PORT HAWKESBURY: Businesses in the Strait area came together last night to celebrate business success in one of the region’s largest networking events of the year.
Held at the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre, the Fall Awards Dinner is hosted each year by the Strait Area Chamber of Commerce. This year marked the first time that businesses have celebrated Global Entrepreneurship Week – the world’s largest celebration of the innovators and job creators who bring ideas to life and drive economic growth.
Top honors of the evening went to Darren and Tracey Cummings as they accepted the Excellence in Business Award. The Cummings family is well known for their commitment to customer service, employee engagement, and generosity in the community.
The Rising Star New Business Award was granted to Rob and Amanda McAleer from the BaRyKin Bistro who have been experiencing great success on the Port Hawkesbury waterfront and at their café in the Port Hawkesbury Shopping Centre.
Zutphen Contractors took home the Excellence in Safety Award for their two-year time loss record and DSM Nutritional Products took home the Export Achievement Award for their impressive expansion at the facility and into new markets.
The best kept secret of the night was the Outstanding Customer Service Award – from a group of three excellent nominees, Wilma Greencorn at NSCC was selected as the winner for her top-notch work with students, faculty and the business community.
Many other accomplishments were recognized during the evening including four businesses honoured for being in operation for 50 years or more. These Club 50 honorees included Louie’s Cosy Corner, Dennis Haverstock Funeral Home, Zutphen Contractors, and Causeway Autobody. The Chamber’s long-standing Club 25 saw Nancy Cluett Interiors being inducted this year as well.
“It was an incredible evening that was made so much better by having Senator-Designate Dan Christmas providing our keynote address,” noted Amanda Mombourquette, executive director of the Strait Area Chamber of Commerce.
“Dan’s message of entrepreneurship and partnership was the right message at the right time as the chamber and its partners are working together to expand opportunities for businesses in the region.”
Always a well-attended and highly anticipated event, this year’s Fall Awards featured booths for service providers to showcase the variety of programs and services they have to offer businesses in the region.
The Strait Area Chamber of Commerce 2016 Fall Dinner and Awards Gala was sponsored by Port Hawkesbury Paper, 1015 The Hawk, Svitzer, Bearhead LNG, BDC, InRich, NSBI, Scotiabank and the Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia.
