Coming down to the wire, there are still a few tickets to be had for the annual chamber of commerce awards ceremonies.
But there aren’t many, said Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce CEO Colleen Clark.
The annual Business Excellence Awards are typically a sell-out weeks ahead, and 2019 is not expected to be an exception to that rule, Clark said, noting the cutoff to buy tickets for the Oct. 24 event is this coming Friday.
Attendance usually tops out at about 350 for this popular recognition celebration that honours Langley businesses in 11 categories (community impact for non-profit, community impact for profit, environmental leadership, service excellence in retail/service, service excellence in food/beverage, entrepreneur of the year, U40 business person, small business, medium business, large business, and the George Preston Memorial business person.
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There were 77 nominees in 11 different categories this year.
That number is down a bit from past, Clark said, explaining some changes to the eligibility criteria. There are two new rules in place.
The first: No existing member of the chamber’s board of directors can be nominated.
Second, no one can nominate themselves.
The elimination of self-nominating option has met with a little criticism, Clark said, and consequently a decline of 10 to 15 nominations overall. But, she added, it is in keeping with chamber practices across the country and it was a necessary move.
There will be a new emcee for this year’s awards ceremony, and in keeping with the event’s Phantom of the Opera theme, they will have the Rose Gellert String Quartet performing during the reception and dinner.
The awards gala is being held again this year at the Cascades Casino Coast Hotel & Convention Centre, with cocktails at 6 p.m., followed by dinner and awards presentations.
Tickets are $100 for chamber members and $120 for non-members, and can be purchased at www.langleychamber.com or by calling 604-371-3770.
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2019 Nominees:
COMMUNITY IMPACT (FOR-PROFIT)
• Jag’s Furniture & Mattress
• PFG Glass Industries Inc.
• Rare Affairs Event Management
• Travel Professionals International Langley
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COMMUNITY IMPACT (NON-PROFIT)
• AOK Extreme Home Repair
• Big Brothers Big Sisters Langley
• Kimz Angels
• Langley Senior Resources Society
• Langley Ukulele Association
• New Car Dealers Association of BC
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ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP
• New Car Dealers Association of BC – Blair Qualey
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SERVICE EXCELLENCE (RETAIL/SERVICE)
• BeFit
• Erikson’s Daylily Garden and Perennials
• Lindsay Kenney LLP
• AYD Internet Marketing
• Buddy With A Truck
• Coastal Bins
• DLC West Coast Mortgages
• Dr. Natasha Smith
• Envision Financial, a division of First West Credit Union
• Grant Sauer Notary Corporation
• Innovative Fitness Walnut Grove
• Iris the Visual Group
• Magellan Law
• Mysfit Fitness
• Plushington Beauty Bar
• Ridgewater Homes Ltd.
• The Charter Group at TD Wealth
• Travel Professionals International
• Travis Strain, CFP
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SERVICE EXCELLENCE (FOOD/BEVERAGE)
• Ban Chok Dee Thai Cuisine
• Roots and Wings Distillery
• Veronica’s Gourmet Perogies
• Chaberton Estate Winery & Bacchus Bistro
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ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
• BeFit – Josh Saunders
• Bella Cibo – Marzia Molatore
• Coastal Bins – David Harris
• Grant Sauer Notary Corporation – Grant Sauer
• Ridgewater Homes Ltd – Daryl Berden
• Say Events Company – Tarina Taylor & Kelly Dowbiggin
• Travel Professionals International Langley – Rob Houston & Carol MacKay
• Innovative Fitness Walnut Grove – Adam Sippel
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U40 BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR
• AYD Internet Marketing – Daryl Oberg
• BeFit – Josh Saunders
• Big Brothers Big Sisters Langley – Roslyn Henderson
• Coastal Bins – David Harris
• Dr. Natasha Smith
• Innovative Fitness Walnut Grove– Adam Sippel
• Otter Co-op – Sean Weatherly
• Trading Post Brewing – Lance Verhoeff
• Travis Strain, CFP
• Vancouver ProStyle Contractor – Abel Strujenco
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SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
• Bella Cibo
• DLC West Coast Mortgages
• Innovative Fitness Walnut Grove
• Lilian Cazacu Notary Corporation
• Travel Professionals International Langley
• Veronica’s Gourmet Perogies
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MEDIUM BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
• BeFit
• Bonetti Meats
• Magellan Law
• Magnus Law
• Precision Auto Services Ltd.
• Rebound Sport and Spine
• Ridgewater Homes Ltd.
• Servcomm Communications
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LARGE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
• Avisar Chartered Professional Accountants
• BDO Canada LLP
• Envision Financial, a division of First West Credit Union
• Kane Shannon Weiler LLP
• JD Farms Specialty Turkey
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GEORGE PRESTON MEMORIAL BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR
• Roslyn Henderson – Big Brothers Big Sisters Langley
• Leanna Napolitano – Envision Financial
• Adam Sippel – Innovative Fitness
• Lilian Cazacu – Lilian Cazacu Notary Corporation
• Daryl Berden – Ridgewater Homes Ltd.
