Nominations for the 2019 Outstanding Business Achievement Awards are now CLOSED.  Thank you to everyone that submitted a nomination.

Please mark your calendar and make plans to join us for our Outsanding Business Achievement Awards gala on Saturday, February 29th, 2020.

2019 Outstanding Business Achievement Awards​

• Nominations are open until 12:00noon on Friday, January 10th, 2020.
• Nominator is to complete the form below. This form will be electronically submitted to the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce office upon completion.
• After the nomination deadline, nominees will be contacted first via email and/or phone call to confirm that they will allow their name or business to stand for nomination.
• All nomination packages are electronic.  Nominees will receive an email containing a link to an online nomination package outlining the information required to meet the award criteria.
• Businesses can be nominated in more than one category, however nominees will be required to confirm a maximum of two categories in which they will let their nomination stand. Businesses nominated may only be awarded to a maximum of two awards in a single year.
• Award recipients will be announced and presented with their awards at the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Business Achievement Awards Gala on Saturday, February 29th, 2020.

 

Eligibility & Requirements

• Self-nominations will be accepted and are encouraged.
• Nominees must be Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce members in-good-standing.
• Nominees can be nominated in more than one category, however nominees will be required to confirm a maximum of two categories in which they will let their nomination stand.
• Nominees must have been in business for a minimum of three years (with the exception of the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Customer First Award - Individual and Rising Star New Business Award).
• Nominations should include an example of how the nominee or business has been successful in meeting the award criteria as outlined in the award description
• Past recipients cannot be nominated in the award category for which they have previously won within the last three years, but are eligible for nomination in other award categories.

 

2019 Outstanding Business Achievement Award Categories 

 

Business of the Year Awards

These awards are based on a holistic picture of business.  Businesses to be considered have distinguished themselves by fostering growth, innovation, marketing strategy, and consumer excellence in their sectors.

There are three award categories: 1 to 9 employees, 10 to 25 employees, 26+ employees

Community Investment Awards

These awards highlight outstanding community service and investment.  The recipient puts the community first, by contributing to the well-being of the community as a whole, through initiatives such as sourcing products and / or services locally, retailing / utilizing local products, employment growth, and supporting the community from a charitable aspect.

There are three award categories: 1 to 9 employees, 10 to 25 employees, 26+ employees

Community Non Profit Business of the Year Award

The Community Non Profit Business of the Year Award recognizes and rewards excellence and innovation among Non-Profit organizations resulting in significant social impact within Sault Ste. Marie and the Algoma district.  These achievements can be met through the application of creative and practical approaches to benefit the community in general with an emphasis on underserved populations.  Qualifying businesses are non-profit or registered charitable organizations that have two primary goals: to achieve social and/or cultural and economic outcomes, as well as to generate sufficient cash flow to continue to support their causes.

Indigenous Business of the Year Award

The Indigenous Business of the Year Award This is presented to a business which is operating or being managed with a business with a minimum of 51% ownership.  Businesses to be considered have distinguished themselves by fostering growth, innovation, marketing strategy, and consumer excellence, while showing leadership and dedication to the preservation of culture, values and identity.

Indigenous Professional of the Year Award

The Indigenous Professional of the Year Award is presented to a person who has made an impact in the Indigenous, Metis and Sault Ste. Marie communities and in so doing so, serves as an inspiration to us all. 

Downtown Business of the Year Award

In support of the City of Sault Ste. Marie Downtown Strategy, as well as the strategic plan of the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Business of the Year Award recognizes a business that is invested in the downtown business community and contributes to Downtown Sault Ste. Marie. This award honors their commitment to running a business in the heart of our city and their role in creating a vibrant Downtown.

Beyond Sault Ste. Marie Awards

These awards recognize businesses in any industry for excellence in the development of export markets for their products or services, through implementing a new export strategy, within the last three years, that has positively affected its bottom line. 

The Beyond Sault Ste. Marie Awards consider businesses that have succeeded in expanding outside of SSM as well as exporting goods and services.

There are two award categories: 1 to 49 employees, 50+ employees

Innovation Award

The Innovation Award recognizes a business that has successfully incorporated a new idea, device or method and / or has utilized the application of better solutions to meet new requirements, internal needs, or market needs.

Leader in Accessibility Award

The Leader in Accessibility Award recognizes an organization that shows leadership in integrating and providing accessible and barrier-free working conditions for employees and accessibility in customer service. This business or organization values the contributions of persons with disabilities, promotes the development of an inclusive workplace culture and is compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.  In order to qualify for this award, organizations, who are required to file an accessibility compliance report, must provide verification upon submission of their nomination package.

Diversity Award

The Diversity 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.

Safe Work, Sound Business Award

The Safe Work, Sound Business Award recognizes a business that uses a safe work management system, participates in workplace and / or community injury prevention programs and has outstanding injury-free frequency and injury severity performance.

Employer of the Year Award

The Employer of the Year Award recognizes an employer who has created cultures and communities, through every aspect of their business.  To be fair to businesses in Sault Ste. Marie of all sizes, this award does not incorporate tangible aspects of employment, such as salary, benefits, pension, etc. 

Rising Star New Business Award

The Rising Star New Business Award recognizes a business that has been in operation for no less than 1 year and no more than 3 years, that has demonstrated strong potential via growth, innovation, and leadership.  Additionally, the business has demonstrated a culture of risk-taking and trailblazing and has positioned itself to achieve similar successes in the future through new or innovative product or service, quality of merchandise/ customer service, job creation, growth potential, and market served.

Customer First Award - Business, Non-Profit or Agency

The Customer First Award (Business, Non-Profit or Agency) showcases a business or non-profit that places the customer experience at the heart of their business strategy and builds a sustainable culture of customer service within their organization.

Customer First Award – Individual

The Customer First Award (Individual) recognizes an individual who continuously raises customer service to new standards of excellence and is a role model for others in customer service.

Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award

The Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award recognizes the outstanding achievement of young entrepreneur(s) between 18 and 39 years of age. The award is given to an individual responsible for the success and growth of a Sault Ste. Marie-based company.  This person(s) exemplifies the qualities of effective leadership, innovatively applies know-how, has excellent potential for growth, appreciates the importance in social, cultural, and environmental awareness and has demonstrated commitment to the wider community.

Business partners who are equally responsible for entrepreneurial achievement may be named as co-nominees, and will be a shared recipient of the award.

Paul Dalseg Award

The Paul Dalseg Award recognizes a business person in Sault Ste. Marie who has demonstrated exemplary interest in the community, and in so doing, has made an outstanding and unique achievement or contribution to the community.  It is intended to recognize the leadership and community-mindedness of business person.

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 award's name-sake, the recipient of this award has set a high standard for exemplary entrepreneurial and community minded achievement.