2020 Chamber Awards

Thank-you for celebrating with us!

The 2020 Chamber Awards is a wrap! Thank-you to everyone who attended and celebrated the achievements of our local business community.

I'm still standing.

This year, the Chamber Awards celebrate the strength and resiliency of small businesses in the wake of a pandemic.

Congratulations to our 2020 Finalists!

COVID Business Resiliency Award

Business Leader Award

Sponsored by Coastal Community Credit Union

Mackenzie Gartside (Mackenzie Gartside & Associates)
Steve Stewart (Edible Island Whole Foods Market)
Leanne Zdebiak-Eni (Inner Pursuit Fitness)

Lifetime Achievement Award

Business of the Year Award

Customer Service Award

Family First Award

Heritage Recognition Award

Innovative Business Award

Land of Plenty Award

Sponsored by Locals Restaurant with Holland & Company

Wayward Distillery
Kehler Vegetable Company
Tree Island Yogurt

New Business of the Year Award

Not-For-Profit Award

Sponsored by Comox Valley Community Foundation

Lush Valley Food Action Society
Cumberland Community Forest Society
Habitat for Humanity Vancouver Island North

Small Business of the Year Award

Sustainability Award

Young Entrepreneur Award

#YOUROCK Youth Award

Chamber Awards: Celebrating excellence since 1974

Starting in 1974, the Chamber Awards has recognized the accomplishments of businesses, organizations, and individuals who have contributed greatly to make the Comox Valley an amazing community. Award categories have been added and retired, expanded and revisited, but the Chamber Awards have always been about excellence and service.
The Chamber has put in place a grassroots nomination process that does not allow for self-nominations. All nominations come from businesses and individuals in the community that feel the nominee needs to be recognized. The Chamber Awards are open to chamber and non-chamber members.
The Chamber Awards are held the 4th Saturday of January each year.

Chamber Awards Nomination Process

NOMINATING AN INDIVIDUAL, ORGANIZATION, OR BUSINESS:

Chamber award nominations open in September and close in November each year.
You are entitled to nominate any member or non-member business, except your own. Self-nominations are not permitted.
Nominations must fit with category criteria. For example: If nominating for the Business of the Year category, the business must be in operation for more than two years and have more than 10 employees. If your nominee does not fit in the category you have chosen but meets another award’s criteria, Chamber staff will contact you.
You do not have to be a Chamber member to nominate a business, person, or organization for an award.

AWARD NOMINEES & FINALISTS:

Businesses do not have to be a Chamber member to be nominated for an award or to become a finalist.
The Chamber may contact nominees for further information.
Award recipients may not be nominated in the same category for three years following their win but can be nominated and awarded in other categories.
The Comox Valley Chamber reserves the right to limit the number of selected nominees in each category.

JUDGING AND NOTIFICATION

After nomination deadline all submissions are forwarded to a judging panel comprised of business leaders from the community. Upon reviewing and researching the nomination submissions the judging panel narrows the nominations to three finalists. A ballot for each category is then received from each panel member. Identity of the award recipients are kept confidential until the night of the awards.
Once finalists are selected notification is sent to all nominees. Finalists are contacted by the film crew or Chamber staff to book their video which is presented the night of the awards.
Members of the judging panel, their employees, or their families may not be nominated.
Sponsors of an award cannot be nominated in their sponsored category.
Award finalists and nominees are contacted in late November/ early December.

Awards Nomination Information