PORT HAWKESBURY, N.S. — PORT HAWKESBURY - The Strait Area business community came together earlier this month to celebrate business success during Global Entrepreneurship Week, the world’s largest celebration of job creators, innovators and business owners, who turn dreams into economic growth.
The Strait Area Chamber of Commerce fall awards dinner took centre stage Nov. 20 at the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre, celebrating business success, outstanding customer service, safety champions and new businesses.
Green’s Funeral Home on Bernard Street in Port Hawkesbury garnered the top honour – the Excellence in Business Award.
In the summer of 1999, John Green launched his business in the former Rod MacDonald Funeral Home.
At the time, Green was a young apprentice with only a few years’ experience in the funeral profession, when he jumped into entrepreneurship with both feet.
As the business grew, Green has maintained a commitment to providing the highest quality service to families and loved ones. He remodeled and eventually expanded the Bernard Street facility, adding pre-need service and broadening their service area across the Quad Counties.
Coastal Cleaners Inc. of Inverness received the Rising Star New Business Award.
“For the second year in a row, the record has been broken for the number of businesses nominated,” Strait Area Chamber of Commerce executive director Amanda Mombourquette said.
“The spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation is stronger than ever in our communities.”
Glenora Distillery of Glenville received the Export Achievement Award, Budd Williams with the Town of Port Hawkesbury public works’ department took home the Safety Champion Award, while Justine Carter of CSN Hughie’s Collision Centre in Port Hastings garnered the Outstanding Customer Service Award. Businesses were also honoured for reaching 25 and 50-year milestones.
The Club 50 honourees include Albert J. MacDonald Construction, EMM Law and Mulgrave Machine Works, while the Club 25 inductees are Canadian Pioneer Estates, Cape Breton Realty, Galloping Cows, the Greenhouse Co-op and PE Appliance Repair.
Blaire Martell of Lobsters-R-Us Seafood located in Little Harbour received the inaugural Marc Dube Innovation Award, a presentation of the Cape Breton Partnership.
The late Dube was the Port Hawkesbury Paper development manager, when it was re-opened by parent company Stern Partners following a difficult period of closure.
Dube was highly-regarded for his innovative, professional and compassionate approach to his work and community. Having had a deep impact on the region, he volunteered with both the Strait Area Chamber of Commerce and the Cape Breton Partnership.
The award recognizes a business, organization or person who has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to innovation and business success.
Now providing storage for one million pounds of product, Lobsters-R-Us is touted as the most highly automated seafood storage facility in Atlantic Canada.
With more than 370 members, the Strait Area Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit business development organization that promotes, improves, and protects trade and commerce, while working to ensure that the Strait Area is one of the best regions in which to invest, live, work and conduct business.
