The Oakville Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Oakville West, is now accepting nominations for the 22nd Annual Oakville Awards for Business Excellence (OABE). Nominations will be accepted until September 30th at 4pm EST.
The OABE is dedicated to recognizing exemplary models of excellence and community service by Oakville’s businesses. “We encourage members of the business community and general public to nominate any Oakville-based business with whom you’ve had consistently great experience,” notes David Abboud, President of the Rotary Club of Oakville West. “It is a wonderful opportunity to formally acknowledge their hard work.”
The 22nd Annual OABE award categories open for nomination are:
RBC Royal Bank Small Business of the Year: This award recognizes a business of 1-5 full time equivalent employees and/or primarily services Oakville and district and/or generates up to approximately $2 million in revenue annually.
Bell Mid-size Business of the Year: This award recognizes a business of 5-20 employees and/or primarily serves the regional/provincial markets and/or generates between $2 million-$10 million in revenue annually.
Large Business of the Year: This award recognizes a business of more than 20 employees and/or primarily serves the provincial, national and international markets and/or generates approximately $10 million or more in revenue annually.
Franchisee of the Year: This award recognizes a Franchisee, serving the Oakville market, who is recognized by their customers and their Franchisor for the outstanding operation of their business.
Professional Services Provider of the Year: This award recognizes a person or employee team with a professional designation or whose practice is regulated by a provincial, federal or regulatory body.
The Morris Mercanti Restaurateur of the Year: This award recognizes a restaurateur with an establishment in Oakville that is open to the public. Please note this is a business award.
KPMG Entrepreneur of the Year: This award recognizes an individual who personally exhibits extraordinary entrepreneurship, energy, inspiration, leadership and / or innovation in their business pursuits.
Genworth Community Builder of the Year: This award recognizes a business that has, over a period of time, demonstrated exemplary business practices and dedicated involvement in the community.
“The Oakville Awards for Business Excellence celebrates the many contributions our business community makes to the outstanding quality of life we enjoy here in Oakville,” says Kerry Colborne, Chair of the Oakville Chamber of Commerce. “Last year over 150 nominations were put forward and we expect a similar result this year. If you know a business that excels in one of the above categories, honour them by submitting a nomination.”
All nominations are sent to the OABE Judges, who carefully review the submission and evaluate it accordingly to the category criteria. The Judges are individuals from the professional community who bring a wealth of professional expertise and unique business experiences, having made significant contributions to their own professions.
The Oakville Awards for Business Excellence culminates in a gala dinner and award ceremony on Wednesday, March 29, 2017 at the Oakville Conference and Banquet Centre. The proceeds from the evening, including the considerable support from our Partners, provide funds for the Rotary Club’s youth and academic programs.
To be eligible for nomination, businesses must be physically located in the Town of Oakville and cannot have won in any category in the last five years. A complete list of category criteria and eligibility rules can be found at www.oabe.ca. Nominations can be submitted online at www.oabe.ca. Alternatively, forms are available at the Oakville Chamber of Commerce. For assistance, please call Karen Pomfret at 905-845-6613 ext. 210.