It was a record-breaking year for the Summerland Chamber of Commerce, as 72 nominations were accepted for the Business Excellence Awards.
“We are extremely pleased with the response we have seen from the community”, said Chamber Executive Director David D. Hull.
“The dramatic increase in nominations is directly related to the changes made this year in how the award recipients are selected”.
This year, each nominee with meet with a three-person panel that will be adjudicating their respective award category as opposed to the voting process used in years previous.
“The awards are intended to be a recognition of business excellence and not a popularity contest,” added Hull.
The adjudicators will meet with each of the 72 nominees represented in the 12 categories for 30-minute interviews, from March 5 to 7, 2019.
Nominees will answer a standard list of questions curated by the panel to engage them in a comfortable conversation where they can expand on their business, all the while keeping things consistent between interviews.
“Everywhere I have employed this system the nominees exit their interview saying they really enjoyed meeting with the panel. Entrepreneurs really like to talk about their business, successes, and plans going forward”, said Hull.
The awards gala is scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 30 at the Centre Stage Theatre in Summerland. Tickets are available online for $35, or through the Chamber office.
Here is the full list of nominees for the 2019 Summerland Business Excellence Awards
Accredited Professional Services Excellence
- Giants Head Dental
- Avery Law
- Royal LePage Parkside Realty - Summerland
- Bell Jacoe & Company
- Yvonne Whiting Notary Public
Agriculture & Agri-Business Excellence
- Okanagan Specialty Fruits
- Summerland Varieties
- Saxon Estate Winery
- Apple Barn
- Okanagan Crush Pad Winery
- Dickinson Family Farm
- Pro-Ag Equipment Repair
Business of the Year
- Back in Line Physical Therapy
- Swiss Solar Tech
- Sass Boutique
- Verity Electrical Contracting
- Evolution Athletics
- ABK Restoration Services
- The BeadTrails Experience
- Streamline Mechanical
Business Person of the Year
- Erick Thompson - ET2 Media
- Dianne Mayhew - Beauty & the Brit
- Gillilan Stohler - SummerGate Winery
- Brian Callow - What the Fungus
Business to Business Excellence
- Meritage Viticulture Services
- Open Skies Media
- Maple Roch Pure Maple Syrup
- Angella Dykstra Chartered Professional Accountant
Customer Service Excellence
- Beauty Box
- Esthetics By Nicole
- True Grain
- Petkau Infotech
- Your Dollar Store With More
- Summerland Taxi
- Summerland Library
- Summerland Dental Centre
- Davan Ventures
- Shoppers Drug Mart Pharmacy
- Edward Jones – Victoria Ave.
- Ogopogo Meats & Sausages
Hospitality and Tourism Excellence
- Summerland Sweets/Sleeping Giant Fruit Winery
- Ogopogo Tours
- Summerland Waterfront Resort & Spa
- Jewell Ranch & Wellness Retreat
- La Punta Norte Guest Inn
- Kettle Valley Steam Railway
Manufacturing & Production Excellence
- AAA Aluminum Products
- Range Rider (R&R Plastics)
- Interior Stainless
- Ripley Stainless
- Arrow Industries/Arrow Truck Caps
- John Rousseau Design
New Business of the Year
- iKhaya Day Spa
- Koncept Kalifornia
- Purple Hemp
- Burns Mechanical
- Giants Head Barbershop
- The Chalk House
Non Profit Organization of the Year
- Summerland Health Care Auxiliary
- Ryga Arts Festival
- South Okanagan Immigrant & Community Services
- Summerland Refugee Sponsorship Group
- Agur Lake Camp Society
Retailer of the Year
- Rustic & Refined
- Summerland Liquor Store
- Nesters Market
- The Suburban Princess
- Carls Flower Company
Young Entrepreneur of the Year
- Mark Sheriff - Deputy Diesel Performance
- Karl, Konrad, & Robert Nehring - Monkey Puzzle Construction
- Amanda Frankham - Summerland School of Dance
- Tyson Felt - Heavens Gate Estate Winery
