Tag: oakville awards for business excellence

24th Annual Oakville Awards for Business Excellence

April 2, 2019  

The Oakville Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club of Oakville West presented the 24th Annual Oakville Awards for Business Excellence on March 27th at the Oakville Conference Centre. The Oakville Awards for Business Excellence are dedicated to recognizing exemplary models of excellence and community service by Oakville’s businesses and the invaluable contribution they make to Oakville’s economic development, unique character and outstanding quality of life.

Being recognized by one’s peers, either by nomination or award recipient, is a thank you for the hard work and risk the finalists have incurred. As ambassadors for business in Oakville, finalists and award recipients provide guidance and inspiration to new and seasoned businesses – as well as young, aspiring entrepreneurs. They help foster the spirit of adventure and enterprise, risk and reward for young people and so it is fitting that the proceeds from the Oakville Awards for Business Excellence help support the Rotary Club of Oakville West’s youth programs, including the Rotary Education Awards, Camp Enterprise, and the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards.

Congratulations to the Award Recipients!

RBC Royal Bank Large Business of the Year
Encore Market Engagement
Ken Pickthall and Brian Vanstone (Encore Market Engagement) with Award Presenter Peter Choma (RBC Royal Bank)

Bell Mid-size Business of the Year
BestLifeRewarded Innovations Inc.
Cynthia Hastings-James and Susanne Cookson (BestLifeRewarded Innovations Inc.) with Award Presenter Lena Demarco (Bell)

Henderson Partners LLP Small Business of the Year 
Sounds Good AVS Solutions
Robert May and Nikki Lord (Sounds Good AVS Solutions) with Award Presenter Christie Henderson (Henderson Partners LLP)

Professional Services Provider of the Year 
MNP LLP (Cornwall Road location)
Matt MacDonald (MNP LLP) with Award presenter Tanya Leedale (O’Connor MacLeod Hanna LLP)

The Morris Mercanti Service Industry Award 
The Oakville Academy For The Arts
Heidi Schofield (The Oakville Academy for the Arts) with Award Presenter Lynn Mercanti

KPMG Young Professional or Entrepreneur of the Year 
Blake Wyatt of Wyatt Development Group
Blake Wyatt with Award Presenter Carlos Alvarez (KPMG)

Oakville Hydro Conservation Leadership Award 
Mauser Packaging Solutions
Wojciech Tymczak, Shubi Bhattacharya, and Karen Anderson (Mauser Packaging Solutions) with Award Presenter Rob Lister (Oakville Hydro)

Genworth Community Builder Award 
Oakville Soccer Club
Dave Harris (Oakville Soccer Club) with Award Presenter Kiki Sauriol-Roode (Genworth)

CN Charity/Not-For-Profit Excellence Award 
The May Court Club of Oakville
Donna Samuels (The May Court of Oakville) with Award Presenter Daniel Salvatore (CN)

Oakville’s Business Icon Award
Geotab Inc.
Award Presenter Michael Leblanc (FCT) with Neil Cawse (Geotab Inc.)

Watch Geotab Inc. CEO Neil Cawse’s acceptance speech filmed by YourTV.

For our full event album, please visit our Flickr page.

Geotab to be recognized as Oakville’s Business Icon

March 19, 2019  

The Oakville Awards for Business Excellence are pleased to announce that Geotab will be the recipient of Oakville’s Business Icon Award at the 24th Annual Oakville Awards for Business Excellence Gala. The gala will take place at the Oakville Conference Centre on Wednesday, March 27th.

“The Business Icon Award recognizes a prominent Oakville business which is highly regarded in the community, and this year Geotab has been selected as the recipient of this award” stated Peter DeGroot, President of The Rotary Club of Oakville West.

In 2000, forward thinker Neil Cawse founded Geotab in Oakville. The company name signifies the blending together of the concepts of geography (Geo) and tabulation (tab). In over 15 years, Geotab grew from a small family business, to a global leader in solutions for fleet management and vehicle tracking. They are now one of the largest telematics companies in the world with over 30,000 customers and over 1.4 million devices operating in more than 130 countries across all 7 continents.  

