Staff
The nominees are in for the 19th-annual business awards, and voting began this morning.
The award categories, and the nominees for each, include:
•Business of the Year—The Harbourage Restaurant, Lowey’s Greenhouse & Market Garden, Copper River Inn, and From the Grind Up;
•Entrepreneur of the Year—Melanie Williams (Party Rock DJ Services) and Bryce Campbell (Copper River Inn);
•Small Business Trainer of the Year—Andy Peters (Andy Peters Plumbing & Heating), Ted DeBenetti (A Buck or Two), and Paul Peters (Sunrise Meat & Sausage);
•Customer Service (Business)—McDonald’s Restaurant and Lowerys;
•Customer Service (Individual)—Rob Georgeson (Investors Group), Brenda Hanzuk (Life Labs), Samantha Pearson (From the Grind Up), and Neila Booth (Northwoods Gallery & Gifts);
•Employee of the Year—Jay Caldwell (La Place Rendez-Vous), Penny Faragher (Northwoods Gallery & Gifts), Penny Flatt (Northwoods Gallery & Gifts), and Sherry George (Fort Frances Museum);
•Business Woman of the Year—Pamela Williams (4 Your Pets), Nina Stopa (Back in Motion), Melanie Williams (Party Rock DJ Services), and Jess Comeau (807 Custom Paint & Grafix);
•Home-Based Business—Diane Gibson (Gibson Design), Jess Comeau (807 Custom Paint & Grafix), Shelley Wepruk (Sweety Cakes), and Inga Friesen (Merge2); and
•Tony Beyak Memorial Volunteer of the Year Award—Linda Plumridge, Maxine Hayes, and June Keddie.
The deadline for nominations was 5 p.m. yesterday.
The public now can vote online via survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07eakgp3exi66tl2f9/start
Nominees, or anyone else for that matter, are urged to share the link via social media and advertising, and get their customers and friends to vote.
Voting closes at 5 p.m. on Monday, March 2.
The voting has been set up so you only should be able to vote once per computer.
The awards gala, which again will be sponsored by Tbaytel, will take place Thursday, March 12 at La Place Rendez-Vous.
For more information, call the Chamber (274-5773) or visit www.fortfranceschamber.com
