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Media Release Key players of Timmins business community chest celebrated at 2019 Chamber Nova Awards TIMMINS, ON | May 10, 2019: The game changers of local business have been announced at the region’s biggest celebration of entrepreneurial achievement at the McIntyre Arena on May 9, joined by a crowd of more than 700 people in celebration of the 2019 Nova Business Excellence Awards. Hosted by the Timmins Chamber of Commerce, the sold-out gala once again cemented its status as the largest business awards event in northern Ontario, with 16 local firms and entrepreneurs honoured across a range of categories. The strategic theme of “NOVA-OPOLY - the Game of Business” was used throughout the evening to help showcase the many ways that entrepreneurs are Timmins’ biggest players in the game, said Nancy Mageau, president of the Timmins Chamber of Commerce. “The Nova Awards are an important reminder of the many ways that our businesses work together to make Timmins truly great,” said Mageau. “All of the entrepreneurs featured this evening, from the finalists to the recipients, truly deserve our recognition, and it’s clear from tonight’s packed house that Timmins clearly agrees.” Chamber past president Art Pultz once again served as the event’s emcee, marking the 16th time in the event’s 17-year history he has overseen the awards ceremony. Pultz helped to highlight the slate of more than 45 finalists who were honoured throughout the evening. The Nova Awards recipients were carefully selected from a record-breaking 165 nominations by a committee of six independent community judges. These judges determine the award recipients based on the quality of the submissions; to ensure the validity of the results, this is done without any input or influence from the Chamber Board of Directors or staff. This independence also helps to make the event one that truly belongs to the community, said Mageau. “They may not be building a real-estate empire on New York Avenue, but we can clearly see from these honourees that Timmins’ business owners and entrepreneurs deserve just as much recognition, given the incredible things they do in our community. Each one helps make Timmins a better place to work, live, and play.” A photo gallery of the 2019 Nova Awards, spanning the finalists’ reception to the awards ceremony and post-event celebration, will be available at the Chamber’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TimminsChamber on Friday, May 10. The recipients of the 2019 Nova Awards, and those who accepted on their behalf, are as follows: BMT Insurance & Financial Services Business Contribution to the Community Award (1-5 Employees) O’Reilly Sports Reilly Heffernan, Owner The Venture Centre Business Contribution to the Community Award (6-10 Employees) Foster Jane Eatery Michael Yorke, Owner and Chef NorthernTel Business Contribution to the Community Award (11+ Employees) Dailey’s Your Independent Grocer Darlene and Brian Dailey, Owners FNETB Best Place to Work Award Cain Safety Fire Protection Inc. Michael Cain, Owner Goldcorp Young Professional Award Brianna Demers Owner - Just Beecause Chocolates and Confections RBC Marketing Award Family Eye Care Dr. Karine Briand, Owner and Optometrist National Bank Innovation Award Mine Safety Solutions Anthony Gilin, President Northern College Service Excellence Award Steinberg & Mahn Ltd. Owner, Don Taylor and Darren Taylor Caisse populaire Alliance New Business Award (Under 2 Years) Certarus Ltd. Stéphane Gallant, Manager of Business Development TD Bank Group Business of the Year Award (1-5 Employees) Smiles for Life Dental Hygiene Natalie Levasseur, Owner Scotiabank Business of the Year Award (6-10 Employees) Vista Radio Scott Armstrong, Regional Manager, Ontario North Kidd Operations Business of the Year Award (11+ Employees) Soucie Salo Safety Timmins Inc. Helen Poirier, Vice-President Ray Poirier, General Sales Manager De Beers Canada Indigenous Partnership Award dB Hearing Inc. Katie Storring, Part-owner and Operator City of Timmins Non-Profit Organization Award Timmins Learning Centre Michelle Goulet, Executive Director OPG Lifetime Business Achievement Award The Brick Brian Vacchino, Owner Linda Pasi – Manager President’s Award Sponsored by the Timmins Chamber of Commerce De Beers Canada – Victor Mine Alistair Skinner, Mine General Manager
Media Release
Key players of Timmins business community chest celebrated at 2019 Chamber Nova Awards TIMMINS, ON | May 10, 2019: The game changers of local business have been announced at the region’s biggest celebration of entrepreneurial achievement at the McIntyre Arena on May 9, joined by a crowd of more than 700 people in celebration of the 2019 Nova Business Excellence Awards.
