Cambridge Chamber of Commerce


Cambridge Chamber bursting with Business Excellence Awards nominees


CAMBRIDGE, Ont. -   The important work of the local business community will take centre stage at the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce’s annual Business Excellence Awards in March at Tapestry Hall.


The Chamber’s adjudicating committee is in the process of reviewing 90 nominations to select the winners in 11 award categories.


“It’s never an easy task to select just a few since there are so many worthy businesses and individuals among the nominees,” says Cambridge Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Greg Durocher. “And this year it’s even more difficult due to the incredible number of nominations we’ve received.”


Hundreds of business leaders and their guests are expected to attend the event which takes place Thursday, March 26 at Cambridge’s newest event space Tapestry Hall. The Business Excellence Awards is the Chamber’s premier event and has honoured the contributions and achievements of business leaders since 2000.


“The awards are a great way to recognize the amazing contributions our business community and leaders make to our region,” says Durocher, adding holding the awards at Tapestry Hall makes it an even more special event. “This great new facility is just another example of some of the many positive changes that are occurring in our city.”


The winners will be selected to recognize the achievements of organizations and entrepreneurs who have made outstanding contributions in the past year.


Award Categories and Criteria:


Business of The Year – 1-10 Employees

This prestigious award is given to a good corporate citizen who exhibits a competitive edge through technological innovation in one or more of three following areas: customer service; workplace environment; products and services; growth in business; and employee retention.  


-Driverseat Cambridge

-Fullbody Function

-Kazoku Martial Arts Centre

-Lens & Frames Optical

-Merakai Beauty Bar

-Messy Makers Children's Art & Activity Centre

-Minuteman Press

-Modo Yoga Cambridge

-Phidon Pens Limited

-Revkor Cambridge Corporation

-Rio Nectar

-Sandra Sousa Bookkeeping & Taxes

-Smart Choice Electronic Recycling

-Sugar Daddies Bakery

-The Easy Pour Inc.

-The Valko Team

-Top-Notch Concierge


Business of The Year – 11-49 Employees

This prestigious award is given to a good corporate citizen who exhibits a competitive edge through technological innovation in one or more of three following areas: customer service; workplace environment; products and services; growth in business; and employee retention.  


- Animal Hospital of Cambridge

- Anytime Fitness

- Armour Alloys Inc.

- Azores Cambridge Bakery

- Blendtek Fine Ingredients Inc.

- Brookstone Windows & Doors formerly Sentry Windows & Doors

- Document Imaging Partners

- Firehouse Subs

- Four Fathers Brewing Company

- Gallant Custom Laboratories Inc.

- Grand River Inflatables & Party Rentals

- Little Mushroom Catering

- Milestone Advertising & Design Inc.

- Reid Chocolates Candy & Nut Shop

- Shear Metal Products

- UTComp Inc.

- Winser Doors Inc.


Business of The Year – 50 Employees & Over

This prestigious award is given to a good corporate citizen who exhibits a competitive edge through technological innovation in one or more of three following areas: customer service; workplace environment; products and services; growth in business; and employee retention.


-AMJ Campbell Van Lines

-ATS Automation Tooling Systems Inc.

-Desch Canada Ltd.

-Energy+ Inc

-Jamesway Incubator Company Inc.

-Kingston Data & Credit


Outstanding Workplace – Employer of the Year

This award recognizes a business that goes above and beyond for their employees and provides the best overall place to work. For them, culture and a happy, healthy work environment for staff is very important.


-AMJ Campbell Van Lines

-Pixels & Coffee Media Inc.

-The Valko Team

-Watson Mechanical Contractors Inc.

-Winser Doors Inc.


Marketing Excellence

This award is presented to the business or organization that has best demonstrated excellence, innovation, and originality in traditional, or new-media marketing.


-CGT

-Rio Nectar

-The Valko Team


New Venture of the Year

This award is presented to a new or existing business that through innovation of design and technology has significantly improved the esthetics and functionality of their operating environment.


-Anubis Coffee Importing Cafe & Roastery

-Fullbody Function

-Gaslight Events Company

-Merakai Beauty Bar

-National R&D Inc.  

-Piatto Pizzeria + Enoteca

-Scruffy's Dinner

-Smart Choice Electronic Recycling

-Sugar Daddies Bakery


Spirit of Cambridge Award

This award recognizes an outstanding effort and commitment to making Cambridge and/or Township of North Dumfries a better, more prosperous community through corporate leadership and social responsibility.


-AMJ Campbell Van Lines

-Anytime Fitness

-Azores Cambridge Bakery

-Cambridge Hotel and Conference Centre

-Canuck Compounders Inc.

-CGT

-Clarion Medical Technologies

-Fullbody Function

-HIP Developments

-Revkor Cambridge Corporation

-The Valko Team


Young Entrepreneur Award

This award recognizes the outstanding achievement by those aged 18-40, who have, as the director/owner of a new or existing business, successfully built or built-up the organization.  This goes to a person who has ultimate control over the entire endeavor, leaving all the risk of success or failure lying their hands. Please describe the business, the product or service, and share the Young Entrepreneur's success story.  You should include any challenges that had to be overcome in order to be where they are today.  Along with growth and solid profits, there needs to be an element of how they care for their staff, their community, and their environment.


-Dark Spirit Films

-Fullbody Function

-Jackman Construction Ltd.

-Jolie Bra and Lingerie Boutique

-Kazoku Martial Arts Centre

-Messy Makers Children's Art & Activity Centre

-Next Level Performance Training Inc.

-Rio Nectar

-Smart Choice Electronic Recycling


WOWCambridge.com Customer Service Award

Each month we have recognized an individual, who has gone above and beyond, providing extraordinary service in everyday situations. These individuals and the businesses they work for exemplify service excellence, and most are completely surprised to be awarded, for what they believe is merely ‘doing their job.’ These stories are inspiring and heartfelt, with the customers and clients unable to say enough about how well they were treated. Our Grand Winner and all award nominees are raising the bar and increasing the standard of service in our community. This award is presented to one of the monthly winners as the Grand Award Winner.


-Apphia  Brown, Crunch Fitness

-Elaine Hazlett, Express Employment Professionals            

-Erin Moraghan, Revkor Cambridge Corporation 

-Irene Watt, W.G. Johnson Centre            

-Joan Horne, RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc.       

-Karly Smith, Anytime Fitness      

-Kathy Forbes, A.F. Sandy Forbes Insurance Broker            

-Mat Swyers, The Home Depot,  

-Melissa Deverell, Cambridge Pool Supplies Inc.

-Michelle Sullivan, Blackbridge Harley-Davidson 

-Sharmil Halaldeen, Pixels & Coffee Media Inc.

-Sharon McConnell, Boutique Baker         


Lifetime Achievement Award

This award recognizes individuals that have contributed significantly to the ongoing prosperity, vibrancy and economic growth of our community. This can be through their service to the community through many avenues, including committee work, development investment, contribution through the Chamber's or City's various opportunities for economic development. Our future prosperity will be measured by our ability to grow, attract and bring added value through employment and entrepreneurial opportunities.


Chair's Award

The Chair's Award recognizes an outstanding organization or individual who makes an exceptional effort which goes above and beyond the call of duty in any area of business and/or community development.