Know a business that should have its name on a shiny trophy?
To be named a 'business of the year' for being the best in their category?
If so, nominate them for a 2022 Kelowna Business Excellence Award.
Nominations are open for the 16 categories of the 35th annual edition of the awards.
You can nominate, or a business or individual can put their own name forward, until Aug. 24 at KelownaChamber.org.
"This process is an enormous undertaking for the chamber," said Pamela Pearson, president of the chamber, which organizes the awards.
"Excellence in business practices, great marketing programs, ethical business procedures, strong human relations support all go into the judges' reviews."
All nominees will be sent an application package, which is due back for judges' review by Sept. 12.
All applications will be reviewed by the chamber's independent judging panel to come up with a list of three finalists in each category.
All finalists' place of business will be visited by judges to determine winners and runners up in each category.
Finalists will be announced in the fall and the awards gala to hand out trophies will be held in November.
One additional award, 'business leader of the year,' is determined by the judges outside of the nomination and application process.
The 'business leader of the year' winner is announced before the awards gala to hype the event and the leader is also honoured at the banquet.
Last year the 'business leader of the year' was Marion Bremner of Meals on Wheels, who in the past was also a Kelowna city councillor and the first woman president of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce in 1985.
"Kelowna continues to grow -- businesses, residents and education -- and as we all emerge from the pressures on everyone of 2020-21, we are seeing local businesses and not-for-profits excel, rising above the recent raft of challenges," said Pearson.
"We look forward to seeing which companies and which individuals rise above this tide to take home the hardware in 2022."
The 16 categories are:
- Large business of the year
2021 winner: ACE Plumbing & Heating
- Mid-sized business of the year
2021 winner: Tranq Sleep Care
- Small business of the year
2021 winner: Modern PURAIR
- Young entrepreneur of the year
2021 winner: Courtney Koga of CrAsian Foods
- Indigenous business of the year
2021 winner: Moccasin Trails
- Rising star (new business)
2021 winner: HUB Office Furniture
- Social leadership
2021 winner: CrAsian Foods
- Ethics in business
2021 winner: Secure-Rite Mobile Storage
- Inclusive workplace
2021 winner: TKI Construction
- Environmental impact
2021 winner: Ecora Engineering
- Technology innovator
2021 winner: Acres Enterprises
- Excellence in agriculture
2021 winner: FloraMaxx Technologies
- Excellence in tourism
2021 winner: O'Rourke's Peak Cellars Winery
- Marketing campaign of the year
new category
- Arts and entertainment achievement
Festivals Kelowna
- Not-for-profit excellence
Habitat for Humanity Okanagan
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