(From Left to Right) Doug Tyce of MNP, and the Enex Energy Corp. team, winners of the Business of the Year Award.
NANAIMO – Enex Energy Corp. of Nanaimo was named Business of the Year before a packed house at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre at the 22nd Annual Vancouver Island MNP Business Excellence Awards January 26.
A total of 124 companies competed for Business of the Year Awards in 17 categories at the event, which celebrated the best of the best in Vancouver Island Business in 2022. A team of independent judges determined the category winners.
Black & White Event Rentals of Parksville was named Small Business of the Year.
“This was the biggest event we’ve ever held, and we are always amazed at the wonderful stories that these businesses have to tell,” says Business Examiner News Group Owner and Publisher John MacDonald, who coordinated the event. “It is a great indicator that business is alive and well on Vancouver Island, and there are so many great success stories. The BE Awards is all about celebrating that.”
This was MNP LLP’s first year as Title Sponsor of the Island-wide event. Gold Sponsors were: Van Isle Windows, Coastal Community Credit Union, Nanaimo Airport, EHN Network and the Harris Auto Group. WildPlay Element Parks was the Networking Reception Sponsor.
Category Sponsors were: Island Integrated Counselling, Kelland Properties Inc., The Communication Connection, Canadian Western Bank, Futurpreneur, Mid Island Co-op, Seaflora Skincare, William Wright Commercial Real Estate Services, Hemlock, Avalon Mechanical and the San Group.
Enex Energy Corp. (EEC) is comprised of 4 wholly owned subsidiaries: Enex Fuels Ltd., Enex Aviation, Fuelex Energy Ltd., and Peace Country Petroleum Sales Ltd. Enex Energy is the largest Esso Fuel and Mobil Lubricants distributor in Western Canada. Todd Nicklin received the award along with Enex team members.
They serve some of Canada’s largest companies, such as CN Rail, CP Rail, Air Canada, West Jet, Petronas and others.
EEC made several recent acquisitions, including a Mobil lubricants distribution footprint in the Lower Mainland, and Esso fuel distribution footprints in Edmonton and Grande Prairie.
After these acquisitions, Enex Energy operates from 25 locations, including 4 secondary fuel terminals, 11 warehouses and 12 cardlocks, and employs approximately 150 people and operates over 75 power units.
Black and White Event Rentals owner Dave Willie received the Small Business of the Year award for the provider of rental services in the event market. For over 30 years special events from weddings to concerts, they specialize in providing tent structures from 10 x 10 to 50 x 120 and everything that goes in it including staging, dance floors, harvest tables, heating, lighting and a variety of chairs to match the occasion. Industry, hospitality and health facilities have also relied on them to fulfill both short and long term answers over the last few years to special needs in difficult situations or locations.
Other category winners were:
Automotive: P&R Truck Centre of Sidney and Nanaimo.
Construction & Development: Downs Construction Ltd. of Victoria
Entrepreneur: Stonehouse Teas of Campbell River.
Financial Business of the Year: Integral Wealth Securities Limited of Nanaimo.
Food & Beverage Production: Naas Foods of Tofino.
Green & Sustainability: Oak Bay Marine Group of Victoria.
Health Care: Tactical Medical Service of Nanaimo.
Hospitality & Tourism: CHIMS Guest House of Port Alberni.
Hotels, Motels & Inns: Wickaninnish Inn of Tofino.
Industrial Manufacturer: KJ Controls of Nanaimo.
Manufactured Wood Products: Aux Box of Parksville.
Professional Services: Proline Management of Victoria, Nanaimo and Courtenay.
Retail: Cowichan Milk Company of Duncan.
Technology: Llamazoo Interactive of Victoria.
Trades: Pro Pacific DKI of Parksville, Nanaimo, Duncan and Victoria.