Global demand for telematics is increasing and Geotab is rising to the challenge. Collecting over 3 billion data points every day, the company is focused on providing customers and communities with data-driven insights to help improve productivity, efficiencies and safety. Introducing new and cutting-edge technology to help businesses better manage their fleets, Geotab recently launched the GO0 device, the latest iteration of the company’s flagship product that will enable them to effectively expand globally and be utilized by new vehicle types including electric vehicles.

One of the core values at Geotab is to innovate and continuously seek ways to improve. They are committed to advancing technology, empowering businesses and making the roads safer for everyone. Geotab is built upon a culture of trust, continuous learning and teamwork. They focus on employee well-being, having implemented many progressive initiatives including an inventor reward program, customer experience and support incentive training, training plans, community outreach, company-wide social events, theme days and team building activities. Geotab also invests in employee training and promotes ongoing development.

Geotab encourages and supports giving back to the communities in which they work and live in. While Geotab has an organization supports a variety of local initiatives, such as food drives, clothing and toy drives, event sponsorships and a benefit concert to promote road safety, they also encourage employee driven engagement. Geotab employees are invited to bring forward initiatives that are meaningful to them with the potential for Geotab to get involved, whether it be through a monetary donation or the donation of time and resources.

In addition to its philanthropic efforts, Geotab is dedicated to infinitives that contribute to the burgeoning STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering Mathematics) job market. These initiatives include local high school mentorship events, on-campus recruiting, a robust research and development program for undergraduate students and a hands-on internship program.  

A recipient of many prestigious awards, including Oakville’s Large Business of the Year Award in 2016, Geotab recently announced that is has been named one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies for a second consecutive year! In 2018 Geotab was also named the 2018 North American Company of the Year in the commercial fleet telematics industry by Frost & Sullivan, was included on the 500 list for Canada’s Fastest Growing Companies, as well as the Technology Fast 500 list by Deloitte for North America. The company is also Great Place to Work Certified and has received nods for being one of the Best Workplaces for technology, millennials and women.

“Geotab is a highly respected organization that serves the Oakville community. Their commitment to innovation, giving back to the community, and building excellence is an example for us all. We are proud to honour Geotab this year with the Business Icon Award and we invite the Oakville community to join us in celebrating the innovative businesses that call Oakville home” stated Tim Caddigan, Chair of the Board, Oakville Chamber of Commerce.  

Date: Wednesday, March 27th

Time: 5:30pm – Registration & Reception; 6:30pm – Dinner & Awards Gala

Location: Oakville Conference and Banquet Centre, 2515 Wyecroft Road

Tickets: $135 per person. Tickets can be purchased online .


The May Court Club of Oakville to be recognized for Charity Excellence

March 13, 2019  

The Oakville Awards for Business Excellence are thrilled to announce that The May Court Club of Oakville will be the recipient of the CN Charity/Not-for-Profit Excellence Award. The award will be presented at the 24th Annual Oakville Awards for Business Excellence gala on Wednesday, March 27th at the Oakville Conference Centre.

“The CN Charity/Not-for-Profit Excellence Award honours not-for-profit organizations who are highly regarded in the area for raising funds and providing services to improve the lives of people within our community. This year we a proud to present the award to The May Court Club of Oakville” stated Tim Caddigan, Chair of the Board, Oakville Chamber of Commerce.  

The May Court Club of Oakville is a volunteer women’s organization that provides services and funds to our community. Their mission is to help those that are vulnerable; especially women, children, seniors, and those with physical and mental challenges. This is done through their fundraising efforts in which they help fund agencies who have locations within Oakville and Halton Region. They have supported numerous organizations in the community including Home Suite Hope, Lighthouse for Grieving Children, Food4Kids, Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital and Fare Share Foodbank.

The May Court Club is the oldest service organization established in 1898 and have served the Oakville community since 1956. The Oakville club has grown to have over 240 volunteer members who are committed to improving the community through effective programs and activities. The operation of the club relies completely on the time, talents and energy of their volunteer members. Since they are completely run by volunteers, The May Court Club of Oakville has minimal administrative fees, and the funds they raise go directly into the community.

Volunteering with The May Court Club provides an enriching experience through meaningful service, fundraising projects and various opportunities for volunteers to share their talents, learn new skills, and develop life-long friendships. The Club inspires volunteerism, develops leaders, and motivates individuals to positively impact the Oakville and Halton Region community.

