Local Business Awards and Recognition
The Barrie Business Awards
Each September, the Chamber sends out a call for nominees and that deadline has just passed. Soon we’ll have local business people being presented for the competition for prestigious awards that have recognized local businesses for a number of years. Along with the Women in Business Awards that are held each Spring – these awards are an even more important way of recognizing the achievements of business, given the business conditions that have prevailed in the past few years.
The Barrie Business Awards are a longstanding recognition program that celebrates the contribution of local businesses to the continued growth and success of our community. These awards recognize social responsibility, entrepreneurial spirit, risk taking and innovation, as well as financial success. These businesses all contribute to a stronger local economy as well as to the strength of our community as a whole.
The award categories for 2022 are:
- Manufacturing, Engineering, & Construction Business Excellence Award
- Hospitality & Tourism Business Excellence Award
- New Business Award
- Marketing & Promotions Award
- Mayor’s Employer of the Year Award
- Employee of the Year Award
- Service Sector Business Excellence Award
- Not-For-Profit or Charitable Organization Award
- Business Growth Award
- Pay It Forward Award
- Small Business of the Year Award
- Young Professional of the Year Award
- Arch Brown Entrepreneur Award of Excellence
2022 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Award
Congratulations to local Empower Simcoe CEO, Dr. Claudie Cousins who has been named a Finalist for the 2022 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards for the Social Change: Regional Impact Award recognizing the country’s leading female entrepreneurs.
The winners will be announced and celebrated in-person at the 30th Annual Awards Gala, on Wednesday, November 23 at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto.
Patricia is the Business Mentor and owner of Grow Vantage and a Past President of the Barrie Chamber of Commerce. She applies over 30 years of business experience (from start-up to corporate) to mentor entrepreneurs. Since 2011, she has held over 6,500 coaching and training sessions in-person and online. Through Ask For Directions Training, her entrepreneurial training program (and parent company Grow Vantage), and as a business coach, she works with start-ups who are new (or who have lost traction) to design, launch and grow their businesses. Along with 20 other expert instructors she teaches strategies in marketing, sales, communications, and finance, as well as practical techniques to increase productivity, and manage their businesses. In other words, everything entrepreneurs need to learn to grow and run their businesses successfully, and avoid the costly mistakes they can't even see coming - that lead to delays in growth and getting stuck.
- Liberal Cabinet: 1) MacKinnon won’t join Liberal leadership race, cites lack of time to mount campaign; 2) Justin Trudeau’s own walk in the snow launched a historic week in federal politics - January 13, 2025
- Flying taxis are on the horizon as aviation soars into a new frontier - January 13, 2025
- Canada Post says 25% stamp price increase takes effect today - January 13, 2025