Skip to content

Business Awards

Chamber of Commerce Awards web use 362

AWARD CATEGORIES & NOMINEE FINALISTS 2022

Large Business of the Year

Excellent Business with over 100 Employees.

 

  • Earls
  • McKay Metis Group
  • APE Maintenance
  • Summit GM

 

     Medium Business of the Year

Excellent Business with over 20 and less than 99 Employees.

 

 

  • Sparksman Transportation
  • Coverall
  • Fort McMurray Airport Authority
  • East Village pub

 

 

Small Business of the Year

Excellent Business with less than 20 Employees.

 

  • Muscle Mama Fitness
  • YMM Dance
  • Kid Drop
  • Ginger’s Bannock House
  • Exhale Yoga & Barre
  • Harvard Media  

 

Female Leadership

Nominee(s) must have demonstrated excellence in their field. In addition, they must be acting in a leadership capacity and have demonstrated leadership qualities in enhancing entrepreneurship for women.

 

  • Melanie Antoine
  • Helen Killorn
  • Melinda Richter
  • Ruchi Pachauri / Ami Mavani
  • Crystal Young

 

Environment & Sustainability

Nominee(s) must have demonstrated outstanding leadership in economic, social, charitable, or environmental activities. They have shown a dedicated focus on achieving a vision and mandate aligned with ongoing contributions to the environment and/or sustainability

  • Coverall
  • Pure Air Solutions
  • Fort McMurray Airport Authority 

 

 

Emerging Entrepreneur

The nominee(s) must have demonstrated bravery by opening their business within the past 5 years. As well, nominees in this category must be sustainable in nature and show growth potential.

 

  • 55 Pick Up
  • Kumon
  • Vino Jelly Gourmet
  • Kid Drop

 

Indigenous-Owned Business

The nominee(s) must be a business that is owned and operated by Indigenous individuals or communities. They support Indigenous cultural values and create opportunities for supporting and growing their communities.

 

  • Ginger's Bannock House 
  • McKay Metis Group
  • APE Maintenance
  • Amy Keller-Rempp Art 
  • YMM Dance

 

Youth-in-Business

The nominee(s) must be an individual under the age of 30. The nominee(s) must have played a direct and primary role in the planning and establishment of the business, and must be currently operating in a leadership capacity.

 

  • Muscle Mama Fitness
  • Red River Company

 

Adaptation

The nominee(s) must be a business that successfully pivoted in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic or changing business environment in innovative ways that allowed their business to show growth or sustainment during closures and economic or pandemic challenges.

 

  • Sparksman Transportation 
  • Earls
  • Harvard Media

 

Lifetime Business Achievement

The nominee(s) must be an individual (or duo if appropriate). This award is to recognize a business leader’s contributions over their whole career, rather than a single contribution or time.

  • Dave Tuccaro

 

 

Corporate-Social Collaboration

The nominee(s) must be a business that demonstrates a robust corporate-social responsibility program and promotes impact within the community through work with the social-profit organizations and volunteer programs found within Wood Buffalo. The winner will be one that is incredibly collaborative and committed to ensuring a better community.

 

  • Birch Mountain Enterprise LLP
  • Earls
  • Akron Engineering

 

  mix 103.7 logoFranchise

The nominee(s) must be a business that is a part of a franchise and operates under a franchise agreement. They have shown a dedicated focus on achieving a community-forward approach to operations and are consistently involved in giving back to the local community and supporting regional initiatives.

 

  • Earls
  • Aloha Mind Math
  • Kumon
  • Summit GM

 

 

Hospitality and Tourism Business

This award recognizes the active role of the nominee(s) in the development of the local tourism industry, making Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo a place to visit. The nominee(s) could have a business in the following areas: accommodations, restaurants/cafes, recreational facilities, attractions, etc.

 

  • East Village Pub
  • Christina Lake Lodge
  • True Health / Infinity Massage

 

People's Choice

 

The People's Choice Categories are small business of the year, medium-large business of the year and business leader of the year

  • YMM DANCE
  • McKay Metis Group
  • Melinda Richter

 

THANK YOU TO OUR AMAZING EVENT SPONSORS!

Food/Appies

Snap a selfie at the photo booth, enjoy your welcome drink and snack
on some appetizers.


  

Welcome Drink Sponsor!

Enjoy your welcome drink!


Arts Showcase Sponsor

Join your hosts inside Keyano Theatre alongside our house band for the evening. Featuring unique performances by Indigenous drummers, local youth dancers, local artistes and more

About the Nominees

The nominee(s) have enhanced the quality of life for the community, and attracted people to the area. They will have promoted and added vibrancy to the well-being, health, and development of the community. The nominee(s) have demonstrated long-term community engagement, and have taken opportunities to showcase the region through marketing and community events, and/or programs. As well, they have promoted cultural activities, tourism, and/or sporting events.

While nominees in all category will be determined by the Committee based on the predetermined criteria, the winner of the People’s Choice category will be determined by public ballot.

About the Award Process

To be eligible as a valid nominee in any category your business must:

  • Maintain operations in the Wood Buffalo region at the time of awards
  • Have not won in the category in the past three years
  • Within the past 3 years:
    • Contributed significantly and demonstrably to the economic and social well-being of Wood Buffalo
    • Evidenced sustained financial viability, growth and success
  • And have derived no more than 30% of annual revenue from any combination of donations, grants and/or subsidies.

All nominations are reviewed & evaluated by an independent judging committee made up of local, qualified members of the business community.

Their mandate is to objectively determine the finalists and ultimately the winner in each category based on the applicable criteria outlined.

In that regard, all nominees will be evaluated as follows:

  • People & Clients - This criteria explores the business relationship internally with employees and externally with clients
  • Profit & Growth - This criteria explores the history and future plans for growth
  • Community Involvement - This criteria relates to the social aspect of business extending to the community
  • Global Community & Sustainability - This criteria relates to aspects of business that extends to an awareness of business as it relates to the larger global community
Scroll To Top