Liana Frenette, lead shareholder of TBT Engineering Ltd., was surprised to receive the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year award on Thursday evening.
She summed it up in one word: “Wow.”
The chambers’ 31st annual Business Excellence Awards were presented to entrepreneurs and businesses in 12 categories during a gala event at the Fort William Gardens.
Frenette said she was honoured to be nominated.
“And even more so, honoured to be chosen,” she said. “It was something that I didn’t expect, and it’s a testament to my staff, really, more than anything else, because they just do a great job of making me look good.”
She said the award speaks volumes about the company and sends a message from the community that they’re an organization that can be trusted, and is reliable and strong.
In the last decade, Frenette helped to grow the company from two employees to more than 150 and is aiming to grow to 250 with expansions to Kenora and Ottawa. TBT Engineering handles civil, environmental, geotechnical, mechanical and electrical engineering along with structural and legal surveys and specialty environmental monitoring.
Large Business Excellence award
Shawn Christie, a family owner of Lowerys, took home the Large Business Excellence award for what he called the longest-running, family-owned business in Northwestern Ontario operating for 120 years.
“The award truly is a tribute to all the years of hard work and dedication from the staff, our management team and family,” Christie said. “The ups and downs, trials and tribulations that you go through to maintain a business the size of ours, have grown into what we are today. We have over 80 full-time staff here and we’re continuing to grow and diversify. We’re not perfect, but we sure strive to be.”
He says the key for them is being able to stay on top of the market and trending things that are going on, especially in the information technology world.
“We have 12 outside salespeople and we’re one of the only companies that do door-to-door sales calls to our client base,” he said.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion award, Not For Profit Excellence award
The Thunder Bay Public Library took away the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion award and the Not For Profit Excellence award.
Richard Togman, library chief executive officer, said the wins are “tremendous” for the organization.
“When we look across Canada and especially the United States, libraries have a target on their back right now,” Togman said.
He added, recognizing that the core work that they’re doing for the community, in terms of its excellence in delivering library services “is really valued and celebrated by the community.”
“It’s the same for the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion award, in that there’s also support out there even though things may be looking a little darker on certain elements of the political horizon. Thunder Bay stands up when it counts,” Togman said. “This is a recognition of the work that we do for groups that are struggling, that are perhaps a little more marginalized, that were recognized as that safe, welcoming and friendly place that all people have equal access to.”