The May Court Club of Oakville is known for their exciting and successful fundraising events. This includes dances, gala dinners, fashion shows, comedy nights, and their annual holiday gift wrapping at Oakville Place. They also run special programs to support youth in our community. Since 1991, May Court volunteers have purchased and delivered nutritious and non-perishable snacks to over 25 local schools to feed children who would otherwise go hungry through their Lunch Box Program. They also have a Puppeteers Program where their volunteers perform weekly shows at local elementary schools to educate and empower students by offering coping tools and strategies for various types and situations of bullying. The program reaches approximately 2,000 children each year. Another way in which the club supports youth is through their scholarship program. For over 50 years, The May Court Club of Oakville has been supporting youth financially to obtain their post-secondary education with over $990,000 awarded in scholarships.

Another way The May Court Club supports the local community is through their Nearly New Shop, a consignment store located in Kerr Village. Since opening its doors in 1957, the shop has served thousands of customers in Oakville. Over 100 volunteers run and work in the Nearly New Shop, which accepts and sells gently used women’s and men’s clothing, accessories, jewelry, shoes, décor, books and household items. The store helps lower the community’s environmental impact – encouraging us to re-use, in addition to providing well-priced merchandise for shoppers. 100% of the net profits are directed into the community – over the years this is over $1,500,000!

“The May Court Club has supported a wide range of organizations in the Oakville Community. Join us on March 27th to celebrate all they do for our community at the Oakville Awards for Business Excellence gala” stated Peter DeGroot, President of the Rotary Club of Oakville West.  

Event Details:

Date: Wednesday, March 27th
Time: 5:30pm – Registration & Reception; 6:30pm – Dinner & Awards Gala
Location: Oakville Conference and Banquet Centre, 2515 Wyecroft Road
Tickets: $135 per person. Tickets can be purchased online.

 

Oakville Soccer Club to be recognized as the Genworth Community Builder of the Year

March 4, 2019  

The Oakville Awards for Business Excellence are pleased to announce that the Oakville Soccer Club (OSC) will be the recipient of the Genworth Community Builder of the Year Award. The award will be presented at the 24th Annual Oakville Awards for Business Excellence gala on Wednesday, March 27th at the Oakville Conference Centre.

“The Genworth Community Builder Award recognizes an organization that has, over a period of time, demonstrated exemplary business practices and dedicated involvement in the community” stated Peter DeGroot, President of The Rotary Club of Oakville West.

The Oakville Soccer Club is a not-for-profit organization created in 1972 through the merger of the Bronte Legion Soccer Club, Oakville United Soccer, and Oakville Minor Soccer. It has grown to become the largest amateur soccer club in North America, and the largest community sports organization in Canada with more than 12,000 members and over 900 volunteer and professional coaches.

The Club holds the Ontario Soccer Association’s Gold Standard Award for Club Excellence, capturing eight national championships, 56 Ontario Cup winners, as well as players who have represented the Oakville Soccer Club in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, U-Sports (formerly known as the Canadian Interuniversity Sport), and at the Provincial and National levels. Throughout the years, several Oakville players have earned scholarships with Universities and Colleges in Canada and the United States. OSC players have proudly represented Canada at the provincial, national and international levels including the Olympics and FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Over the past nine years, the Oakville Soccer Club has also awarded more than $100,000 in scholarships to assist members of the club in pursuing post-secondary education. Recipients are chosen based on their contributions to the club, academic achievement and service to the community. The Club has also provided over $800,000 in fee assistance to ensure that everyone in the community has the opportunity to play soccer.

The Club serves the Oakville community, enabling every player –regardless of age or ability – to play the best they can. They offer March Break and PA Day Camps in addition to their youth, adult and senior programs. The Oakville Soccer Club also offers the Breaking Barriers program, which is designed for those with intellectual and/or physical disabilities. Participants are introduced to soccer and the fundamentals of physical literacy. Players enjoy a comfortable and inclusive environment where they can learn and engage at their own pace, while making new friends.

“The Oakville Soccer Club is immersed in the Oakville community. We are excited to recognize the Oakville Soccer Club as the Genworth Community Builder and invite the community to join us on March 27th to celebrate their success” stated Tim Caddigan, Chair of the Board, Oakville Chamber of Commerce.

