Award nominees honoured last night

NOMINEES FOR this year's business excellence awards were honoured at a reception at Northwest Community College last night.

Three finalists in each of the award categories were chosen and the winners will be announced later this month at a banquet hosted by the Terrace and District Chamber of Commerce.

The top three companies in customer service were Cedarland Tire/Kal Tire, Westpoint Rentals, and newly started business Geier Waste Services.

Dynamic Health, RONA, and Ella are vying for the retailer of the year award, while HC Electrical, TCSI Consulting, and Dawne Business Solutions are competing for the home-based business award.

Rookie of the Year nominees are Geier Waste Services, Tiramisu Salon and Spa, and the Happy Tree Company, and company of the year nominees are RONA, Do Your Part Recycling, and Hawkair.

Northwest Sportsman, Northern Escapes Heli Skiing, and the Riverboat Days Committee got the top spots for tourism excellence, and Citywest, Tower Radio, and Easy RV Storage System are the nominees for the technology innovator award.

The newsmaker of the year is between Terrace is Hockeyville, Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline, and the City of Terrace.

The top three choices for the community booster award is Mr. Mikes steakhouse and bar, Hawkair, and the Terrace is Hockeyville Committee, while Cambria Gordon, NSIS, and chartered accountant John Strangway are the top three picks for the family friendly award.

The executive of the year award nominees are Canadian Tire owner Bryan Gascon, airport manager Laurie Brown, and A&W owner Campbell Stewart, while Keenleyside Insurance's Kelly Hull, saz communications' Sandra Stefanik, and Hawkair's Liz Smaha are the top three nominees for employee of the year.

Volunteer of the year nominees are Kevin Kennedy, Chris Hansen, and Debbie Letawski, and Marianne Brorup-Weston, the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art, and Karen Birkedal are the nominees for the contributor to the arts award.

Members will vote for their choices Nov. 9 to Nov. 13, and the winners will be honoured at the gala evening Nov. 21.