Hosted by the Timmins Chamber of Commerce, the sold-out gala once again cemented its status as the largest business awards event in northern Ontario, with 16 local firms and entrepreneurs honoured across a range of categories.
The strategic theme of “NOVA-OPOLY - the Game of Business” was used throughout the evening to help showcase the many ways that entrepreneurs are Timmins’ biggest players in the game, said Nancy Mageau, president of the Timmins Chamber of Commerce.
“The Nova Awards are an important reminder of the many ways that our businesses work together to make Timmins truly great,” said Mageau.
“All of the entrepreneurs featured this evening, from the finalists to the recipients, truly deserve our recognition, and it’s clear from tonight’s packed house that Timmins clearly agrees.”
Chamber past president Art Pultz once again served as the event’s emcee, marking the 16th time in the event’s 17-year history he has overseen the awards ceremony. Pultz helped to highlight the slate of more than 45 finalists who were honoured throughout the evening.
The Nova Awards recipients were carefully selected from a record-breaking 165 nominations by a committee of six independent community judges. These judges determine the award recipients based on the quality of the submissions; to ensure the validity of the results, this is done without any input or influence from the Chamber Board of Directors or staff. This independence also helps to make the event one that truly belongs to the community, said Mageau.
“They may not be building a real-estate empire on New York Avenue, but we can clearly see from these honourees that Timmins’ business owners and entrepreneurs deserve just as much recognition, given the incredible things they do in our community. Each one helps make Timmins a better place to work, live, and play.”
A photo gallery of the 2019 Nova Awards, spanning the finalists’ reception to the awards ceremony and post-event celebration, will be available at the Chamber’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TimminsChamber on Friday, May 10.
The recipients of the 2019 Nova Awards, and those who accepted on their behalf, are as follows:
BMT Insurance & Financial Services
Business Contribution to the Community Award
(1-5 Employees)
O’Reilly Sports
Reilly Heffernan, Owner
The Venture Centre Business Contribution to the Community Award (6-10 Employees)
Foster Jane Eatery Michael Yorke, Owner and Chef
NorthernTel Business Contribution to the Community Award (11+ Employees)
Dailey’s Your Independent Grocer Darlene and Brian Dailey, Owners
FNETB Best Place to Work Award
Cain Safety Fire Protection Inc. Michael Cain, Owner
Goldcorp Young Professional Award
Brianna Demers
Owner - Just Beecause Chocolates and Confections
RBC Marketing Award
Family Eye Care Dr. Karine Briand, Owner and Optometrist
National Bank Innovation Award
Mine Safety Solutions Anthony Gilin, President
Northern College Service Excellence Award
Steinberg & Mahn Ltd. Owner, Don Taylor and Darren Taylor
Caisse populaire Alliance New Business Award (Under 2 Years)
Certarus Ltd. Stéphane Gallant, Manager of Business Development
TD Bank Group Business of the Year Award
Smiles for Life Dental Hygiene
Natalie Levasseur, Owner
Scotiabank Business of the Year Award
(6-10 Employees)
Vista Radio Scott Armstrong, Regional Manager, Ontario North
Kidd Operations Business of the Year Award (11+ Employees)
Soucie Salo Safety Timmins Inc.
Helen Poirier, Vice-President
Ray Poirier, General Sales Manager
De Beers Canada Indigenous
Partnership Award
dB Hearing Inc. Katie Storring, Part-owner and Operator
City of Timmins Non-Profit
Organization Award
Timmins Learning Centre Michelle Goulet, Executive Director
OPG Lifetime Business Achievement Award
The Brick
Brian Vacchino, Owner
Linda Pasi – Manager
President’s Award
Sponsored by the Timmins Chamber of Commerce
De Beers Canada – Victor Mine Alistair Skinner, Mine General Manager