The Chamber of Commerce’s Business Excellence Awards took over The Regent last Thursday evening. At the historic center of Picton Main, and the County’s business community, it was the perfect place to assemble some 20 nominees competing in seven award categories.

While entries were down — just 20 this year compared to 43 last year — spirits were high. 

There were nine nominees for the Business of the Year award alone, including heavyweights like OneLook Productions, also hard at work on site recording the event, Edward Jones, Lighthouse Tutoring, and Meadows Baby and Kids.

Tim Jones, CEO of PEC Community Partners, and President Assaf Weisz accepted the honour on behalf of their hardworking team. 

“We had no idea, in a way, when we started just how this project would evolve and flow,” said Mr. Jones. “The support and partnership — we have over 200 community partners — we are really only at the start of a crazy awesome adventure.”

Mr. Weisz commended the entire team at the Base. “This is the hardest working team I’ve ever been part of — the evenings, the weekends — but in addition, all the corners of the County have come together to contribute to this project.

“We are betting very big on the County, on its continued prosperity and its future, and we know the community is doing so as well.”

The competition also included The Royal Hotel, which won in the Employer Excellence category.

General Manager Sol Korngold accepted on behalf of the Sorbara Group and his team, noting, “this is indeed an honour amidst such company.” Nominees included Edward Jones and County Stage.

“2024 was The Royal Hotel’s third year of operations. I remember we hosted the 2020 Chamber Awards in the lobby of the Royal Hotel — virtually.” The Chamber Awards were launched just four years ago. This was the second year they were held in person. 

Mr. Korngold noted The Royal’s successes in 2024 included a coveted Michelin Key — The Royal was only hotel in Ontario outside Toronto to win the distinction. The key puts the hotel — and the County — on an international map of top-tier destinations.

From the beginning, the mantra has been all along, 
we are doing this not just for people from afar, but for all of us. 

—Sol Korngold, 
The Royal Hotel,
Employer Excellence Award

The categories and nominees spanned every aspect of life in the County – the arts, finance, health and childcare, retail, and, of course, hospitality. 

The HUB Child and Family Centre won the Community Impact Award, another busy category with The Wellington Times, MLP Residence, and I-Float in The County in the running in a field of six.

Other major wins were Willful for Entrepreneurial Spirit, and Hitchon’s Hearing for Distinctive Excellence in Business. Hitchon’s has been in business in the County since 1951.

Willful’s Kevin Oulds spoke on behalf of the company he started with partner Erin Bury. He stressed the sheer difficulty of the entrepreneurial life, noting, as did many others over the course of the evening, that the wins come only after years of effort.

In business 8 years, Willful is a digital platform that offers clients the opportunity to easily and inexpensively create a will. It now employs 20 people across Canada.The Wellington-based startup suggests a model for remote work in the County.

Comedy Country won for Cultural Enrichment and Contribution to the Arts. Executive Director Paul Snepsts noted, “this is a really wonderful acknowledgement of ten years of work.” He and partner Julianne Snepsts came to the County in 2012 — and brought their comedic forces with them. The pair founded the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival in 2005.

“Over ten years, thousands have participated in creating live comedy in a place that really has no business hosting a live comedy scene,” he joked, thanking all those who had come to Comedy Country or taken its “boot camp” workshops.

“Sponsorship of the arts and cultural businesses really yields a fantastic return on investment,” he noted. “Please, all of you, remember that when I call you this spring.”

Award applications were adjudicated by an independent panel chaired by Peter Drummond. It operated independently of the Chamber, with judges drawn from near and far.

Luminaries who made remarks or presented awards included Master of Ceremonies Duarte Da Silva, who doubles as Chamber CEO; Bay of Quinte MP Ryan Williams appeared on the big screen; Mark Kirkpatrick, President of Loyalist College; Mark Musca, President of Albert College, Sandi Ramsay, of the Centre for Workforce Development; Brad Roach of Community Futures; and Mayor Steve Ferguson.

“The business community here is the best of what the County has to offer,” said the Mayor, who commended Mr. Da Silva for his contributions to the County’s five-year Economic Development plan.

“But as my favourite philosopher, Mike Tyson, always said, everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.

“We all feel sucker-punched right now by that other guy, Mike Tyson’s friend, Donald Trump. The tariffs and other threats from south of the border, never mind two elections, create uncertainty, and economies do not like uncertainty.

“The County can plan,” he noted — “but those plans must and will be flexible and responsive.

“Council will be discussing a Shop Local campaign this week — another area where collaboration with the Chamber and efforts like it’s Made in the County label, will be essential for coordinating a successful, County-wide, and country-wide, effort.”