Entrepreneurs with a bright future: Check out the East Kootenay chamber award winners

Who are the East Kootenay's top business people of 2016? We've compiled a list of all Chamber of Commerce award winners

Find out who the East Kootenay's top business people of 2016 are.

Throughout the year, Kootenay Business gathers and lists all the chamber of commerce award winners from the Kootenay regions. For the official Chamber of Commerce week (held each year during the third week of February), we've compiled a comprehensive list of all the awards and winners in one handy guide.

Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce

2016 Columbia Valley Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards

• Professional Services: Maxwell Realty Invermere 
• Resort Tourism/hospitality: Bighorn Meadows Resort 
• Food and Beverage: Black Forest Restaurant 
• Retailer of the Year: Ag Valley Foods 
• Trade Services: Amped Up Electrical Services 
• Small Business Excellence Award: Palliser Printing & Publishing Ltd. 
• Business Excellence 10+: Fairmont Creek Property Rentals
• Employee of the Year: Christina Boucher
• Not-for-profit Organization: Hospice Society of The Columbia Valley 
• Young Entrepreneur: Leanne Tegart 
• Business Leader: Michael Anderson 
• New Business of the Year: Om Organics 
• Family-friendly Business: Main Street Fun & Games 

For full winners list, view our Columbia Valley chamber page.

Cranbrook Chamber of Commerce

Recipients of the Cranbrook chamber 2016 Business Excellence Awards:

• Business of Year 1-15 employees: Rocky Mountain Print Solutions
• Business of Year 16 plus employees: Rocky Mountain Diesel Ltd.
• New Business of the Year: JJ Mechanical
• Business to Business Excellence: Genex Marketing
• Manufacturing and Production Excellence: Caliper Machine & Hydraulics Ltd.
• Professional Services Excellence: Rella, Paolini & Rogers
• Hospitality & Tourism Excellence: Elizabeth Lake Lodge
• Retail Excellence: The Paw Shop
• Non Profit Organization of Year: Cranbrook & District Community Foundation
• Young Entrepreneur of Year: Chase Thielen of Silverado Construction and KD Electric
• Business Person of the Year: Tristen Chernove, CEO Elevate Airports which manages the Rocky Mountain International Airport

For full winners list view our Cranbrook chamber page.

Fernie & District Chamber of Commerce

2016 chamber award winners:

Every year the Fernie & District Chamber of Commerce recognizes the front runners among its citizens and businesses in a number of categories. The high achievers for 2016 are:

• Citizen of the Year: Laura Nelson
• Volunteer of the Year: Karen Tse and Graeme Nunn
• Spirit of Fernie: Outdoor Connections
• Community Tourism Achievement: Fernie RV Resort
• Outstanding Customer Service: Super 8 Fernie
• Business of the Year: Kettle Black Bartending
• Entrepreneur of the Year: Marsha Churchill
• Team of the Year: Mow and Snow – Landscape Team
• Employer of the Year: Ann’s Your Independent Grocer & Super 8 Fernie
• Fernie Business of the Year: Isosceles Business Systems
• People’s Choice Award: Three Sister’s Day Spa
• Chamber Business Excellence: Capasiti Consulting
• Community Leadership Award: Spa 901
• Chamber Legacy Award: Evelyn Cutts

For full winners list, view our Fernie chamber page.

Golden: Kicking Horse Country Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards

The recipients of the 2016 Community Excellence Awards are:

• 2016 Peter Bowle Evans Award: SledGolden
• 2016 Community Recognition  Award: 1st Winner Joyce Deboer, 2nd Winner Bruce McKenzie
• KHCCC Directors Choice Award: Town of Golden          

2016 Tourism Golden Awards 

• Outstanding Visitor Experience: Glacier Rafting     
• Exceptional Tourism Ambassador: Heather Mtn  Lodge           
• Homebased Business Award: Apple Island Naturals
• Employee of the Year Award: Robyn Brown -  Golden IGA           
• Employer of the Year Award: Golden IGA - Cam Dawes         
• New Business Award: French Connection Cheese & Fine Foods
• Culinary Award: Eleven22 Restaurant
• Business Beautification Award: Bear's Den Restaurant     
• Trade Excellence Award: Louisiana Pacific - Golden           
• Professional Services Award: Elements Therapeutics
• Outstanding Business Award: Golden IGA
• Mayor's Award of Excellence: St. Paul's Thrift Shop

For full winners list, view our Golden chamber page.

Kimberley & District Chamber of Commerce

Kimberley Business Excellence Awards, 2016

The Kimberley Business Excellence Awards Gala was held on October 22nd. It was a sold-out event, and they are planning their 2017 Gala to be on October 21st, 2017. Mark your calendars.

• Entrepreneur of the Year: Tamarack Dispensaries
• Environmental Stewardship of the Year: Root For Me
• Food & Beverage Excellence of the Year: Bear’s Eatery
• Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Ella Marken – Crème Cheese Shop
• Home Business of the Year: Suite Apps
• Excellence in Tourism of the Year: Simply Kimberley
• Employee of the Year of the Year: Melanie Kostiuk – Kimberley City Bakery
• Business of the Year of the Year: Kimberley Centex
• Retail Business of the Year: Talaria
• Creative Professional of the Year: Big Magic Designs
• Youth-Friendly Business of the Year: Kootenay Dance Academy
• Stan Salikin Community Booster Award: Kimberley Rotary Club
• Tradesperson or Contractor of the Year: Vermette Roofing
• Professional Services Award: Sun Life Financial Services

For full winners list, view our Kimberley chamber page.

Revelstoke Chamber of Commerce

The 2016 award recipients are:

• Employee of the Year: Alex Cooper – Revelstoke Review;
• Tourism and Attractions Excellence: Revelstoke Railway Museum & Museum Store;
• Accommodations Excellence: Coast Hillcrest Resort Hotel;
• Food Service Excellence: Craft Bierhaus;
• Industrial and Manufacturing Excellence: Downie Timber & Selkirk Cedar;
• Retail & Service Excellence: Pharmasave;
• Youth Employer Award: McDonald’s Restaurant;
• Best New or Renovated Building Design: Starbucks;
• Entrepreneurial Excellence: Pulse Boot Fitting Inc., Kai Palkeinen & Kelly Hutchison;
• Home Based Business Excellence: Wandering Wheels;
• Community Support Excellence: Jan Morehouse;
• Business Person of the Year: Nicole Cherlet, Big Mountain Kitchen & Linen;
• Business of the Year Award: Le Marché Gourmet
• New Revelstoke Chamber of Commerce Community Innovation Excellence: The Pipe Mountain Coaster, Revelstoke Mountain Resort

For full winners list, view our Revelstoke chamber page.

Sparwood & District Chamber of Commerce

The Sparwood & District Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards for 2016:

• Not-for-Profit Award: Lions Club 
• Outstanding Customer Service Award: Shelley Hume (District of Sparwood)
• Industry Business Award - FR Rentals (represented by Cammie Reghenas)
• Retail Business Award: Overwaitea Foods (represented by manager Ryan Nesbitt)
• New Business Award: Tim Hortons (represented by owner Mark Nelson)

For full winners list, view our Sparwood chamber page.