Event Details:

Date: Wednesday, March 27th

Time: 5:30pm – Registration & Reception; 6:30pm – Dinner & Awards Gala

Location: Oakville Conference and Banquet Centre, 2515 Wyecroft Road

Tickets: $135 per person. Tickets can be purchased online.



24th Annual Oakville Awards for Business Excellence Nominees

February 25, 2019  

The nominees for the 24th Annual Oakville Awards for Business Excellence are:

RBC Royal Bank Large Business of the Year Bell Mid-size Business of the Year Henderson Partners LLP Small Business of the Year Professional Services Provider of the Year The Morris Mercanti Service Industry Award KPMG Young Professional or Entrepreneur of the Year (YPEG Award) Oakville Hydro Conservation Leadership Award
The Oakville Chamber of Commerce and The Rotary Club of Oakville West thank Platinum Partner RBC Royal Bank for their generous support of the 24th Annual Oakville Awards for Business Excellence. Event Details: Date: Wednesday, March 27th Time: 5:30pm – Registration & Reception; 6:30pm – Dinner & Awards Gala Location: Oakville Conference and Banquet Centre, 2515 Wyecroft Road Tickets: $135 per person. Register now.

Sold Out Crowd Celebrates Business Excellence in Oakville

March 28, 2018  

Recipients include representatives from iCare Home Health, Florence Meats, Naylor Building Partnerships Inc., Positive Accounting, La Parisienne Creperie, Zarr Tech, Canlan Ice Sports Corp, Piper Foods Inc., Crime Stoppers of Halton and FCT (Absent: Paul Ferri of Limitless Training Systems).


Oakville celebrated business leaders in their community at the 23rd Annual Oakville Awards for Business Excellence Gala on Tuesday, March 27 where over 560 guests gathered at the Oakville Conference Centre. Presented by the Oakville Chamber of Commerce and The Rotary Club of Oakville West, this annual event attracts business, community, government and political leaders, as well as professionals and entrepreneurs from the local business community.

“The Oakville Chamber is thrilled by the tremendous support shown by the business community at tonight’s gala,” said Ken Nevar, Chair of the Board, Oakville Chamber of Commerce. “We offer our congratulations to all the finalists and award recipients.”

The Genworth Community of the Year Award was awarded to Piper Foods Inc./McDonald’s Restaurants. John Piper, Owner of Piper Foods Inc.  accepted the award. Known for their extensive support of local organizations including Dog Guides of Canada, Ronald McDonald House Charities and the Oakville Hospital Foundation, they recently completed a pledge of $250,000 towards construction of the new hospital. An active partner in the Region of Halton’s hiring program, Piper Foods participates in workshops educating young people to better prepare them to find a job. John Piper takes pride in preparing people of all ages and backgrounds to enter or re-enter the workforce by providing entry-level positions in the community, coupled with a solid training program. Investing in team members’ personal development is key to their business philosophy and each year, the company awards 4 scholarships for a total of $4,000.  Piper Foods Inc. became the first ever double recipient at the Awards Gala, also receiving the Franchisee of the Year Award.

The CN Charity/Not-for-Profit Excellence Award was presented to Crime Stoppers of Halton. Accepting the award on behalf of Crime Stoppers of Halton was Jan Westcott, Vice-Chair of the Board. Since its inception in 1988, the organization has been helping keep Halton Region a safe place to live, work and play. They have received over 18,000 anonymous tips on criminal activity which have led to the arrest of 1,188 individuals. Furthermore, these tips have recovered almost $3 million worth of stolen property, taken $18 million worth of illicit drugs taken off our streets, and seized 92 weapons. Crime Stoppers of Halton has strengthened their presence in our community by attending community events, conducting presentations at high schools through its Youth Initiative Program, its Roadside Sign Program, Community Secure Shred Events, hosting fundraising concerts and leading community awareness campaigns. Crime Stoppers of Halton’s dedication to preventing and solving crime contributes to Halton Region’s designation as Canada’s Safest Regional Municipality for the past 8 years.

