The Battlefords Chamber of Commerce has announced it is now accepting nominations for the 2023 Business Excellence Awards (BBEX) competition. (file photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

2023 competition

Nominations open for Battlefords Chamber of Commerce BBEX Awards

May 1, 2023 | 5:00 PM

The Battlefords Business Excellence (BBEX) Awards committee and the Battlefords and District Chamber of Commerce are announcing the nomination period for the 29th annual BBEX Awards is now open.

“The Battlefords Business Excellence Awards are meant to shine a light on the vision, the generosity, the knowledge and the excellence that businesses show in this community,” the chamber’s chief operating officer Linda Machniak said.

She added, particularly coming out of the pandemic, and all the issues that have happened since then, such as supply challenges, and workforce shortages, businesses have had a lot on their plate.

“I think it’s important for us to acknowledge the successes that the business community has, and certainly we’re looking forward to doing that,” Machniak said. “We’re hoping everyone will put a nomination in, and we can encourage those businesses to be recognized for their excellence.”

People can submit candidates for the following award categories:

DEMOLITION ORDER

Decision looming on fate of crumbling downtown building in North Battleford

59m ago

LOCAL TALENT

'There's a higher meaning': Immigrant nurse and lifeguard aims to give back to the Battlefords

3h ago

Showers expected to continue

'Unsettled' weather continues across province as showers stick around

3h ago

The New Business Venture Award, Community Contribution Award, Heather Guthrie Customer Service Star Award (for a business owner or entrepreneur), Agriculture and Agri-Business Award, Young Entrepreneur Award, Micro Business Award, Member’s Choice Award, and the Impact Award.

The Business of the Year award recipient will be selected from the finalists in all of the open categories, and announced at the gala celebration.

The public has four weeks to put in their nominations or suggestions for a business or a person for one of the award categories.

“Once we get those nominations, we’ll send the complete package out to the businesses or the representatives, and give them an additional month to complete the package and have it back to us for judging,” Machniak said.

The deadline for public nomination submissions is midnight, May 25. Businesses and nominees will then have until midnight, June 22 to submit their completed nomination kits.

The committee has not discussed whether there will be a Business Hall of Fame Award for 2023 yet.

Machniak noted this year the Heather Guthrie Customer Service Star Award will be open to a business owner or entrepreneur. Last year, an employee was nominated instead.

The BBEX Awards ceremony will be held Nov. 8 at the Dekker Centre in North Battleford.

People can submit their nominations at: battlefordschamber.com

“I would encourage people if they do that, to give us as much information as they can,” Machniak said. “I know it says you can fit up to 1,000 words, which is a lot. But I’d rather that than just one sentence. I hope they give us a bit of an explanation or a story about why they think that person should qualify, in the category they’d like to nominate them for.”

–

Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow