The Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce and The City of Oshawa Business & Economic Development Services are delighted to announce the celebratory conclusion of the Chamber’s 28th Annual Business Excellence Awards, which recently took place at Oshawa’s Tosca Banquet Hall. The event celebrated the remarkable achievements of businesses and individuals who significantly contributed to the Oshawa community.
“We’re thrilled to celebrate the accomplishments of our local business leaders,” said Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter. “We would like to extend our sincere congratulations to all of our 2023 nominees and recognize the incredible impact they’ve had on the great City of Oshawa”.
“I sincerely appreciate and proudly regard each and every single small business operator as a true example of what family sacrifice, personal work ethic, and resilient perseverance resembles. It was an inspiring evening to see the great commitment of hardworking industry leaders recognized for innovation, philanthropic impact and business excellence,” said Councillor Tito-Dante Marimpietri, Chair of the Economic and Development Services Committee. “The many lasting and valuable contributions made by local businesses within our community further define the City of Oshawa as a dynamic metropolitan community with great depth and vast investment opportunities to succeed in any sector.”
To ensure neutrality in the entry adjudication process, 2023 marks the first year that the Oshawa Chamber leveraged new technology to outsource awards voting to other chambers of commerce from around the province, ensuring that all entrants were judged solely on the merits of their relevance within each category. Nominee entry forms were evaluated by a panel of 16 individuals from the Sarnia Lambton Chamber of Commerce, the Amherstburg Chamber of Commerce, the Peterborough- Kawarthas Board of Trade, and the Upper Ottawa Valley Chamber of Commerce.
This year’s awards, which featured two new categories, showcased excellence in leadership, innovation, and various areas worthy of celebrating the hard work and community-building contributions of the Oshawa-area business community. The winners of the 28th Annual Business Excellence Awards in no particular order are:
Business Person of the Year: Congratulations to Mark Bull of Bull Financial whose innovative leadership, outstanding business success, professionalism, and philanthropic approach have set an exemplary standard for the Oshawa community.
Emerging Business: The award for Emerging Business went to The Ten Spot, a company that, operating for less than five years, has shown notable growth, exceptional customer service, and deep community engagement. In the case of The Ten Spot, all of this has happened despite the extreme constraints of COVID quarantine measures that were in place for most of their earliest months of operation.
Innovation Award: This year’s Innovation Award was bestowed upon Render Developments, in recognition of their remarkable real estate development rendering technology, developed right here in Oshawa.
Excellence in Business 1-30 employees: The winner in this category is New Vision Optical, a family business which has consistently achieved excellence in products/services, market development, and community service as a smaller business.
Excellence in Business 31+ employees: Congratulations to Ontario Motor Sales, who can add this award to an already remarkable year as they celebrate their 100th anniversary. OMS’s incredible accomplishments in growth, products/services, market development, community service, and exceptional staff retention, with some employees serving for as long as 65 years, have set an unparalleled standard for larger businesses.
Excellence in Not-For-Profit: The Excellence in Not-For-Profit Award goes to Community Living Oshawa/Clarington, which has demonstrated exceptional community service through its highly personalized and dedicated care for the community members it serves.
Sustainability Award: The Sustainability Award is presented to Ontario Power Generation, in recognition of their commitment to sustainable practices and promoting a healthy environment through growth in green energy and overall contribution to making Durham Region the energy capital of the world.
Intrapreneur of The Year Award (New for 2023): Congratulations to Henry Remiz of DKI CRCS, the recipient of the Intrapreneur of The Year Award, for his remarkable dedication and significant contributions to innovation, growth, and success within the organization.
Tourism Operator of the Year Award (Also new for 2023): The Tourism Operator of the Year Award is bestowed upon The Oshawa Markets, recognizing their outstanding achievements and excellence in the tourism industry measured, in part, by the amount of visitors attracted to Oshawa from outside of a 40 km radius, as well as by projected economic impact to the broader community.
Peter Bocking, President of the Oshawa Chamber of Commerce, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “The 28th Annual Oshawa Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards celebrate the outstanding businesses and individuals driving Oshawa’s economic growth and success. We are proud to honour these exceptional winners who have made a lasting impact on our community.”
The event brought together Oshawa’s business community, dignitaries, and esteemed guests in a night of celebration and recognition. The Chamber extends its heartfelt congratulations to all the winners and finalists for their outstanding contributions to Oshawa’s prosperity.
“From major tourism operators and emerging businesses to local not-for-profits, the 2023 Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards provides our community with the opportunity to thank so many businesses that are making valuable contributions to society and strengthening our local economy,” said Councillor Bob Chapman, Vice-Chair of the Economic and Development Services Committee. “We were honoured to join the business community for this celebration.”
For more information about the Oshawa Chamber of Commerce, please visit www.OshawaChamber.com. To learn more about the City of Oshawa’s Business and Economic Development Services, please visit www.Oshawa.ca/Business.