This year’s Business Icon Award was presented to FCT. Michael LeBlanc, Chief Executive Officer of FCT accepted the award presented by John Sawyer, outgoing President of the Oakville Chamber of Commerce. From its beginning as the first title insurer in Canada to revolutionary valuations solutions, FCT has expanded its products and services to support customers across the real estate and recovery lifecycles. With more than 800 employees across Canada, including more than 300 at their home office in Oakville, the company focuses on creating a work culture where every employee has the opportunity to be great. In 2017, FCT launched their new brand identity “we’re invested” – which focuses on how they’re invested in customers, colleagues and the community. “FCT has an amazing business success story and as the Chamber of Commerce, we are so proud that they call Oakville home” commented John Sawyer.

In it’s 23rd year, the Oakville Awards for Business Excellence Gala continues to grow year over year, recognizing the important contributions of local business to the community. “We received a significant number of nominations from the Oakville community. The judges carefully reviewed all of the nominations and determined a list of 57 finalists, from which the award recipients were chosen” stated Lois Knepflar, President, Rotary Club of Oakville West.

To learn more about the Oakville Awards for Business Excellence, or to nominate a business for next year, please visit www.oabe.ca or contact Karen Pomfret by phone at 905-845-6613 ext. 210 or e-mail karen@oakvillechamber.com.

The Oakville Chamber of Commerce and The Rotary Club of Oakville West are proud to list the award recipients of the 23rd Annual Oakville Awards for Business Excellence:

RBC Royal Bank Large Business of the Year

Naylor, Building Partnerships Inc.

Bell Mid-size Business of the Year

Florence Meats

Small Business of the Year

iCare Home Health

KPMG Entrepreneur of the Year

Matthew Zarrillo of Zarr Tech

Young Professional & Entrepreneur of the Year

Paul Ferri of Limitless Training Systems  

Professional Services Provider of the Year

Positive Accounting

Franchisee of the Year

Piper Foods Inc. / McDonald’s Restaurant

The Morris Mercanti Restaurateur of the Year

La Parisienne Creperie

Oakville Hydro Conservation Leadership Award

Canlan Ice Sports Corp.

Genworth Community Builder of the Year

Piper Foods Inc.

CN Charity or Not-for-Profit Excellence Award

Crime Stoppers of Halton

Oakville’s Business Icon Award

FCT



Piper Foods Inc. to be recognized as the Genworth Community Builder of the Year at the 23rd Annual Oakville Awards for Business Excellence Gala

March 16, 2018  

 The Oakville Chamber of Commerce and The Rotary Club of Oakville West are pleased to announce that Piper Foods Inc./McDonald’s Restaurants will be the recipient of the Genworth Community Builder of the Year Award at the 23rd Annual Oakville Awards for Business Excellence (OABE) Gala. The Gala dinner will take place at the Oakville Conference Centre on Tuesday, March 27th.

“The Genworth Community Builder Award recognizes a business that has, over a period of time, demonstrated exemplary business practices and dedicated involvement in the community. This year the chosen recipient of this award is Piper Foods Inc.” stated Lois Knepflar, President of The Rotary Club of Oakville West.

John Piper has worked his entire career in the McDonald’s family. Starting as a ‘crew kid’ when he was a teenager, serving customers with a smile, learning that if you take care of the guest the rest will follow. He held many different positions inside the corporation over his time with them. In 2003, John and his wife Marg founded Piper Foods Inc., where they and the team started with three McDonald’s restaurants here in Oakville. More recently, in late 2016, Piper Foods purchased two additional Oakville locations. These locations have seen tremendous growth since they became part of Piper Foods Inc. The Piper Foods team believe in creating an exceptional guest service in the restaurant as well as being an engaged member of the community.

A pillar of the Oakville community, Piper Foods is known for their extensive support of local organizations and the Oakville Hospital Foundation. Having recently completed their pledge of $250,000 towards construction of the new hospital, Piper Foods will continue its support of the Foundation by sponsoring signature events and collecting coin box donations at their restaurants. John also served on the Foundation’s Board of Directors for nine years and chaired the committee for the Annual Golf Tournament. Piper Foods also supports many community organizations including the Dog Guides of Canada, Ronald McDonald House Charities, and multiple local sports teams and athletes.

An active partner in the Region of Halton’s hiring program, Piper Foods participates in workshops educating young people to better prepare them to find a job. John takes pride in preparing people of all ages and backgrounds to enter or re-enter the workforce by providing entry-level positions in the community, coupled with a solid training program. Investing in team members’ personal development is key to John’s business philosophy and lead to the introduction of a yearly $1,000 scholarship awarded to a McDonald’s team member to assist with post-secondary education cost. With the expansion of the company, Piper Foods is pleased to award 4 scholarships per year for a total of $4,000.

