A who’s who of business owners was on the menu for the fourth annual Salt Spring Island Chamber of Commerce’s business awards gala at the Harbour House Hotel on Thursday.

The Salt Spring Coffee Company and owner Mickey McLeod took centre stage for the evening, winning the event’s Green Business of the Year and Business of the Year awards.

McLeod said he appreciates the honour and support from the community given his company’s as-of-yet unsuccessful expansion plans.

“I want you all to know that Salt Spring Coffee isn’t going anywhere,” McLeod told a crowd of nearly 100 participants during his acceptance speech.

Salt Spring Coffee beat out fellow nominees Auntie Pesto’s Cafe, Salt Spring Air, Salt Spring Island Cheese Company, Salt Spring Inn, Slegg Lumber, Thrifty Foods and TJ Beans to earn the event’s grand honour.

Unusual Jewelry’s Alvaro Sanchez, winner of the Market Vendor of the Year award, used his acceptance speech to urge the chamber to provide more support for the island’s Saturday market and to work with the artistic community to nurture Salt Spring’s reputation as a great place to visit.

Salt Spring Air took home the Business Ambassador of the Year award, Gecko Green Living earned the New Business of the Year award, Joe Toutant Construction won the Business or Construction Trades of the Year award, the Foxglove Farm Retreat won the Agricultural/Farm Business of the Year. Richard Murakami was named Citizen of the Year.

Salt Spring Island Metal Recycling was named the island’s Small Business of the Year.

“This is amazing,” said owner John Quesnel. “I wasn’t expecting anything like this.”

Winners were chosen from a total of 42 nominees.

Prior to the evening’s award ceremony, Philip Reece, Clare Cullen, Paul Large, Andrew Haigh and Mike Boizard were named to the chamber’s board of directors. They join chamber president Mafalda Hoogerdyk, David Griffiths, Mike Stefancsik and Tim O’Connor.

Chamber vice-president John Cade stepped down after 15 years of service, as did fellow director and vice-president of green business Margery Moore.