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TIMMINS – Timmins’ entrepreneurial spirit was on full display at the 2013 Nova Business Excellence Awards, as 600 people packed the McIntyre Arena on April 11 to celebrate the region’s most important businesses and organizations. Hosted by the Timmins Chamber of Commerce for the 11th consecutive year, the sold-out event once again served to highlight the best of local business. Sixteen awards were handed out across a range of categories at the event, which was emceed by Chamber President Art Pultz. This year’s notable recipients are a sign of the community’s talent and ingenuity, according to Gary Marriott and Joel Bergeron, co-chairs of the Nova Awards’ organizing committee. “This year’s slate of awards nominees and recipients really are in a class all their own,” said Marriott. “They stand as a perfect example of why Timmins has built a global reputation as a centre for entrepreneurial excellence. Tonight’s recipients represent some of the best of the best, and it’s terrific that we’re able to recognize their achievements on such a grand scale.” This perspective also helped to transform the McIntyre Arena for the evening’s gala celebration, which was based on the event’s theme of “We Are the World” in recognition of the export of Timmins products, knowledge and expertise across the globe. Images of local contributions to international projects were used as decor throughout the venue, which served to promote further conversation among attendees during the post-awards celebration. “Timmins is renowned for its business talents, and when we talk about the wealth of resources in our region, we need to remember that also includes the amazing people we have here,” said Bergeron. “We sometimes lose sight of the full impact they have beyond our backyard, and we’re glad to have been able to have made that the focus of this important event.” The recipients of the 2013 Nova Awards were carefully selected from more than 90 nominations by a committee of six independent community judges. As every year, the judges determine the 16 award recipients without any input, influence or oversight from the Chamber Board of Directors or staff, thereby ensuring the validity of the process and the results. “For the last 11 years, the Nova Awards have been about showcasing Timmins businesses, and it’s a tradition we’re proud to have so successfully continued once again this year,” said Pultz. “The many award recipients and nominees really do represent some of the best of what we as a community have to offer, and we’re glad so many people have come out to help celebrate them.” A gallery of photographs from the 2013 Nova Awards, spanning the finalists’ reception to the awards ceremony to the post-event celebration, will be made available on the Chamber’s Facebook page on April 12 at www.facebook.com/TimminsChamber The recipients of the 2013 Nova Awards, and those who accepted them, were: BMT Insurance & Financial Services Business Contribution to the Community (1-30 Employees) Sponsored by BMT Insurance & Financial Services Timmins Honda Ryan Taylor, owner and general manager Business Contribution to the Community (Over 31+ Employees) Sponsored by Porcupine Gold Mines – Goldcorp Canada Inc. Panels and Pipes Inc. Jean-Paul Legault, owner Service Excellence Award Sponsored by Northern College J&B Cycle & Marine Co. Ltd. Rob Racine, owner New Business (Under 2 Years) Sponsored by Timmins Economic Development Corp. / Business Enterprise Centre Neo Laser Tag Inc. Dan Daoust, owner Marketing Innovation Achievement Sponsored by RBC Royal Bank Guiho Saw Sales & Marine Ltd. Clint Chartrand, sales manager and dealer principal Young Entrepreneur (Under 30) Sponsored by The Venture Centre / Le Centre de développement Bodhi Tree Hot Yoga Studio Jenny Wong, owner CTV Television Business of the Year (1-5 Employees) Sponsored by CTV Television Great White Electrical Services Jeremy Wilson, owner Scotiabank Business of the Year (6-49 Employees) Sponsored by Scotiabank Pick of the Crop Business of the Year (50+ Employees) Sponsored by Northern Credit Union Imerys Talc Mike Francoeur, Canadian operations manager Non-Profit Organization Award Sponsored by The City of Timmins Downtown Timmins BIA Noella Rinaldo, executive director Environmental Excellence Award Sponsored by Union Gas Porcupine Gold Mines – Goldcorp Canada Laszlo Gotz, environmental manager De Beers Canada Aboriginal Partnership Award Sponsored by De Beers Canada – Victor Mine Detour Gold Corporation Rachel Pineault, vice-president, human resources and northern affairs NorFab Metal and Machine Best Place to Work Award Sponsored by NorFab Metal and Machine Logikal Code Inc. Jason Perratt, owner Apprenticeship Award Sponsored by Timmins Construction Association Gorf Manufacturing/Contracting Ltd. Mark Norkum Jr., general manager NorthernTel Technology Award Sponsored by NorthernTel Haasen Farms Limited Frank Haasen, owner President’s Award Sponsored by Timmins Chamber of Commerce Xstrata Copper Kidd Operations Luc Brousseau, human resources manager -30- About the Timmins Chamber of Commerce With over 800 members, the Timmins Chamber of Commerce is one of the largest accredited chambers of commerce with distinction in northeastern Ontario. As the “Voice of Business in Timmins” since 1949, our advocacy and policy initiatives focus on ensuring a positive business climate in the City of Timmins. Contact: Nick Stewart Policy and Communications Director Timmins Chamber of Commerce (705) 360-1900 policy@timminschamber.on.ca
The recipients of the 2013 Nova Awards, and those who accepted them, were:
BMT Insurance & Financial Services Business Contribution to the Community (1-30 Employees) Sponsored by BMT Insurance & Financial Services
Timmins Honda Ryan Taylor, owner and general manager
Business Contribution to the Community (Over 31+ Employees) Sponsored by Porcupine Gold Mines – Goldcorp Canada Inc.
Panels and Pipes Inc. Jean-Paul Legault, owner
Service Excellence Award Sponsored by Northern College
J&B Cycle & Marine Co. Ltd. Rob Racine, owner
New Business (Under 2 Years) Sponsored by Timmins Economic Development Corp. / Business Enterprise Centre
Neo Laser Tag Inc. Dan Daoust, owner
Marketing Innovation Achievement Sponsored by RBC Royal Bank
Guiho Saw Sales & Marine Ltd. Clint Chartrand, sales manager and dealer principal
Young Entrepreneur (Under 30) Sponsored by The Venture Centre / Le Centre de développement
Bodhi Tree Hot Yoga Studio Jenny Wong, owner
CTV Television Business of the Year (1-5 Employees) Sponsored by CTV Television
Great White Electrical Services Jeremy Wilson, owner
Scotiabank Business of the Year (6-49 Employees) Sponsored by Scotiabank
Pick of the Crop
Business of the Year (50+ Employees) Sponsored by Northern Credit Union
Imerys Talc Mike Francoeur, Canadian operations manager
Non-Profit Organization Award Sponsored by The City of Timmins
Downtown Timmins BIA Noella Rinaldo, executive director
Environmental Excellence Award Sponsored by Union Gas
Porcupine Gold Mines – Goldcorp Canada Laszlo Gotz, environmental manager
De Beers Canada Aboriginal Partnership Award Sponsored by De Beers Canada – Victor Mine
Detour Gold Corporation Rachel Pineault, vice-president, human resources and northern affairs
NorFab Metal and Machine Best Place to Work Award Sponsored by NorFab Metal and Machine
Logikal Code Inc. Jason Perratt, owner
Apprenticeship Award Sponsored by Timmins Construction Association
Gorf Manufacturing/Contracting Ltd.
Mark Norkum Jr., general manager
NorthernTel Technology Award Sponsored by NorthernTel
Haasen Farms Limited Frank Haasen, owner
President’s Award Sponsored by Timmins Chamber of Commerce
Xstrata Copper Kidd Operations Luc Brousseau, human resources manager