Celebrating 15 years in the Oakville community, Piper Foods Inc. were thrilled to be recognized at the national level by receiving McDonald’s Canada prestigious Community Involvement Award.

 “Piper Foods. Inc. is immersed in the Oakville community, through their outstanding community support, generous donations, and dedication to preparing today’s youth for tomorrow’s workforce. This year Piper Foods celebrates their 15th Anniversary, and we couldn’t think of a better way to honour them” stated Ken Nevar, Chair of the Board, Oakville Chamber of Commerce.

 

Event Details:

Date: Tuesday, March 27th

Time: 5:30pm – Registration & Reception; 6:30pm – Dinner & Awards Gala

Location: Oakville Conference and Banquet Centre, 2515 Wyecroft Road

Tickets: $125 per person; $87.50 per person for Nominees

Purchase tickets online or by emailing info@oakvillechamber.com or calling the Oakville Chamber of Commerce at 905-845-6613.

Crime Stoppers of Halton to receive the CN Charity/Not-for-Profit Excellence Award at the 23rd Annual Oakville Awards for Business Excellence Gala

March 15, 2018  

The Oakville Chamber of Commerce and The Rotary Club of Oakville West are pleased to announce that Crime Stoppers of Halton will be the recipient of CN’s Charity/Not-for-Profit Excellence Award at the 23rd Annual Oakville Awards for Business Excellence (OABE) that will culminate in a Gala Dinner on Tuesday, March 27th at the Oakville Conference Centre.

“The CN Charity/Not-for-Profit Excellence Award honours not-for-profit organizations who are highly regarded in the area for raising funds and providing services to improve the lives of people within our community. This year Crime Stoppers of Halton has been chosen as the recipient of this award” stated Lois Knepflar, President of the Rotary Club of Oakville West.  

Crime Stoppers of Halton is a charitable organization governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, made up of citizens representing all areas of Halton Region. Their mission is to help solve and deter crime by providing a means of reporting criminal activity, with guaranteed anonymity, through cooperation with the Halton Regional Police Service, the media, and the community.

Since its inception in 1988, the organization has been helping keep Halton Region a safe place to live, work and play. They have received over 18,000 anonymous tips on criminal activity which have led to the arrest of 1,188 individuals. Furthermore, these tips have recovered almost $3 million worth of stolen property, taken $18 million worth of illicit drugs taken off our streets, and seized 92 weapons.

Crime Stoppers of Halton has strengthened their presence in our community by attending community events, conducting presentations at high schools through its Youth Initiative Program, its Roadside Sign Program, Community Secure Shred Events and hosting fundraising concerts.

Crime Stoppers of Halton has also led community awareness campaigns to alert tractor trailer drivers of concerns relating to cargo theft throughout the region, and a campaign to combat illegal cigarettes and other tobacco products.

After securing a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Crime Stoppers of Halton was able to redesign its website with the view of better serving all residents of the region. The new site continues to be a secure method of communication with tipsters, but is also utilized to post crime alerts, information on missing individuals, wanted suspects and unsolved crimes to various social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Moreover, users can translate the website to 28 different languages!

During 2017, Crime Stoppers of Halton volunteers have volunteered over 600 hours and participated at over 50 events in the region. This includes 30 active volunteers and 10 members of the Board of Directors – all from various backgrounds and living throughout Halton Region. Crime Stoppers of Halton is proud of their ability to recruit and engage younger volunteers –with 60% of their volunteers under the age of 30.

“Crime Stoppers of Halton’s dedication to preventing and solving crime contributes to Halton Region’s designation as Canada’s Safest Regional Municipality for the past eight years. We present Crime Stoppers of Halton with the Charity Excellence Award to honour their 30 years of ensuring that everyone in Oakville has a safe place to live, work and play” stated Ken Nevar, Chair of the Board, Oakville Chamber of Commerce.

Event Details:

Date: Tuesday, March 27th

Time: 5:30pm – Registration & Reception; 6:30pm – Dinner & Awards Gala

Location: Oakville Conference and Banquet Centre, 2515 Wyecroft Road

Tickets: $125 per person; $87.50 per person for Nominees

Purchase tickets online or by emailing info@oakvillechamber.com or calling the Oakville Chamber of Commerce at 905-845-6613.

