John Acton, pictured with his daughter Kelsey, accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award that went to him and his wife, Robin, at the Lloydminster Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards at the WLS Convention Centre last Thursday. The couple operates Lower Shannon Farms and champions inclusiveness. Robin is in her second term as president of Inclusion Canada. She is also a Rotarian and a past president of the Chamber. Geoff Lee Meridian Source
Stephen Newman, the founder and co-owner of T Bar 1 Transport with his two sons should have a bought lottery ticket last week.
His company was the luckiest business at this year’s Excellence in Business Awards with the Employer of the Year and Business of the Year honours from the Lloydminster Chamber of Commerce.
“I would say it’s our employees that make us what we are. If you don’t have good employees you don’t go very far. So thank you,” said Newman with his initial Employer of the Year Award in hand at the WLS Convention Centre event last Thursday.
T Bar 1 was also picked from all of the nominated businesses for the top Business of the Year honour, which completely caught Newman off guard.
“I had no idea. It was just a big surprise – never had any idea were in there at all,” said Newman.
“Even coming here tonight, it was a big surprise that somebody had nominated us.”
T Bar 1 provides 24-hour transportation specializing in oversized loads, oilfield transport and commercial trucking services.
“We’re in the oilfield. We have picker trucks and tank movers and stuff like that,” said Newman.
He started the business 20 years ago and reports they are busy lately.
“The last five years have been not so good, but this year we’ve been doing very well,” he said.
Receiving the Downtown Business of the Year Award also came as a shock to Dawn Interiors & Fashions owner, Dawn Hames.
“I am surprised and happy and deeply humbled,” she told the audience.
“I have a small staff, but they are an amazing bunch of people that I am fortunate to work with.”
She also said she has the best customers who supported her through COVID and who are helping to put the downtown back on the map with new events.
“We did a bunch of block parties in the summer and we had live music and vendors,” said Hames.
“Come this year downtown and explore all these beautiful heritage buildings and amazing small entrepreneur businesses that are all jewels.”
Brothers Tyson and Jacob Mohrbutter who are the top executives at L&L Oilfield Construction also didn’t come with an acceptance speech in hand for the Diversity Award.
“I honestly didn’t think we’d be standing up here tonight. I’ve been driving the bus pretty hard—just inclusion in the workplace as a whole,” said Tyson, the company president.
“We are very honoured to accept this award tonight. We’re a pretty new member to the Chamber so thanks for the award.”
Jacob used his turn at the podium to thank Cenovus Energy for encouraging them to move toward diversity in the last few years.
“We’ve made many partnerships with different reserves in the area. It’s been a very mutually beneficial relationship for our business and the community,” he said.
Two other guys who stepped up to the mic without a speech to accept the Integrity Award were managing partners Jean-Marc d’Entremont and Kelly Rogers from Ecoplast Solutions.
“I’m pretty glad to be a part of this community,” said d’Entremont.
“I’ve been here for 10 years and I started Ecoplast about two and a half years ago so be prepared to see a lot more of us. We’re not going anywhere,”
Rogers briefly added, “just being a part of the Lloydminster community has been awesome for me.”
Other category awards were Small Business of the Year – On the Border Bakeshop, Entrepreneur of the Year Award – Upstream Data, Community Spirit Award – Michael (Dubz)Welygan, Customer Service Award – Rice Craving and Non-Profit of the Year – Lloydminster Social Action Coalition Society.
In addition, the Think Lloyd First Ambassador Award went to the Century 21 Drive team (Bardsbridge Marketing and Narra Studios (for their collaborative shop-local videos).
The Lifetime Achievement Award, chosen by Chamber president and emcee, Jody Herbus was presented to Robin and John Acton for their commitment to inclusion in Canada. The Actons operate Lower Shannon Farms.