Your Recognized Voice of Business in Sault Ste Marie

Awards

SPONSORED AWARDS

In an effort to recognize the valuable contributions businesses make to the economy of Sault Ste. Marie, the Chamber of Commerce initiated its awards program. These awards are designed to recognize businesses who have made or are still making contributions, which enhance our business community.

Thank you to our Business Awards Title Sponsor - Bell - It is through their support that we are able to produce the video component of our Annual General Meeting and Business Awards event.  Please take a moment to see and hear a welcome message from Bell below...

Entrepreneur / Business of the Year Award
Sponsored by: Palmer Construction Group Inc. in Memory of Mike Rainone
This award recognizes an entrepreneur or business owner who successfully demonstrates a progressive attitude towards employee relations, a positive public image, and a reputation for excellence in customer service and contributions to the community.

Business Development Award
Sponsored by: Business Development Bank of Canada
The Business Development Award is presented to a business, which demonstrates or contributes towards job creation and general growth within the community.

Marketing Award
Sponsored by: Algoma Office Equipment
This award recognizes a business, which demonstrates a superior and novel Marketing strategy to attract new business and retain repeat business through the creative use of limited resources.

Service Sector Award

Sponsored by: Community Development Corporation of Sault Ste. Marie & Area
This award is presented to a government department or non-profit organization, which has demonstrated a willingness to go beyond the normal call of duty in assisting businesses in their dealings with that government department or organization.

Recipients:
1993 - Brian Irwin
1994 - Queenstown Association
1995 - Don Redmond
1996 - Alexander Henry Co-op Placement Program
1997 - Algoma Kinniwabi Travel Association
1998 - Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC)
1999 - Public Works &Transportation, Landfill Operations
2000 - Sault Ste. Marie Transit
2001 - Sault Ste. Marie Fire Department
2002 - Canada Post Corporation
2003 - Ministry of Northern Development & Mines
2004 - John Howard Society of SSM & District
2005 - Lung Association
2006 - Destiny Sault Ste. Marie
2007 - Arts Council of Sault Ste. Marie & District
2008 - Business Development Bank of Canada

Customer Service Award
Sponsored by: Community Development Corporation of Sault Ste. Marie & Area
This award goes out to a business, which raises customer service to new standards of excellence & is a model for other businesses in the community to follow.

Environment Awards
Sponsored by: Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation
The Environment Awards honour businesses that have made a difference in making our environment better, whether it is through reduction of pollution or waste, energy efficiency, new environmental or energy technology applications, best practices, or introducing an innovative program that reduces waste in our city. There were previously two categories for these awards; the first, for businesses with over 50 employees, the second, for businesses with under 50 employees. Beginning in 2008 only one award was presented.

Recipients:
Over 50 Employee Category
1996 - Wardlaw Fuels
1997 - White Pines Environmental Club
1998 - ASCU Community Credit Union & Algoma Central Corp.
1999 - St. Marys Paper Ltd.
2000 - G-P Flakeboard Company
2001 - Great Lakes Power Ltd.
2002 - SSM Special Household Waste Depot
2003 - Algoma District School Board
2004 - Great Lakes Forestry Centre
2005 - Ontario Forest Research Institute
2006 - PUC Services Inc.
2007 - Community Living Algoma

Under 50 Employee Category
1996 - Clean North/Naturally Green
1997 - Sault SCUBA Centre
1999 - Meakin Forest Enterprises Ltd.
2000 - Lemieux Haul-Away & Composting
2001 - And-Son Contracting/Waste Knot
2002 - Clergue Forest Management
2003 - Prescription Centre
2004 - Upper Lakes Environmental Research Network (U.L.E.R.N.)
2005 - Sault Ste. Marie Disposal
2006 - Andre Riopel - Back in Motion
2007 - Habitat for Humanity Sault Ste. Marie & Area

ATHENA Award
Sponsored by: Sault College of Applied Arts & Technology
This award introduced in 2000 celebrates the potential of women as valued members and leaders of the community and recognizes those who support them. The ATHENA Award honours individuals who strive toward the highest levels of professional accomplishment….women and men who excel in their chosen field have devoted time and energy to their community in meaningful ways and who also open paths so that others may follow. ATHENA recipients must meet each of these three specific criteria. They must a) Assist women in reaching their full potential, b) Demonstrate excellence, creativity and initiative in their business or profession and c) provide valuable service by devoting time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in the community.

Community Capacity Building Award
This award, introduced in 2001 was presented annually to an organization that has demonstrated an exceptional ability to compete globally through innovation, telecommunications or trade.

Recipients:
2001 - J.F. Fitzpatrick Industries Inc.
2002 - U.L.E.R.N. (Upper Lakes Environmental Research Network)
2003 - North Shore Industrial Wheel Manufacturing
2004 - G-P Flakeboard Company
2005 - Lucidia Studios
2006 - Manna International Inc.
2007 - Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre
2008 - Forest BioProducts Inc.

Safe Work, Sound Business Award in Honour of Don Watson
Sponsored by: Sault Ste. Marie Safe Communities Partnership
This award recognizes a business that uses a safe work management system. Participates in workplace and/or community injury prevention programs and has exceptional good injury frequency and injury severity performance.

Employer of Choice Award
Sponsored by: The Human Resource Professionals Association - Algoma Chapter
This award is presented to a business or organization that has good people and community practices; demonstrates good human resources or management policies or practices; actively supports professional development of staff; has good employee relations and employee and training communications; demonstrates good health, safety and wellness practices and demonstrates broad community involvement.

Recipients:
2010 - Sault College
2011 - Northern Credit Union

Diversity Award
Sponsored by: Community Living Algoma
This award recognizes a business or organization that embraces, celebrates and applies holistic inclusion and participation of a diverse people making the workplace a better environment in which to work, and the community a better place in which to live, work and raise a family.

CHAMBER AWARDS

The Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce’s Chamber Award series includes several prestigious awards made to exemplary individuals who have made significant contributions to the community as a whole. The Chamber sponsor these awards.

Paul Dalseg Community Achievement Award
The Paul Dalseg Award recognizes a businessperson in Sault Ste. Marie who has demonstrated exemplary interest in the community, and in so doing, has made a major, outstanding and unique achievement or contribution to the life of the community. It is intended to recognize the leadership and community-mindedness of businessmen and women. Initiated in 1991, it is appropriate that this unique award be dedicated to Paul Dalseg, who while operating one of the city's most successful retail and service operations, was also an outstanding example of a businessperson's dedication to their community.

Skipper Manzzutti Award for Business Achievement
Named after one of the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce’s dedicated past presidents, Captain Feliciano “Skipper” Manzzutti, this award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated outstanding business achievement within the past year or number of years. Like the individual to whom the award has been dedicated, the yearly recipient of the Skipper Manzzutti Award for Business Achievement possesses exemplary entrepreneurial and community-minded achievement.

Volunteer of the Year Award
As a volunteer-based organization, the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce depends on individuals who are willing to donate their time to special projects, events or programs they believe will benefit the business community as a whole. Initiated in 1985, the Volunteer of the Year Award is given annually to recognize an individual whose time commitment and contributions to the Chamber over the years or during the past year has been outstanding.

President’s Award
Initiated in 1982, the President’s Award recognizes someone who makes an exceptional effort, which goes above and beyond the call of duty in any area of business and community development. Selected by the Past President of the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce, this award is not necessarily given annually.