The Newmarket Chamber of Commerce is recognizing some of the most important businesses and business leaders in the community at its annual Business Excellence Awards this Thursday, Sept. 28.
The awards, hosted at NewRoads Performing Arts Centre, are an opportunity to highlight the amazing things that have happened in the business community, says Chris Emanuel, president and CEO of Newmarket Chamber of Commerce.
“Sometimes it gets really easy for businesses to just focus on what’s ahead but we really need to pause and realize all the amazing things so many businesses are achieving in our community,” he said. “Not just the winners but all the nominees.”
With a community full of impressive businesses and even more impressive community members behind the businesses, Emmanuel said it’s important to give them their bouquets for all the hard work they do to make Newmarket a strong business community.
“It’s so important to recognize leaders in business because they have so many great stories to share and we can all learn so much from each other,” he said. “That’s why we do our best to tell each business’ story at our awards event.”
This year, the chamber will be giving out 10 awards: leadership in diversity, equity, and inclusion; business leader of the year; large business of the year; small business of the year; new business of the year; community recognition; innovative startup of the year award; professional services of the year; not for profit of the year; and impact in marketing and promotion.
The leadership in diversity, equity and inclusion, business leader of the year, and startup of the year were added as new awards last year. And Emanuel has noted that this year the chamber has added diversity and inclusion as a key piece of criteria regardless of category.
Finalists for the awards were announced in June after a panel of judges narrowed each nomination down to four finalists in each category. The judges will then announce the winners on Thursday night.
"The judges have a challenging job in selecting winners… one job I’m glad to not take on,” Emmanuel said when the finalists were announced.
The awards start at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday with a reception and food before the award ceremony gets under way at 7 p.m. Register here.