FCT to be recognized as Oakville’s Business Icon at the 23rd Annual Oakville Awards for Business Excellence Gala

March 14, 2018  


The Oakville Chamber of Commerce and The Rotary Club of Oakville West are pleased to announce that FCT will be the recipient of Oakville’s Business Icon Award at the 23rd Annual Oakville Awards for Business Excellence (OABE) Gala. The Gala dinner will take place at the Oakville Conference Centre on Tuesday, March 27th with an expected audience of over 600.

“The Business Icon Award recognizes a prominent Oakville business which is highly regarded in the business community and this year FCT has been selected as the recipient of this award” stated Lois Knepflar, President of The Rotary Club of Oakville West.

Forward thinkers Pat Chetcuti and Tom Grifferty founded FCT in 1991, pioneering the title insurance industry in Canada. Today, with offices across the country, the company has stayed true to its core values while expanding its services across the real estate and recovery markets.

From its beginning as the first title insurer in Canada to revolutionary valuations solutions, FCT has expanded its products and services to support customers across the real estate and recovery lifecycles. Recognizing gaps in existing processes, they have invested in creating innovative solutions to help customers work more efficiently every day. FCT’s products and services include: residential and commercial title insurance; residential mortgage processing and valuation solutions; and default and recovery solutions.

More recently, FCT has turned its focus to digitizing the real estate lifecycle. This includes investments in products like DealTap, which allows realtors to close a transaction digitally, and more recently Certified Resale Home, a comprehensive pre-listing home inspection with an 18-month warranty.

With more than 800 employees across Canada, including more than 300 at their home office in Oakville, the company focuses on creating a work culture where every employee has the opportunity to be great. In 2017, FCT launched their new brand identity “we’re invested” – which focuses on how they’re invested in customers, colleagues and the community.

FCT believes in giving back to the communities in which they live and work through their community investment initiatives that focus on homelessness. Each employee is given a volunteer day to serve their community and work as a team to support local charities through fundraising.  Three years ago, FCT began awarding scholarships to deserving post-secondary students to support their education.

A recipient of many prestigious awards, including the Genworth Community Builder of the Year award in 2015, FCT has been named by Great Place to Work (GPTW) as one of the Top 50 employers in the Large and Multinational category for three years in a row. In 2016 and 2017, FCT was also recognized by GPTW as one of the top employers for women.  And in 2017 FCT was named a 2017 Best Workplaces in Financial Services & Insurance.

“FCT is a highly respected organization that serves the Oakville community. Their commitment to building excellence, recognizing their employees, and giving back to our community is an example for us all. We are proud to honour them this year with the Business Icon Award” stated Ken Nevar, Chair of the Board, Oakville Chamber of Commerce.

 

Event Details:

Date: Tuesday, March 27th

Time: 5:30pm – Registration & Reception; 6:30pm – Dinner & Awards Gala

Location: Oakville Conference and Banquet Centre, 2515 Wyecroft Road

Tickets: $125 per person; $87.50 per person for Nominees

Purchase tickets online or by emailing info@oakvillechamber.com or calling the Oakville Chamber of Commerce at 905-845-6613.

 

Congratulations to the Finalists for the 23rd Annual Oakville Awards for Business Excellence

