Seven Oakville Businesses take top honours at OABE

Bot Construction honoured with special award commemorating 50 years

OAKVILLE — More than 400 people attended the prestigious 12th annual Oakville Awards for Business Excellence which were handed out April 12 at the Oakville Conference and Banquet Centre. Presented by The Rotary Club of Oakville West and the Oakville Chamber of Commerce, the awards recognize local businesses for the invaluable contribution they make to the community’s economic development. Lexus of Oakville was again this year’s Platinum Level presenting sponsor.

“We had 42 outstanding nominees this year for the categories of Entrepreneur of the Year; Manufacturer of the Year; Retailer of the Year; Service Provider of the Year; and Tourism/Hospitality Provider of the Year,” says Greg Duffy, Chair of this year’s Awards.

“We cheered tonight for those in all types of endeavours, all varieties of business and all degrees of hands-on and mouse clicks,” he said. “What really counts is their devotion to doing business well. Over forty companies were on stage tonight as Oakville’s answer to the walk-the-walk and the talk-the-talk role models. They are all to be congratulated as nominees, as are all our volunteers who worked to put this event together.”

A special award was also presented to Roy Bot of the BOT Construction Group, in recognition of 50 successful years in business in Oakville.

The winners of the 12th Annual Oakville Awards for Business Excellence, the OABE, are as follows:

Entrepreneur of the Year: Dr Ronnie Aronson, LMC Endocrinology Centres

Tourism/Hospitality Provider of the Year: Holiday Inn, Oakville-Centre

(l to r) Director of Sales Lori Hughes and General Manager John Scott, Holiday Inn Oakville Centre

Retailer of the Year: Longo’s Oakville

Steve Caetano (l) and Eric Wood, Longo’s

Manufacturer of the Year: Ford Motor Company of Canada

James Rowland (l), manager of government relations and Gerald Wood, sales operations manager, Ford Motor Company of Canada.

Service Provider of the Year: Bot Construction

(l. to r.) Steve Bot, Nancy Mercanti (Bot) and Roy Bot, Bot Construction

The OABE awards this year also saw the inaugural declaration of a new category award, The OABE Award for Outstanding Environmental Leadership. Jelinek Cork Group and the Cork House on Neyagawa Boulevard were honoured not only for strong business acumen but also for doing so with a high regard and successful record in environmental care. Accepting the Award were Sonny Jelinek and Jay Jelinek.

Sonny Jelinek (l) and Jay Jelinek, Jelinek Cork

While honouring excellence in business, the Oakville Awards for Business Excellence is also a fundraiser for the Oakville Rotary Club of Oakville West’s youth programs. Last year over $40,000 was raised to support the Rotary’s youth programs, which include scholarship and bursaries for academic and community excellence in Oakville secondary schools and support for the Oakville Youth Development Centre on Cross Avenue.

More Oakville Awards

FRONT ROW: (l. to r.) Bob Edwards, Gina Guerra, Steelcare Inc.; Sophia Aggelonitis, President, Hamilton Chamber; Peter Mercanti, Gerti Mercanti, Carmen’s Catering; John Voortman, Ellie Voortman, Oakrun Farm Bakery; MIDDLE ROW: (l. to r.) Sylvain Corbeil, RBC; Geoff Seely, Steelcare Inc.; Judy Martin, Scotiabank; Donna Cripps, St. Peter’s Hospital; Owen Boris, Mountain Cablevision; Susan McCulloch, Regal Tent Company; BACK ROW: (l. to r.) Vince Isber, RBC; Kevin Anstee, Progressive Case Management; Patrick Kiely, Mountain Cablevision; Major Byron Jacobs, Salvation Army; Michael McCullough, Regal Tent Company. Photo by Roy Timm

Photos by Denis Gibbons

Quinte Economic Development Manager wins EDCO Award

QUINTE — Quinte Economic Development Commission Manager Chris King took top honours at the Economic Developers Council of Ontario’s (EDCO) President’s dinner as the recipient of the Economic Development Achievement Award for 2006.

On hand during the dinner were the Lieutenant Governor James Bartleman as well as approximately 400 economic development professionals and municipal dignitaries.

The award was presented to King after being nominated by local business officials and peers from the Economic Development profession.

“The nomination review committee was very impressed with the package received for Mr. King. It included several letters of support from Mr. King’s peers — which is a testament to his abilities both inside and outside of the profession,” said EDCO Past President, Hamilton’s Norm Schleehahn.

Quinte West Mayor John Williams, Belleville Mayor Neil Ellis and Northumberland MPP Lou Rinaldi were present at the dinner and said: “As elected officials for Quinte West, Belleville and area we are very pleased to see Chris receive a nod of acknowledgement from the EDCO organization and his peers. We are impressed by Chris’s abilities and the manner in which he promotes our area to the world while not forgetting the local businesses that mean so much to our community. 2006 was an historic year for the City of Quinte West & Belleville. We are delighted to see that his hard work and leadership has received this well- deserved recognition.”

Hamilton Chamber honours 2006 OBA recipients

Special Recognition Award: (approved unanimously by the Chamber’s Executive Committee): Oakrun Farm Bakery Ltd.

Small Business Award: Regal Tent Productions Ltd.

Large Business Award: Steelcare Inc.

Ironman Award: Carmen’s Catering

Young Entrepreneur Award: Kevin Anstee (Progressive Care Management Inc.)

Communication Technology Award: Mountain Cablevision Limited

Not-For-Profit Award: St. Peter’s Health System

Century Award recipients:

Store Image

RBC Royal Bank

Connon Nurseries

Scotia Bank

Salvation Army

PANEL OF JUDGES:

Dennis Concordia, CARSTAR Automotive Canada (Spokesperson)

Brent Kinnaird, Hamilton Port Authority

Frankie Russell, Business Development Bank of Canada

Norm Schleehaln, City Of Hamilton, Economic Development

Devin Tuinstra, FloatPoint Media

John Dolbec, CEO, Hamilton Chamber of Commerce (Non Voting, Secretary).

The Recipients were announced at Gala event on March 28, 2007 Michelangelo’s Banquet Centre. Over 400 Hamilton business leaders attended.

Milton honours 2006 Community Award winners 

Lifetime Achievement Award: The Honourable James and Barbara Snow

Citizen of the Year: Del and Rose Oxford

Chamber Volunteer Member of the Year: Gloria Francis – Padgett Business Services

President’s Award (2): Nanci Job and Tarah Cherwoniak and Len Lee (Mr. Rose)

Business of the Year (26 employees or more): Chudleigh’s

Business of the Year (25 employees or less): A Country Mile

Business Person of the Year: Angelo DeMedicis – Milton Home Hardware Building Centre