At a sold-out awards ceremony of 466 people, the Oakville Chamber of Commerce with the Rotary Club of Oakville West presided over the Oakville Awards of Excellence on Thursday, April 26.
Local businesses covet the annual awards, and this year was noteworthy because it was the first since 2019 that was held in person.
Though this is very much an awards ceremony, it has raised over $1 million for Rotary youth initiatives, including the Oakville Rotary Education Awards, Camp Enterprise, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, Dream Take Flight and the Nottinghill Youth Centre in Glen Abbey.
The awards acknowledge outstanding businesses in our community in the following categories:
- large business
- mid-size business
- small business
- professional services provider
- service industry
- entrepreneur
- young professional
- entrepreneur
- tourism
Notable awards included the Icon Award, presented to Siemens, the Community Builder Award, awarded to the Oakville Community Foundation, and the Lions Foundation for Canada Dog Guides for the CN – charity or not-for-profit excellence award. Recipients of these awards were announced earlier in the year.
Oakville Awards of Excellence recipients were announced on April 26, 2023
Community Builder Award - Oakville Community Foundation presented by Bell
The Bell Community Builder Award recognizes a business or not-for-profit that has demonstrated exemplary business practices and dedicated involvement in the community.
The Oakville Community Foundation exemplifies this award's criteria, believing that our community's future strength and prosperity start with local partnerships and long-term investments made today.
Building on the vision of "A Community Where No One is Left Behind," the Foundation conducts their research and collaborates with other organizations to determine areas of need, allocating resources where they are most needed.
The Foundation further supports the community through its initiatives, such as Community Classroom, GIVEOakville, and the Halton Youth Collective Program. Over 1,000 post-secondary-bound students access the Foundation's Community Education Awards Hub to apply for scholarships and bursaries from many local partners, including Rotary and the Chamber.
In 2022, the Foundation launched Debwewin: The Oakville Truth Project in partnership with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation to further understanding of Indigenous history in Oakville while supporting local Truth & Reconciliation. Over 13 local organizations have joined Gimaa (Chief) Laforme's Ally Leadership Council to move forward on community-to-community reconciliation.
Charity or Not-For-Profit Excellence Award - Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides presented by CN
The CN Charity/Not-for-Profit Excellence Award honours not-for-profit organizations highly regarded in the area for raising funds and providing services to improve the lives of people within our community.
In the early 1980s, Lions Clubs across Canada sought to develop a national project to reflect their service to Canadians with visual impairments. The result was the Lions Foundation of Canada and its founding program, Canine Vision Canada, established in 1985.
Today, as Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides, they train and match Dog Guides in 7 distinct programs: Canine Vision, Hearing, Service, Seizure Response, Autism Assistance, Diabetic Alert and Facility Support.
Dog Guides believe in empowering disabled Canadians and helping them navigate their world confidently and independently. From breeding to rearing and training, with a lifetime of follow-up services and support, each Dog Guide is $35,000 to train and match and is provided to eligible applicants at no cost.
Over 3,000 Dog Guide teams have graduated from the Oakville location, and currently, over 1,000 active Dog Guide teams are supported across the county.
Business Icon Award - Siemens Canada
The Business Icon Award recognizes a prominent Oakville business highly regarded in the business community.
Siemens Canada is a technology powerhouse combining the real and digital worlds enabling the transformation of industries and markets to better the lives of millions of people. Employing approximately 4100 employees from coast to coast with 33 offices and production facilities across Canada, this "iconic" company chose Oakville as its home base.
Siemens AG has been innovating technology since 1847, creating Europe's first long-distance telegraph line. Opening its first Canadian office in Montreal on August 29, 1912, for more than 110 years, Siemens has played a substantial role in shaping the technological evolution of Canada.
Looking to the future, Siemens undertook a major renovation of its Headquarters to the new normal ways of working and created a showcase of its technologies that address climate change, the 4th Industrial Revolution and digitalization across different sectors.
This smart space is where customers and partners can gather to co-create solutions to address some of the biggest challenges facing society today.
