The winners of the 2014 Sundre small business awards were expected to be announced yesterday evening, during the 3rd annual small business dinner event.
Eighteen awards were to be presented for six different categories, including a gold award and then a silver and bronze for the runners-up.
The top three nominees for the Small Business of the Year award up to 10 employees are Joko Convenience Store, Cowboy Trail Liquor Store and Little Country Cappuccino.
Nominees for the Medium Business of the Year award from 11 to 20 employees are Anderson Tire, ATB Financial and Westview Insurance Services.
Nominees for the Large Business of the Year award for more than 21 employees are Country Road RV, Sundre IGA and ACL Manufacturing.
The top three nominees for Employee of the Year award are Bonnie Nylund, Amelia Rock and Hasdrubal Norella.
Nominees for the Outstanding Corporate Citizen of the Year award – new this year – are Chris Aldrich, Chris Newton and Marty Mennear.
Farm Family of the Year award nominees are Trevor Macklin, Duane Grace and the Jacksons.
The Town of Sundre, Sundre & District Chamber of Commerce and ATB Financial entered a three-way partnership in 2012 to host the small business dinner event.
Monica St. Dennis, member at large for the chamber, as well as branch manager for ATB Financial, said it is important to recognize small businesses for their successes.
“I really think it's very important that as a business community we stop and take a minute to celebrate successes,” said St. Dennis.
“Especially living rurally, a lot of days it may not seem that as a business you get very far ahead, or that things are maybe going the way that you'd like them to.”
Residents were asked to fill out a survey in September to vote for individuals or businesses that they think should receive each award. There were close to 70 entries this year, which is more than the number of entries submitted in previous years.
There were also 18 awards handed out last year for six different categories.
The Business of the Year for up to 10 employees gold award went to Little Country Cappuccino, silver went to Outwest Truck & Car Wash and bronze went to Hairway to Heaven.
The Business of the Year for 11 to 20 employees gold award went to ATB Financial, silver went to Integra Tire and bronze went to Swamp Donkeys Pub.
The Business of the Year for more then 21 employees gold award went to Sundre Sobeys, silver went to Duayne Saunders Sand & Gravel and bronze went to Sundre Forest Products.
The Employee of the Year gold award went to Amanda Carrier, silver went to Colleen Mueller and bronze went to Denica Crosbie.
The Community Spirit gold award went to Sundre Sobeys, silver went to Greenwood Neighbourhood Place and bronze went to Duayne Saunders Sand & Gravel.
The Farm Family of the Year gold award went to the Bowhay family, silver went to the Bysterveld family and bronze went to the Overguard family.
