KVCC Awards Gala honours six business owners, volunteers

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Mary-Ellen Saunders and Candice Mac Lean
KV Style

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(L-R) Donnie Gass, manager of Rothesay Sobeys; Leslye McVicar KV Library; Donna Williamson, Merle Norman Cosmetics/Brands Beyond Boutique; Peter Hastings, KV Old Boys; Dave Long, The Window Shop; and Mark Hatfield, Homestar Inc.

Kennebecasis Valley business owners and volunteers who took home awards at a gala last week say they were surprised, humbled and flattered to be chosen as best in their fields.
The awards were handed out at the KVCC Awards Gala, held in conjunction with the 30th anniversary of small business week in Canada at the Riverside Country Club Oct. 21.
The Kennebecasis Valley Chamber of Commerce gala saw 20 local businesses nominated in four categories: community impact, young entrepreneur, emerging business of the year and business of the year/excellence in business.
Two special awards – 25 Years of Community Service for the Kennebecasis Public Library and Business Citizen of the Year for Sobeys manager Donnie Gass – were also handed out.
Donna Williamson said she was in complete disbelief when it was announced that her business Merle Norman Cosmetics/Brands Beyond Boutique had won the biggest honour of the night – Business of the Year/ Excellence in Business Award.
“I was honoured to be nominated,” Williamson said. “I didn’t have a speech prepared. When they announced who the other nominees were I thought they would win. It came as a shock. Someone gave me a nudge and said ‘You have to go up.’”
B/A Realty, BMO Bank of Montreal, Exit Realty, RBC Royal Bank of Canada, Subway and The Grape D’Vine were the other nominees in the category.
Williamson said she opened her business in 2003 as a part-time retirement project and it has grown to the point that she recently moved and expanded the retail business.
“I don’t do the business to be rich and to feel like a success; I do it because I enjoy what I do and I love what I do,” Williamson said.
The Young Entrepreneur Award was given to Mark Hatfield of Homestar Inc., a multi-faceted home renovation, landscaping, and property management company.
Hatfield said he was blown away by the award and was humbled by the honour.
“It’s great to be recognized by my peers for that hard work that has been done,” he said, adding that he started his first business when he was 16.
During his acceptance speech, Hatfield offered advice to any other young people who want to start a company.
“Dream big,” he said. “Work harder than everybody else and you will succeed. Success will come and do not forget to share that with everyone else.”
The Window Shop, a Rothesay home-improvement business, took home the Emerging Business of the Year Award.
“I’m a big believer in teamwork and it’s not me that really won this award; it’s the whole team,” owner Dave Long said. “We try to give top-level service. We try to build on what we have and we don’t take anything for granted. Every day we work just as hard as yesterday.”
The Window Shop placed fourth in last year’s ALLSCO Building Products Ltd.’s list of top-selling Atlantic Canadian companies. This year, the Rothesay store is bouncing between first and second place, Long said.
“Our sales are pretty much up 100 per cent since this time last year,” he said.
The Community Impact Award, the first presentation of the evening, was given to the KV Old Boys, a charity group made up of retired men.
Peter Hastings, president of KV Old Boys, said the group was “delighted and flattered” to win the award.
Hastings said the group organizes fundraisers and donates the money to organizations such as the food bank and Romero House where there is a significant need.
“It (the award) means to us that we are onside with the things the community wants and needs,” Hastings said. “We are fulfilling some of the goals the KV Chamber of Commerce wants to reach by making the community a good place to live and do business, which is similar to our own model of working to make a good community better.”
There were two special awards handed out during the evening to recognize more community members who have made a difference.
The Kennebecasis Public Library was given an award to commemorate its 25 years of community service. Librarian Leslye McVicar said the award was timely as the library gets ready to celebrate its 25th anniversary Nov. 4.
“It was nice to be acknowledged for our role in the community,” she said, adding that the award was positive validation that the library is meeting the needs of the community. “We do our job and we try to serve the various needs of the community - both the business community and recreational needs.”
Donnie Gass, manager of Sobeys in Rothesay, won the other special award of the night for Business Citizen of the Year. He said it gives him great pleasure to help the community and to know that the work he and his staff do is being noticed.
“A store like this takes a lot from the community every week and it’s just a nice feeling to give back,” Gass said. “It is good morale for the staff, it keeps employees engaged and it makes for a nice workplace.”
Gass said by hosting fundraisers and making donations the store has supported, among others, The Joshua Group, Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, food banks, Hospice Saint John, war veterans, sports groups and community members in immediate need.
“I find it very rewarding to work in the community,” Gass said. “It is a fantastic community.”