonald Centre of Arthritis and Autoimmune Disease”. While living with rheumatoid arthritis, Rebecca had brought Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN) right to the top. Living today in the Toronto area, Rebecca MacDonald had famous neighbors: the singer Prince and the owner of the fashion empire Bata, the Bata Shoe Company.

In the last couple of years, the greatest investor had included Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN) in their investment portfolio. Jean-François Tardif, top hedge fund manager had said in 2009 about Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN): “His 3 Picks are resistance to recession/depression. A marketer of natural gas and everyone needs gas for heating. Growing and have increased distribution many, many times and believes they will do it in 2009. Believes the yield of almost 11% is safe.” The opinion is still accurate for 2010. Just Energy Income Fund value had grow from 11.63$ (From the time Jean-François Tardif made his comment) to 14.19$ on date of today, April 8, 2010.

While being in a worldwide recession, Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN) had extremely well-treated its investor. The annual dividend of Just Energy Income Fund is of 1.24$. In the pas 2 years, Just Energy Income Fund had pay to its investors a special dividend of 20 cents. At a total 1.44$ per stock, Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN) is more than just appealing. Just Energy Income Fund is definitely a company to be consider in an investment portfolio. As a small investor, I proudly hold 723 units of Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN). This one and only investment alone bring me a direct income of 1 041.12$ in dividend! Need any other good reason to invest in Just Energy Income Fund? Jean-François Tardif said it himself: Just Energy Income Fund is a recession-proof company. Also, Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN) had been named a S&P/TSX Canadian dividends aristocrats by the Globe and Mail. Just Energy arrived on the 5th position, after AltaGas Income Trust (ALA.UN), Bell Aliant (BA.UN), Parkland Income Fund (PKI.UN) and Davis + Henderson Income Fund (DHF.UN). Among with Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN), we also have Bell Aliant (BA.UN) and Davis + Henderson Income Fund (DHF.UN) in our investment portfolio.

Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN) journey is not over! The company acquires Universal Energy Group Ltd. in 2009. This acquisition leads to the creation of Just Energy Exchange Corp. (JEX-T) a company owned by Just Energy Income Fund (JE.UN-T). Very soon, Just Energy will change to a corporation due to new legislation taking effect in 2011 for income trusts. It’s going to be interesting to see future developments of Just Energy. More dividend and more special dividend on the way.