February 7, 2018  

The Oakville Chamber of Commerce and The Rotary Club of Oakville West are pleased to present the 23rd Annual Oakville Awards for Business Excellence (OABE) that will culminate in a Gala Dinner on Tuesday, March 27th at the Oakville Conference Centre. The finalists for this year’s awards were officially announced at the OABE Nominee Reception held on Tuesday, February 6th at the Holiday Inn Oakville – Centre. This year, the award recipients will be chosen from finalists in nine categories: Small Business of the Year, Bell Mid-size Business of the Year, RBC Royal Bank Large Business of the Year, Professional Services Provider of the Year, Franchisee of the Year, The Morris Mercanti Restaurateur of the Year, KPMG Entrepreneur of the Year, Young Professional & Entrepreneur of the Year (YPEG Award), and Oakville Hydro Conservation Leadership Award. At the awards gala, the recipient of the Genworth Community Builder Award, Charity or Not-for-Profit Excellence Award, and Oakville’s Business Icon Award will be announced.
  • The Genworth Community Award recognizes a business that has, over time, demonstrated exemplary business practices and dedicated involvement in the community.
  • The Charity or Not-for-Profit Excellence Award honours a charity or not-for-profit organization which is highly regarded in our community and raises funds or provides services to improve the lives of people within our community.
  • The Business Icon Award recognizes a prominent Oakville business which is highly regarded in the business community.
“The Oakville Awards for Business Excellence received an overwhelming number of nominations from the Oakville community. The judges carefully reviewed all of the nominations and selected a list of 56 finalists” stated Ken Nevar, Chair of the Board, Oakville Chamber of Commerce. “I congratulate all of the finalists. It is truly an honour to be nominated by your customers and peers and to be recognized for your dedication, business practices, and community service.” Working in partnership with The Rotary Club of Oakville West, the majority of funds raised from the Gala Dinner will be donated directly to the club’s local youth programs. “Since its inception in 1995, the Oakville Awards for Business Excellence has raised almost $1,000,000 for our youth initiatives including the Oakville Rotary Education Awards, Camp Enterprise and the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards” said Lois Knepflar, President of the Rotary Club of Oakville West. “We look forward to a fantastic evening to celebrate business excellence, while supporting the youth in our community.” The Finalists for the 23rd Annual Oakville Awards for Business Excellence are: Small Business of the Year A.S. Security & Surveillance Inc. Addison Music Learning Centre Akita Natural Skin Care Products Canada Caju Multimedia Inc. DCM Event Management Expert Island iCare Home Health Innovative HR Oakview Funeral Home Painters Place Preferred Muffler, Brake & Auto Inc. Qi Tranquility Spa Resultel Technologies Inc. Speckles Art Studio Wines Unlimited Bell Mid-size Business of the Year: Automacs Collision Inc. Cameron’s Brewing Company ClubRunner Florence Meats JNB Auto Centre Inc. Mico Systems Inc. SupperWorks Total Tech Pools and Leisure Inc. RBC Royal Bank Large Business of the Year: Caravan Logistics Inc. D’Orazio Infrastructure Group Limited Glen Oaks Funeral Home and Cemetery iFLY Toronto Indoor Skydiving Naylor Building Partnerships Inc. Rona Professional Services Provider of the Year: Bazar McBean LLP Lakeshore Woods Pharmacy Positive Accounting The Milley Team (HollisWealth, A division of Industrial Alliance Securities Inc.) Franchisee of the Year: Liaison College (Oakville Campus) Piper Foods Inc. (McDonald’s Restaurant) The Morris Mercanti Restaurateur of the Year: Bronte Sports Kitchen La Parisienne Creperie Oliver & Bonacini Café & Grill The Pipes and Taps Pub KPMG Entrepreneur of the Year: Allie Ochs of Swiss Bionic Solutions Ayse Kilic of Akita Canada Dawn Porter-Schofield of Cornerstone Mediation Jane Wilson of PoleFit Nation John Thistlewaite of BCIS, Inc. Matthew Zarrillo of Zarr Tech Nicoletta Medeiros of Allure Laser Skin Studio Young Professional and Entrepreneur of the Year (YPEG Award): Derek Lee of Media Rez Studios Inc. Dr. Denise Handscomb, ND of Abaton Integrative Medicine   James Montague of James Montague the Event Planner Morsal Haidary of Lash Out Lounge and Spa Paul Ferri of Limitless Training Systems Oakville Hydro Conservation Leadership Award: Canlan Ice Sports Corp. Iovate Health Sciences International Inc. Mancor Industries Oakville Honda Pinty’s Delicious Foods Inc. The Oakville Chamber of Commerce and The Rotary Club of Oakville West thank Platinum Partner RBC for their generous support of the 23rd Annual Oakville Awards for Business Excellence and Nominee Reception. Event Details: Date: Tuesday, March 27th Time: 5:30pm – Registration & Reception; 6:30pm – Dinner & Awards Gala Location: Oakville Conference and Banquet Centre, 2515 Wyecroft Road Tickets: $125 per person; $87.50 per person for Nominees Purchase tickets online or by emailing info@oakvillechamber.com or calling the Oakville Chamber of Commerce at 905-845-6613.