Duane Hicks
Young entrepreneurs was the theme of the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce’s 19th-annual Tbaytel business awards gala here Thursday night and looking at some of the winners, it’s clear newcomers are making a splash on the local business scene.
From the Grind Up, which young entrepreneur Ben Morelli opened on Scott Street in February, 2013, was named Business of the Year.
“The staff and I at From the Grind Up are extremely honoured to win business of the year for the Rainy River District,” Morelli told the Times on Friday.
“The community and my customers have been incredibly supportive since we have opened and we would like to thank everyone for voting, as well as for helping in our success over the past two years,” he added.
“Our hope is that the success of From the Grind Up will give a new focus to small business development in the Rainy River District, especially as we see a push to revitalize downtown Fort Frances,” Morelli remarked.
From the Grind Up employee Samantha Pearson accepted the award on behalf of Morelli.
The other nominees in this category were The Harbourage Restaurant, Lowey’s Greenhouse & Market Garden, and the Copper River Inn.
Another young business owner, Bryce Campbell of the Copper River Inn, was named Entrepreneur of the Year.
“I was more excited than anything,” Campbell said of the moment his named was called to come up on stage and receive the award.
“It’s just a great honour to have been able to have won that,” he added.
Since buying the former Adventure Inn, Campbell has done extensive renovations, re-opening its doors in February, 2014.
Campbell admitted it’s been a long year due to all of the upgrades to his business, but it’s also been a good one.
“It’s great to be in Fort Frances,” he enthused.
“It’s never easy when you come to a new town, but we get lots of great feedback when people come in so that’s wonderful,” Campbell said.
The makeover of the inn continues, with Campbell noting renovations to the conference facility and 28 rooms still have to be completed.
The other nominee in this category was Melanie Williams (Party Rock DJ Services).
Linda Plumridge, meanwhile, took home the Tony Beyak Memorial Volunteer of the Year Award for her years of dedicated work with numerous community groups over the decades.
“I was extremely flattered to be nominated for this award because I know there are so many people in our community who spend so much time volunteering,” said Plumridge.
“And I just do a little.”
Maxine Hayes and June Keddie also were nominated for the award.
Plumridge noted Hayes has done a tremendous amount of work for the Fort Frances Museum, especially with the ongoing wartime exhibit there.
Keddie has volunteered with the local Breast Health Network, Rainycrest, and so many other good causes.
“I’m very thankful I got this, and I encourage you all to volunteer,” said Plumridge.
“You get more out of it than ever give.”
The Tony Beyak Award was presented by his son, Nick, whose late father was Chamber president for a couple of terms in the mid-1990s and also a community volunteer in many capacities.
“I see here tonight many volunteers who also make this community a better place, and I am very grateful for that,” Nick Beyak said.
“I know everyone is.”
Beyak read a speech prepared by Pam Buttner, who originally was slated to present the award.
She both fondly recounted Tony Beyak and the importance of volunteering in general.
Buttner noted volunteers are special and should be recognized, whether they’re cooking hotdogs, driving your neighbour, selling raffle tickets, dressing up in someone else’s clothes, running a meeting, or sealing envelopes to organize an event.
“To be rewarded with a genuine hug, simple thank you, or a huge smile is to be a volunteer,” she wrote.
Penny Faragher of Northwoods Gallery & Gifts won the Employee of the Year Award.
Jay Caldwell (La Place Rendez-Vous), Penny Flatt (Northwoods Gallery & Gifts), and Sherry George (Fort Frances Museum) also were nominated for this honour.
Nina Stopa (Back in Motion) was honoured as Business Woman of the Year.
The other nominees were Pamela Williams (4 Your Pets), Melanie Williams (Party Rock DJ Services), and Jess Comeau (807 Custom Paint & Grafix).
The Customer Service Award (Individual) went to Brenda Hanzuk (Life Labs).
Also nominated were Rob Georgeson (Investors Group), Samantha Pearson (From the Grind Up), and Neila Booth (Northwoods Gallery & Gifts).
Lowerys beat out McDonald’s Restaurant to win the Customer Service Award (Business).
And Diane Gibson (Gibson Design) won the Home-Based Business Award over Jess Comeau (807 Custom Paint & Grafix), Shelley Wepruk (Sweety Cakes), and Inga Friesen (Merge2).
The Small Business Trainer of the Year Award went to Paul Peters (Sunrise Meat & Sausage).
The other nominees were Andy Peters (Andy Peters Plumbing & Heating) and Ted DeBenetti (A Buck or Two).
The winners were determined by the public via online voting.
A total of 1,021 votes were cast by the 5 p.m. deadline on March 3.
Young entrepreneurs
The evening also featured a presentation by guest speakers Mike Nitz, Business Banking RBC regional manager and co-chair of the Young Professional Network of Ontario, and Stephanie Ash of Firedog Communications Inc.
Both saluted the Chamber for recently starting up a Young Entrepreneurs Committee, which is being spearheaded by Travis Glowasky and Krista Kellar.
Nitz noted the young generation is educated and connected with the ability to reach out and collaborate, and really drives the business community.
Ash said the business community must recognize young people as an asset with potential, and they must be supported as the next economic driver of the community.
“The young people here are the ones that are going to have the new ideas,” she remarked.
“They’re going to be the ones that are innovative; they’re going to be the ones that think a little bit more ‘big picture’ and ‘outside of the box’ than what you’re used to.
“And so nurturing that, nurturing those ideas, making them believe in themselves and helping them to grow their ideas, is really going to be the next economic engine of this community,” Ash stressed.
Nitz said the Young Entrepreneurs Committee here has “great potential,” noting the Young Professional Network started small with six members and grew to 1,200.
Chamber president Jennifer Greenhalgh also shared a few thoughts on the state of business in Fort Frances, noting now is a time of opportunity.
“Nothing is more certain than change in our lives; it’s how we make the transition that will make the difference,” she reasoned.
The local Chamber wants to shift position to encompass those changes, and give true value to local businesses and the community at large, noted Greenhalgh.
She added the new Young Entrepreneurs Committee is taking root.
Future young business owners are “paramount to the continued prosperity and success of the district,” and she’s happy volunteers are stepping up to mentor young entrepreneurs.
Greenhalgh said people make Fort Frances vibrant and a place others will want to live and visit.
The Chamber is the face of business in Fort Frances and the district, and it has put on its best smile and welcomes all the new changes that will come our way, she added.
The awards gala also featured the “Fabulous Feud,” where tables of guests played a game show similar to “Family Feud” to win prizes.
It was supplied by Winnipeg-based Superb Entertainment.
Music was provided by “Entirely Mac”—the local sibling duo of Danette and Wayne McIntyre.
