The Fernie Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce the finalist for the 2017 Community and Business Excellence Awards sponsored by CanAus Coal Limited and Trucut Ltd. There were 139 nominations representing 70 unique entries. Those entries have been judged by a volunteer panel of business people from Tofino to Toronto.
“Working at the Chamber, with the businesses of Fernie, we see local entrepreneurs and business owners building our community. We see them hiring staff, donating to causes they love, and dedicating hours to provide us services and products we love. The awards are a great way to recognize the success and hard work these businesses put in day-in and day-out to make Fernie a place we all want to live,” says Patty Vadnais, Executive Director of Fernie Chamber of Commerce.
And the finalist are:
Spirit of Fernie
Avalanche City Roller Derby
Elk River Watershed Alliance (Elk River Alliance)
Wapiti Music Festival
Community Tourism Achievement
Canyon Rafting Co
Island Lake Lodge
Stag Leap Running Co
Outstanding Customer Service
Healing Hollow
Nevados
Super 8 Fernie
New Business of the Year
Cinch Homes
Coal Town Goods
Four Cubs Kit & Clothing Inc.
Sterling Detailing
Entrepreneur of the Year
Keegan Street – Rooftop Coffee Roasters
Ryan Doehle – ISOSCELES Business Solutions
Vanessa Whilms – Soar Studios
Team of the Year
Island Lake Lodge
Snow Valley Spa and Leisure
Tanglefoot Veterinary Clinic
Employer of the Year
Rockies Law Corporation, Fernie
Spa 901
Super 8 Fernie
Fernie Business of the Year
Fernie Brewing Company
ISOSCELES Business Solutions
Three Sisters Day Spa
People’s Choice Award
Kettle Black Bartending
Rooftop Coffee Roasters
Three Sisters Day Spa
Chamber Business Excellence
Rockies Law Corporation, Fernie
Super 8 Fernie
Western Financial Group
Community Leadership Award
Fernie Brewing Company
Park Place Lodge
Super 8 Fernie
Congratulations to the many businesses that were nominated and that have been selected as finalists. “There is great ingenuity and grit shown by Fernie businesses to succeed,” states Graeme Nunn, Board President Fernie Chamber of Commerce. “The finalists showcase just a small sample of the amazing businesses operating in Fernie and it is great to take some time this October to celebrate their work”.
There will be a VIP Reception for all finalists on October 17, 7-9pm at the Park Place Lodge. This reception is a chance for the finalists to come together and celebrate before the Business Excellence Awards Gala held on October 24.
This year’s Award keynote speaker is Dan Pontefract. We invite you to join us for this great evening celebrating the best in Fernie. Dan is Chief Envisioner at TELUS, a Canadian telecommunications company, where he heads the Transformation Office, a future-of-work consulting group that helps organizations enhance their corporate cultures and collaboration practices. Previously as Head of Learning & Collaboration at TELUS, Dan introduced a new leadership framework–called the TELUS Leadership Philosophy–that dramatically helped to increase the company’s employee engagement to record levels of nearly 90%.
He is the author of THE PURPOSE EFFECT: Building Meaning in Yourself, Your Role and Your Organization as well as FLAT ARMY: Creating a Connected and Engaged Organization. A renowned speaker, Dan has presented at multiple TED events and also writes for Forbes, Harvard Business Review, Psychology Today and The Huffington Post. Dan and his wife, Denise, have three young children (aka goats) and live in Victoria, Canada. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Victoria. His next book, OPEN to THINK, publishes in 2018.
