ST. ANDREWS, ANTIGONISH COUNTY - Kell’s Enterprise Limited took home the big prize on the night as the Antigonish Chamber of Commerce held its annual Business Gala Oct. 17.
Kell’s Enterprise was presented with the Ian Spencer Award – Excellence in Business recognition, and owner Rob Kell noted a connection he had with the late St. F.X. professor for whom the award is named.
“I had Ian Spencer as a professor my first year in business, so it’s kind of neat to win an award named after him,” Kell said. “A nice honour.”
During his acceptance speech, Kell began by thanking his staff, including Lisa Flynn “who runs the office for us.” He also acknowledged his parents Bobby and Carol and his wife Elizabeth.
In the citation for the business, it was noted Kell’s Enterprise was established in 1981 and is a third generation business located in Antigonish. It’s noted the business specializes in the area of excavation and aggregates, while also constructing roads, digging wells and being a licensed installer of septic systems.
It also noted the community support provided by the company; including being a major donor to the St. Martha’s Regional Hospital Foundation, the Coady International Institute and the Keating Centre, as well as sponsorship for many sport teams, community groups and organizations.
“Whatever you put into it, you get out of it,” Kell said, of their community involvement.
Other recipients during the gala included; Tareq Hadhad - Peace by Chocolate with the Young Entrepreneur Award, Sandra and Mario Swinkels - Swinkels Bee Products with the Emerging Business Award, John and Jean Walsh – John Walsh Bagpipes Limited with the Export Recognition Award, and Linda Boyle from The Casket with the Outstanding Customer Service Award.
“I'm grateful for the recognition, love my work and helping people,” Boyle, a Casket staff member for more than 34 years, said. “It’s a great group to work with … fun times.”
Boyle’s citation noted she is “the friendly face that greets you upon entering” and points to her work doing the paper’s obituary, as one of the tasks she takes special care with.
“At a time when people are most vulnerable, Linda is a steady and compassionate hand in making sure that the life of a loved one is recorded properly and accurately,” it reads.
The Antigonish Canadian Association for Community Living’s (CACL) Food Service Group was presented with the Kay Thompson Desjardins Award for Social Entrepreneurship, which was a first-time award sponsored by the Coady International Institute.
“We’re very honoured and humbled by the recognition,” CACL executive director Jeff Teasdale said. “We have a lot of respect for the business community here so to be recognized during a Chamber event, it means a lot to us.
“It just shows people value us in this community and we’re very happy about that. And we’re proud to be on point with the growth of social enterprise in northeastern Nova Scotia. We look forward to working with other organizations who would like to start social enterprises.”
Coady marketing manager Brian Lazzuri said the Coady is pleased to have established a recognition for social enterprise development in the area and that naming it after Kay Thompson Desjardins is very appropriate, considering her early work with Dr. Moses Coady and the extension department at St. F.X. and the Antigonish Movement.
“It’s important for us to look at our early history … she was very instrumental,” Lazzuri said.
