Thirteen local businesses were chosen as the best in various categories, from Young Entrepreneur to Small Business, in front of a crowd of 450 Burlington business people this week at the Burlington Chamber of Commerce’s annual Business Excellence Awards Gala.
The event took place on May 21 at the Burlington Convention Centre, the crowd sparkling with good cheer and dressed in their finery, as they networked, sat down to a delicious three-course dinner, and feted award nominees and winners alike.
Said Chamber President and CEO Terry Caddo in a post-event press release, “We are very happy to see such a great turnout to support business excellence in our Burlington community. A big thank you once again, to all of our sponsors. We are grateful for your continuous support of the Burlington Chamber.”
The Chamber’s Business Awards Task Force was entrusted with the difficult work of winnowing down the 37 finalists across nine awards categories to just the nine winners over the four months leading up to the gala. Criteria in determining the winner in each category were excellence in business leadership, community contributions, entrepreneurship, employee welfare, innovation, environment, and market growth.
Prior to the announcement of the nine award winners, four special award winners were announced: the 2024 Mayor’s Award, and three Burlington Economic Development Awards —for Excellence in Global Business, Excellence in Innovation and Technology, and Excellence in Retail Innovation.
First up were the Burlington Economic Development Awards, whose winners were Onsemi (Excellence in Global Business), who manufacture audio digital processing systems for hearing aids; Feedback Solutions (Excellence in Innovation and Technology), who help businesses reduce their carbon footprint; and Familia Fine Foods (Excellence in Retail Innovation), who are well known in Burlington for their homemade prepared meals that can be delivered or picked up. Familia now also has a market and restaurant, to sample their tacos, tostadas, and sandwiches hot from the source.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, before announcing the award winner, noted that she “loves these nights,” not just to celebrate the businesses she knows already (and frequents!) but to learn about new businesses in Burlington. “There are so many incredible stories,” Meed Ward said.
Dare To Be You(th) (DTBY) took home the Mayor’s Award this year, for their ongoing work in empowering youth and engaging them in community. Founder and CEO Shannon Tobin and Community Liaison Kassia Vrhovnik were on hand to accept the award. Brief video interviews with the winners (and nominees for the Chamber award categories) were shown on large screens before the awards were handed over. During the DTBY video, Tobin noted that the charity began as a passion project, “stemming from what I didn’t have growing up.” Now, the charity runs “a suite of programs,” including peer mentorship, leadership, financial literacy, and live events, all at no cost to participants.
Tobin turned the floor over to Vrhovnik, a third-year university student, who stated DTBY’s intention to “continue to push the boundaries of inclusion.”
The Chamber awards followed. The New Business Award went to the Cultivated B Canada Ltd., a biotech company specializing in “scalable and sustainable protein production,” according to its website.
The Tourism Award was given to Courtyard by Marriott Burlington, which is attached to the Burlington Convention Centre; the Courtyard’s Director of Sales and Marketing Razan Hawwa quipped, “If anyone is in need of a bed tonight, we’re right next door.”
The Environmental Impact Award went to Thordon Bearings Inc., whose roots go all the way back to 1911. Given its deep history, Thordon Bearings would also have made a suitable nominee for the Heritage Award; deservedly, the Heritage Award was given to Aldershot Greenhouses Ltd.
Frederick Redding was the winner of the Young Entrepreneur Award, for his company Detail Guard. “I didn’t prepare anything in advance,” Redding said after accepting his award. “I didn’t think I was going to win!”
The Female Business Leader Award was given to Ashley Deland, a strategic business advisor with a passion for lifting up other women in business; indeed, she made a point to thank Samantha Henry of Sharp Storytelling for her excellent work in creating the winner and nominee interview videos.
Both the Small Business Award winner and the Large Business Award winner teams — Green Benefits Group Inc. and Cogeco, respectively — were very excited about their big wins; each group arrived at the back of the room to have their photos taken with big smiles and hugs all around.
There was also a Charity/Non-Profit Award, which went to Goodwill, the Amity Group; after he presented the award, award sponsor L.J. Mian of LJM Developments announced a surprise donation to each of the nominees in the category to much applause. Two nominees, Woodview Mental Health and Autism Services and Shifra Homes, expressed their surprise and delight at the unexpected donation.
This donation was just one example of the community-mindedness and camaraderie that was on display amongst the Chamber members all evening; many of these local business owners clearly make huge efforts to support our local non-profits and charities and to “shop local” in their own lives, be it in their personal lives or in support of their own businesses.
The Burlington Chamber of Commerce’s annual Business Excellence Awards Gala not only celebrated the achievements of the local business community but also highlighted the strong sense of unity and support among Burlington’s business leaders. As the evening drew to a close, it was evident that Burlington’s business landscape is set to thrive with innovation and inclusivity, driven by the efforts of its entrepreneurs and organizations.
