The South Surrey-White Rock Chamber of Commerce honoured some of the region’s top people and businesses at its annual Business Excellence Awards last week at Hazelmere Golf and Tennis Club.
The awards “honour those businesses, persons and organizations who motivate and inspire others through their exceptions achievements and participation in community service.
The business person of the year (corporate) award went to Greg Timm of Pacific Customs Brokers.
In addition to serving as CEO and president of the South Surrey company, Timm is chair of the Canadian Open Fastpitch International Championships, and in 2013 he led a Surrey committee that successfully bid on the 2016 Women’s World Fastpitch Championships.
The other two nominees in the category were Mike Stuart, president of Hazelmere Golf and Tennis Club, and Karen Donald, general manager of The Shops at Morgan Crossing.
In the business person of the year (self-owned) category, the award went to Alan Schill, president of Schill Insurance.
Schill, who has worked in the insurance industry for more than 25 years, took over the family-run company in 2006, and also volunteers with a number of local organizations, from White Rock-South Surrey Baseball to the Peace Arch Hospital and Community Health Foundation.
Other nominees in the category were Douglas Charles, the retail manager of Penguin Meats Supply, and Jade West Engineering president John A. Makepeace.
The non-profit organization of the year award went to the Peace Arch Hospital Auxiliary Society; other organizations up for the award were the White Rock-South Surrey Hospice Society, and Sources Community Resources Society.
The award for best new business went to executive chef/part owner Janet Wait for Jan’s on the Beach. Other nominees included Tracy Wattie’s online-contest company, Brabeia Inc., and Balraj Gill’s 23Seven Performance & Conditioning Studio.
In the business of the year (one to seven employees) category, the award went to the New Beauty Institute (Caree Ludwar), while other nominees were Lifelong Health (Drs. Rod and Glynis Leblanc) and Common Cents Bookkeeping and Tax (Monique Isherwood).
The business of the year award (eight to 14 employees), the winner was the Ocean Promenade Hotel (Gordy Sangha), while the two runners-up were Singer Olfert Financial Group (Jay Brecknell) and Peninsula Runners (Paul Williams).
Hugh and McKinnon Realty Ltd (Bruce Robinson) won the business of the year award (15-plus employees); the other two nominees were Investors Group (Brad Campbell), Westminster Savings Credit Union (Maria Mura) and White Rock Veterinary Hospital (Drs. Stephen Wood, Ruth Kennedy and Merlin Ross).