Basking in the spotlight

District businesses and entrepreneurs were in the spotlight last Thursday night during the 17th-annual Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce business awards gala at La Place Rendez-Vous here.
Nor-West Animal Clinic was named Business of the Year.

“I was absolutely surprised,” veterinarian Dr. Dan Pierroz said in an interview Friday.
“We were really honoured to be chosen,” he noted. “There was eight very worthy nominees there, so we were really pleased to be chosen, especially given the calibre of those people, as well.
“I would also go on to say that I’ve got great employees, and we’re trying to provide the best services we can for the whole district for both large and small animals,” added Dr. Pierroz, who has been practising in Fort Frances for 37 years.
The Business of the Year acts as a role model for other businesses, demonstrates a continued passion for excellence, and shows growth and profitability.
The award was presented by Deborah Emes and Dave Bishop of B93.1 The Border.
Other nominees for this award included:
•Taggs Source for Sports;
•Rainy Lake Tribal Contracting;
•Tompkins Hardware;
•Nickle Lake Lumber;
•Harris Hill Resort;
•Angler’s Pro Shop; and
•Rainy Lake Family Dental
Pamela Bujold of Greensides General Store in Devlin won the Customer Service Award (Individual), which was presented by Laureen Vandetti (Good Impressions Printing).
“Thank you very much,” beamed Bujold, who was visibly surprised to have received her award.
The Devlin resident told the audience that she had considered not coming that night because nobody in Fort Frances would know her.
But with the urging of co-workers, she and Freeda Carmody decided to attend—and lo and behold, she walked away with an award.
Other nominees for this award included:
•Andrea Whittle (Taggs Source for Sports);
•Jordan Marsh (Canadian Tire);
•Joleen Pettis (Canadian Tire);
•Peter Winik (West End Motors);
•Krista Kellar (Citifinancial);
•Kyle Glowasky (KG Contracting);
•Jay McFarlane (Taggs Source for Sports);
•Marjory Boileau (TD Canada Trust); and
•Deborah Emes (93.1 The Border)
Customer Service Award (Business) went to North Auto. Owner Phil Gavel took the stage to receive the award from Chris Benz (TD Canada Trust).
Other nominees for this award included:
•The Bargain Shop;
•Greensides General Store;
•Fort Frances Times;
•RBC Royal Bank;
•Sunset Country Ford;
•Rainy Lake Family Dental;
•Drs. Wu & Kennedy;
•Lowes Furniture & Appliances;
•J.D. Junction; and
•Rocky Brown Auto Repair
Rosanne Farmer of the Fort Frances Times was honoured as Employee of the Year, presented by Marlene Deschamps (West End Weekly).
Farmer, who works in print sales and design, said she was shocked to hear her name called to come up on stage last Thursday.
“It was an honour, definitely,” she noted the next day. “Honestly, I didn’t think I’d win.
“I actually wanted to go up and say, ‘It DOES feel like winning the Oscars!’”
Looking at the other nominees in the category, Rebecca Webb (CIBC) and Jay Caldwell (La Place Rendez-Vous), Farmer figured she didn’t stand a chance of winning, and, for a second, thought of just staying home and watching TV instead.
“I was just thrilled. It was a great honour,” she enthused.
“The evening was amazing,” Farmer added. “The entertainment was great, the food was wonderful, the company was fantastic.
“What more can you ask for?”
Heather Johnson (RBC Royal Bank) was named Business Woman of the Year, presented by Inga Friesen (Professional Women’s Network).
“This is quite an honour and I really was surprised when I was nominated,” admitted Johnson.
“I thank you, whoever nominated me.
“But I do have a few other people to thank,” she added. “One is the Professional Women’s Network. They are a very supportive group of women and we have had amazing success in mentoring each other and being together, and I can’t thank them enough.
“Secondly, to my team at RBC,” said Johnson. “They make it look easy for me, and they are absolutely a wonderful group to work with.”
And last but certainly not least, Johnson thanked her husband, Bob, who has stood by her for the last 35 years she has worked with RBC, putting in long days and doing volunteer work on the side.
In an interview Friday, Johnson added that RBC’s Northwestern Ontario vision is “Care for Clients, Care for Community, and Care for Colleagues.”
“I have always strongly believed in giving back to the community you live and work in, as do all RBC staff,” she stressed.
“It is my privilege to work with an amazing group of women in a town I am proud to call home.”
“This award is a reflection of how involved RBC is in our community,” Johnson continued. “RBC Foundation has donated over $1 million to the communities in [Northwestern Ontario] in the last five years.
“We are so very proud to have had a hand in building a stronger community with local donations to the Riverside Foundation for Health Care [CT scanner] and Fort Frances Public Library Technology Centre [RBC Teen Area].”
Through the RBC Charity Golf Tourney, it has donated to the Riverside Foundation for Health Care, making projects like the palliative care room possible, not to forget the Fort Frances Community Chest and KidSport.
Other large donations have gone to the Canadian Mental Health Association and Rachel’s Challenge.
In addition, RBC also helps to sponsor the Fort Frances Lakers hockey team and the 4-H Club, to name but a few good causes.
Other nominees for this award included:
•Grace Cridland (Gillons’ Insurance Brokers);
•Melanie Kozik (Living Art Emporium);
•Tonia Dolph (Northland Kitchen & Design Consulting); and
•Sylvie Matthews (Certified Holistic Heath & Life Coach)
Kevin Webb (Webb’s Power Shack) was named Entrepreneur of the Year, which was accepted on Webb’s behalf by Tim Snider and was presented by George Emes (Rainy River Future Development Corp.)
Other nominees for this award included:
•Chad Jackson (Pro Shine);
•Inga Friesen (Inga Design);
•Jackie Lampi Hughes (Energy Fitness); and
•Melissa Angus (Just for Fun Power Sports)
Kirsty Sinclair (K.I.D.S.) won the Home-Based Business Award, which was presented by Mark Caron and sponsored by M.L. Caron Electric.
“Well, thank you. It really is an honour,” said the home day care provider, proudly holding her award.
“I guess I truly have all the little people to thank,” added Sinclair to a roomful of laughter.
Other nominees for this award included:
•Lisa Jodoin (Scentsy);
•Jay Caldwell (Snicklefritz Custom T-shirts);
•Tonia Dolph (Northland Kitchen & Design);
•Patty Jogenson (Soul Sister Reflexology); and
•Travis Glowasky (Studio Gibbous)
The Small Business Trainer of the Year Award was presented to Steve MacNeil (Rainy Lake Tribal Contracting) by Gerd O’Sullivan (NCDS).
“We’re a fairly new company who grew very rapidly, and we had lots of training challenges we had to face to cover what we do,” noted MacNeil.
“And we did so, and we did it professionally.
“Thank you again.”
Other nominees for this award included:
•Adam Jewell (ACO Electric); and
•Andy Peters (Peters Plumbing & Heating)
And finally, Jan Judson was honoured with the Tony Beyak Memorial Volunteer of the Year Award, presented by Cathy Emes and sponsored by the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce.
Best known for her years of work with the Rainy River Valley Agricultural Fall Fair, the Emo resident said it was honour to receive the award but she’d really like to know who nominated her.
“I keep asking people,” she chuckled.
“But this is really wonderful award, and this has been a really nice evening.”
Other nominees for this award included:
•Robert Schulz;
•Leslie Danielson; and
•Monica Armour
The evening included greetings and closing remarks from Chamber president Mark Caron.
The gala was co-hosted by Myles Kuharski and popular Winnipeg comedian Kenny Robinson, the latter of whom kept the laughs going with a post-awards ceremony stand-up performance.