Nominations are now open for the sixth annual Athabasca and District Chamber of Commerce Business Awards. It opened up July 11, and will formally close Aug. 15.
According to the chamber's website, there are nine different categories available. They including Business of the Year, New Business of the Year, Community Spirit Award, Green Business of the Year, Marketer of the Year, Manager of the Year, Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Employer of Youth Award and Lifetime Achievement Award.
The chamber's executive director, Dale Hawkey, said they usually get lots of interest in the awards from local businesses.
"We have never had only one nominee for any of our awards," Hawkey said. "We encourage all business to put in a nomination, and we hope we get lots coming in this year."
Hawkey said about 250 people turned out for last year's awards, which were held at the Athabasca Regional Multiplex. He said he hopes to see even more attend this year.
"It's a popular event," he said. "It will once again be held at the multiplex, at the field house."
Michelle Bishop, the owner of Elle's Closet Boutique and Beauty, took home two awards last year. She won for Young Entrepreneur of the Year, as well as the Business Integrity Award.
Bishop said winning those awards were pretty amazing.
"Things have grown a lot in the business since I won the awards," Bishop said. "The business just turned four years old in June, and we have now done two pop-up locations in Edmonton. Now, we are in the middle of opening a retail location on 124 Street in Edmonton. So, we will now have two permanent locations."
She added that her business has seen lots of growth over the past year.
"We now have our website up," Bishop said. "Customer response has been getting better and better every month, and we also have plans to expand outside of our two locations in the future."
Bishop admitted that she is not even a member of the Athabasca and District Chamber of Commerce, which she said made winning those awards an even bigger honour for her.
"Just nominating people for these awards is extremely important," she said. "It's always great to be recognized for your hard work. It's an amazing feeling to know that there are people out in the town who see all of the hard work a business does. Being an entrepreneur can be a hard and thankless job, so to get recognition is important to encourage."
To nominate a business, a form can be found at nebula.wsimg.com/cbf7370d01bbe65af8468aa95649430b. The form can be sent via email to [email protected], or a hard copy can be delivered, in person, to The Photo Shoppe, Penny's Headquarters and Servus Credit Union.
According to the nomination form, each award recipient must meet the following criteria:
Business of the Year: Awarded to a business operating within the Town of Athabasca or Athabasca County which reflects the chamber's mission of working together to advance the commercial, financial, industrial and civic interests of the Athabasca region. Sponsored by the Athabasca and District Chamber of Commerce.
Employer of Youth Award: Awarded to an employer demonstrating outstanding achievement in hiring youth & providing them with career-oriented opportunities. They would also support youth-related involvement in the community. Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Athabasca.
Green Business of the Year: Awarded to a business that promotes the value of sustainable green business practices to staff. It would also recognize and encourage green behaviour, and would demonstrate through operations or implementation of new technologies. Sponsored by Northwest Fabricators Ltd.
Community Spirit Award: Awarded to business/individual that gives leadership & reflects the outstanding spirit of the local business community. The winner would also demonstrate ongoing, consistent involvement in community events and organizations. Sponsored by Athabasca County.
New Business of the Year: Awarded to a business venture who has been in existence for a maximum of 3 years (under current ownership). The winner must also demonstrate significant increases in business (sales, expansion, new product), and reflect the outstanding spirit of the Athabasca Business Community. Sponsored by Servus Credit Union.
Manager of the Year: Awarded to an individual who performs in a management position and acts in a supervisory capacity, who has demonstrated outstanding leadership ability, and is actively involved in community service organizations. Sponsored by Royal Lepage County Realty.
Marketer of the Year: Awarded to a business or organization who has developed & implemented a successful marketing strategy, that had a significant impact on the business or organization. It is open to both businesses and community organizations operating within town and county boundaries. Sponsored by Boom 94.1 FM.
Young Entrepreneur Award: Awarded to an outstanding young business owner who is 35 years of age or under. This award also recognizes the importance of promoting youth to venture into private enterprise as they play a critical role in the building of the business community. Sponsored by the Athabasca Lions Club, in memory of Gordon Topps.
Lifetime Award of Achievement: Awarded to an Athabasca & area business who has been in continuous operation for a minimum of 40 years, and has demonstrated continual, outstanding involvement and contribution in the growth of the business community. Sponsored by the Town of Athabasca.