Large Business - Reunion Coffee Roasters presented by RBC Royal Bank
Reunion Coffee Roasters is a Canadian, family-owned specialty coffee roaster. Not only do they provide customers worldwide with exceptional coffees, they have made it their mission to use coffee as a force for good in the world. Company President Adam Pesce devotes his time to sharing his expertise in sustainable and ethical agriculture and business.
The Oakville headquarters operates out of one of Canada's largest renewable energy-powered roasting facilities through its relationship with Bullfrog Power.
Mid-size Business - Ultimate Pool Service presented by Henderson Partners LLP
Ultimate Pool Service Inc. is a family-owned retail and service company that brothers Brian & Grant Hildebrand started. The brothers were barely university graduates when they boldly opened the company in 2002. After working in the pool service industry, Brian & Grant saw a demand for better customer service.
They drew from the skills and experiences they had gained from working part-time in the industry and came up with their solutions. Now, their service territory includes Oakville, Burlington, Mississauga, and Waterdown. Their retail store attracts customers from around the GTA, with their online store reaching across Canada.
Small Business Finalists - On The Spot Carpet Cleaning presented by KPMG
On The Spot Carpet Cleaning has been a family-run business for three generations since 1952. Their business was built on the pillars of quality work & quality service – elements that continue to be evident in their reputation today. Their attention to detail and high customer satisfaction rates have earned them the title of Oakville's #1 Carpet Cleaner for 16 consecutive years.
Professional Services Provider - Wellness for the Body presented by O'Connor MacLeod Hanna, LLP
By offering free consults, Wellness for the Body helps each of its clients receive the therapy best suited to their needs. Specializing in building positive, long-term, therapeutic relationships with their clients, their goal is to help them achieve a healthy, pain-free life.
With an overwhelming number of satisfied customers, Wellness for the Body is praised for its work, constant support, and professionalism. They take the time to properly assess the issue and talk the client through the process, asking questions and finding the true cause.
Service Industry - Soccer World presented by Media Resources
In addition to its expansive product selection and expert staff, Soccer World believes in contributing to soccer at the grassroots level.
They have supported hundreds of teams, individual players, clubs, and development programs throughout their business and have provided thousands of coach packages, recognizing the value they bring to the game in Canada. Welcoming new owners just before the pandemic hit, they overcame their reduction in customers and improved their business in the process.
Entrepreneur - Adrianne Fekete of Star Quality Private Investigations, presented by Cogeco
As the owner of Star Quality Private Investigations, Adrianne Fekete has been helping clients across the GTA for over two decades. Adrianne, a certified life coach, puts her passion for helping others to heal into her daily work.
With compassion and professionalism, she effectively balances investigation and emotional support to produce the best results for her clients. Believing that happier people create happier homes, workplaces, and communities, she is committed to making her clientele unbreakable.
Young Professional or Entrepreneur - Rebecca Pointon of SPINCO Oakville, presented by Sagen
Rebecca Pointon opened SPINCO Oakville at age 26 to deliver SPINCO's empowering and uplifting atmosphere to the Oakville community. Rebecca's core values of kindness, community involvement, and positive impact have made SPINCO Oakville a pillar of the community. Rebecca continues to push the envelope, aiming to become an industry leader in health and wellness.
Tourism Excellence Finalists - Paradiso Restaurant, presented by Visit Oakville
Having been a part of the Oakville community for over 30 years, Paradiso Oakville has been increasing the flow of people to downtown Oakville with the promise of premium-level food.
Their service and welcoming atmosphere complement the core values of their business and downtown Oakville businesses alike. Their consistent participation in downtown initiatives, from the holiday tree lighting to music festivals, further cements them as a staple in the community.
This year's judges included Kerry Colborne, James Forsyth, Melisa Gaetani, Geraldine Hewitt, George Karteros, Christine Langevin, Moatassem Moatez, Richard Rizzo, Les Ross, James Smyth, Amit Virkar and Melanie Wittig.
This year's ceremony was held at the Oakville Conference Centre.
