Finalists named for Kelowna chamber's business excellence awards

Photo: Contributed

The finalists for the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce’s 36th annual Business Excellence Awards were revealed earlier this week.

Two businesses are in the running for 14 awards, while three are up for the new People’s Choice Business of the Year honour. The chamber is also seeking additional nominees for its Business Leader of the Year award, whom will be chosen by an independent panel of judges.

“This event is one of my favourites of the many we host throughout the year,” Kelowna chamber chairman Dan Price said in a press release. “Having so many topnotch contenders for these awards tells us that Kelowna and our surrounding area continue to be home to a level of business excellence that matches that of any city in the country.”

Interactive Counselling, Kelowna Pet Resort and Supplement King Kelowna are up for the people’s choice award. Voting for that honour can be done here until Friday, Nov. 3.

Judges will now visit the finalist businesses before picking the winners, who will be revealed during the gala awards dinner on Friday, Nov. 17, at Delta Hotels By Marriott Grand Okanagan Resort.

The finalists for each of the awards, with award sponsor in parentheses, are:

People’s Choice Business of the Year
(Untold Branding)
Interactive Counselling
Kelowna Pet Resort
Supplement King Kelowna

Excellence in Business Ethics
(Better Business Bureau)
Manchester Signs, Printing & Graphics
The MAKR Group

Not-for-Profit Excellence
(Kelowna International Airport, Edmonton International Airport)
CMHA Kelowna and District
KGH Foundation

Arts and Entertainment Achievement
(Hergott Law)
Rotary Centre for the Arts
The Kore Dance Project

Excellence in Tourism
(Tourism Kelowna)
Sncewips Heritage Museum
Splash BC Water Parks

Young Entrepreneur of the Year
(Potentia HR)
Ashton Olsen (E-Kruise/E-kruise solutions Ltd.)
Missy MacKintosh (MisMacK Clean Cosmetics Inc.)

Rising Star Business of the Year
(Argus Properties)
Do Gooders
EntheoMed

Excellence in Agriculture
(TD Benefits)
K.L.O. Farm Market
There & Back Again Farms

Excellence in Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
(Coast Capital)
Peter’s Your Independent Grocer
Vadium Security

Small Business of the Year
(Prospera Credit Union)
BlackBean Marketing Ltd.
Potentia HR

Mid-size Business of the Year
(Canadian Western Bank)
RauDZ Creative Concepts Ltd.
Secure-Rite Mobile Storage

Technology Innovator of the Year
(UBC Okanagan)
AgriForest Bio-Technologies Ltd.
V-Metrics

Excellence in Community Impact
(Rogers Business)
BrainTrust Canada
Dress for Success Kelowna

Indigenous Business of the Year
(Pushor Mitchell LLP)
Fireweeds Boutique
Sncewips Heritage Museum

Large Business of the Year
(Grant Thornton)
Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing
FH&P Lawyers