TOFINO – The Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce’s inaugural Business Excellence Awards were unveiled at our Annual General Meeting held at Marina West Resort on March 30th.
The board of directors of the TLBCC wanted a way to recognize the outstanding businesses, organizations and individuals in the community of Tofino. With that in mind, the board settled on six award categories: Small Business Award, for business with 10 or fewer employees; the Large Business Award, for businesses with 11 or more employees; the New Business Award, for businesses that have operated for three years or less; the Customer Service Excellence Award; the Business Leader Award; and the Non-profit Award.
It gives me great pleasure to recognize the following recipients:
- Small Business Award: Ocean Outfitters
- Large Business Award: Crystal Cove Beach Resort
- New Business Award: Epic Pharmacy
- Business Leader Award: Mike Jacobsen, Shelter Restaurant
- Non-profit Award: Tofino General Hospital Foundation
- Customer Service Excellence Award: Tofino Brew Co.
Many thanks to all who submitted nominations for many other worthy businesses and organizations. Our thanks also go out to our judging panel, Tofino Mayor Josie Osborne, Clayoquot Biosphere Trust executive director Rebecca Hurwitz, and Tourism Tofino general manager Kirsten Soder (Customer Service Excellence Award).
The Chamber could not have presented these awards without our sponsors, including Jamie’s Whaling Station, Jamie’s Rainforest Inn, Eagle Aerie Gallery, Rhino Coffee House, Pacific Sands Beach Resort, Ocean Village Beach Resort, Tourism Tofino, Crystal Cove Beach Resort and Middle Beach Lodge. Petrichor Hair Workshop donated free haircuts to all the award recipients as well.
At this year’s AGM the Chamber said goodbye to three board members, two of whom have been with the board for many years. Jay Bowers of Pacific Surf School and Rhonda Graham of Studio One Tofino have both devoted countless volunteer hours to the Chamber, and we thank them for their service on behalf of our members.
Thanks as well to Long Beach Lodge Resort and the Wickaninnish Inn for providing gifts. Thanks to Bryan O’Malley of Tofino Brewing Co. for donating your time to the Chamber this year. We welcome Dena Bruno from Ocean Village Beach Resort, Cam Young from the brand new Sea Monster Noodle Bar and Jen Thorpe from Caravan Beach Shop as new board members for 2016-17.
Andrew Hoffman and Darien Mulion from Mascon provided members with an update at the AGM on the new fibre optic cable build. We appreciate all those members who attended to support the Chamber. We look forward to serving your businesses in 2016.
It’s been an exciting month at the Chamber and we look forward to a busy 2016 season, which seems to be starting already with the Pacific Rim Whale Festival and Easter weekend.
– Jen Dart is Executive Director of the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce. She can be reached at 250.725.3153, or by visiting www.tofinochamber.org.
