2016 Influential Women in Business Awards

Kootenay Business magazine is once again recognizing the most outstanding businesswomen in the region with our fifth annual Influential Women in Business Awards.

Over 100  nominations were received from our readers, confirming that the Kootenay area has some very exceptional women working and living here.

These women are community-minded; they are leaders, mentors and professionals; and they are dedicated to their chosen fields of endeavour.  Many are entrepreneurs who have built up businesses from scratch based on a dream or a need they have seen in their communities. 

To salute these hard-working, influential women, luncheons will be held in the East Kootenay and in the West Kootenay.  Three women from each area will receive special recognition at these events. 

East Kootenay:

Where: Prestige Rocky Mountain Resort,  209 Van Horne Street South, Cranbrook
When: Thursday, May 26 at noon
Guest Speaker: Karin Penner—retired Cranbrook Chamber of Commerce manager
Business panel: Featuring successful East Kootenay businesswomen
Influential Women in Business Awards and recognition: Three influential women from the East Kootenay will be selected.

West Kootenay:

Where: Prestige Lakeside Resort, 701 Lakeside Drive,  Nelson
When: Thursday, June 2 at noon
Guest speaker: Michelle Mungall—provincial MLA for Nelson-Creston
Business panel: Featuring successful West Kootenay businesswomen
Influential Women in Business Awards and recognition: Three influential women from the West Kootenay will be selected.

To register for either luncheon please email Amanda McQuarrie at [email protected] or call her direct at 250-426-7253 or 1-800-663-8555 at Kootenay Business magazine.  The lunch is $25 per person.

Meanwhile, here are the nominees.

East Kootenay

Sarah Adamson
Fuze Food, Athalmere

Jeannie Argatoff
ReMax Blue Sky Realty, Cranbrook

Kari Asselin
OM Organics, Invermere

Lisa Barnes
Max’s Place, Cranbrook

Janice Bezaire
Smaller Footprints Children’s Boutique Inc., Invermere

Sharron Billey
Realty Executives, Cranbrook

Krista Birch 
Glow Yoga & Wellness, Cranbrook

Wende Brash
ReMax Realty, Invermere

Lori Cameron
Tigz Tea Hut,  Creston

Catherine Conroy
Koocanusa Publications Inc., Cranbrook

Erin Dalton 
Lotus Books, Cranbrook

Chantel Delaney
Sprout Grocery & Market, Kimberley

Laurie Dickson
Aspire2bFit, Cranbrook

Melanie Dickson
Mane Street Salon & Dial-a-Clean Services Ltd., Kimberley 

Brigitte Franyo
Snowdrift Cafe, Kimberley

Kristin Jubinville
Hub International Barton Insurance Brokers, Cranbrook

Alice Kazakoff 
Kootenay Savings Credit Union, Radium Hot Springs

Lesley McCuaig
Lesley McCuaig Consulting & Research, Kimberley

Stephanie McGregor
The Paw Shop, Cranbrook

Carla Nelson
Maritime Travel, Cranbrook

Ashley Pedersen
Freedom Business & Tax Centre, Cranbrook

Shelagh Redecopp
Safe Travels, Cranbrook

Pat Ridler
Pages Book Emporium, Cranbrook

Heidi Romich 
The Heid Out Restaurant & Brewhouse, Cranbrook

Sandy and Justine Smith
Royal LePage East Kootenay Realty, Cranbrook

Janice Sommerfeld
Snap'd East Kootenay, Cranbrook

Sue Thomas
Sue’s Clotheslines, Creston

Marlene Vale
Marlene Vale Yoga, Castle on First, Fernie

Jenna Woods
Fernie Real Estate Company, Fernie

Ting Yuen
Art Rush Gallery, Golden

West Kootenay

Joni Askew
Fair Realty, Castlegar

Mary Austin 
Austin Engineering, Trail

Laura Bennetts
1st Impressions Hair Salon, Revelstoke

Amy Bohigian  
Watershed Productions Inc., Nelson

Sahana Browning
Wandering Wheels, Revelstoke

Diane Bull
Style Trends Clothier, Revelstoke

Krista Cadieux
Sangha Bean, Revelstoke

Sylvia Caldwell
Foundtree Product Design, Crescent Valley

Teresa Callaghan
Arrow Helicopters, Revelstoke

Nicole Cherlet 
Big Mountain Kitchen and Linen, Revelstoke

Stephanie China 
Revelution Fitness, Revelstoke

Liz Cohoe
Lillie and Cohoe, Nelson

Jessica Curran
Primary Choice Homes Corp., Nelson

Amy Eckert 
It Works Global, Nelson

Tanya Finley 
Finley's Bar and Grill, Nelson

Amy Flexman
Flexpeditions, Revelstoke

Arleigh Garratt
Garnish Jewellery Boutique, Revelstoke

Sandy Geysen 
Primerica Financial Services, Fruitvale 

Lori Hunter
Clover Kitchen Exhaust, Castlegar

Dr. Colleen Kramer
Beaver Valley Animal Clinic, Fruitvale

Penny Kuenle
I Got Juiced  Enterprises Ltd., Nelson

Natasha Lockey
Kootenay Mountain Bike Coaching, Rossland

Nichola Lytle
Pink Dog Designs, Nelson

Rauni Naud
Sun Life Financial, Castlegar

Leticia Nugent
Record Ridge Denture Clinic, Trail

Kendra Powell
Mountain Meals Coffee Shop, Revelstoke

Andrea Ryman 
Endless Adventures, Castlegar

Goldie Sanghera
Paramjit's Kitchen, Revelstoke

Sara Sansom
Birch & Lace Hair Company, Revelstoke

Bree Seabrook
Columbia Power Corporation, Castlegar

Kayla Sebastian  
The Wooden Spoon Bistro, Grand Forks

Christy Shaw 
Mountain Goodness Natural Foods Health Food Store, Revelstoke

Cheryl Speerbrecker-Miner 
Kootenay Hearing Aid & Audiology Clinic, Trail/Castlegar

Deanne Steven
Tourism Rossland, Rossland

Emily Tucker
Investors Group, Nelson

Jakki Van Hemert
Heart & Soul Tae Kwon Do & Amec Foster Wheeler, Fruitvale

Terry Van Horn
Lower Columbia Initiatives, Trail

Tammy Verigin-Burk
Castlegar & District Chamber of Commerce, Castlegar

Andrea Winckers
Copper Hut Technologies Inc. & Ripple Effect Consulting Inc., Rossland