The finalists for the 2019 Annual Business Excellence Awards have been announced.
There are nine categories including Young Professional of the Year, Small Company of the Year and New Business of the Year.
There are also two community award winners — The Alan Quesnel Family Foundation has been named the Believe Windsor-Essex Award Recipient and Sherrilynn Colley-Vegh is the ATHENA award winner.
Colley-Vegh says she was honoured and humbled to received the news.
"I know a lot of the winners, they're my friends and my mentors so very big shoes, but I'm just thrilled to win this award," she says.
There's also some friendly competition in Kingsville. Troy Loop of Jack's Group and Jennifer Flynn of The Grove Hotel & Brew House, across the street from each, are both finalists for the Tourism & Hospitality Award.
"We're both as we are because of each other to some degree I think," says Loop. Flynn adds "we've known each other for a long time so this is kind of a funny connection so we're just running with it and Kingsville, we're very proud of what we've accomplished in the town and we're happy with everything."
The winners will be announced at the 29th annual event on April 24th at Caesars Windsor in the Augustus Ballroom.
Finalists for Entrepreneur of the Year
Radu Bogdanel, president of Fulger Transport Inc.,
Katelynn Garvin, owner of the Schoolhouse Early Learning Centre
Peter Valente, president of the Valente Development CorporationFinalists for Large Company of the Year
Contract Glaziers Corporation
Reliance Home Comfort
Vista PrintFinalists for Mid-size Company of the Year
Deerbrook Realty
Fahrhall Home Comfort Specialists
Monarch BasicsFinalists for New Business of the Year
RFG Plumbing
The Hungry Pooch
Xperience Home Health CareFinalists for the Pillars of Our Community Award
In Honour of the Ones We Love
John McGivney Children’s Centre
Multicultural Council of Windsor and Essex CountyFinalists for Professional of the Year
Allison Hawkins, owner of Hawkins and Company Accounting Professional Corporation
Dr. Kelly Upcott, naturopathic doctor at Lifetime Wellness Centre/Origins Naturopathic Retreat
Leigh Vachon, executive director of Victoria Manor Supportive HousingFinalists for Small Company of the Year
Head of the Class
Macro Foods
Windsor Circus SchoolFinalists for Tourism and Hospitality Award
Jack’s Group
Grove Hotel & Brew House
Urban Surf CompanyFinalists for Young Professional of the Year
Dr. Maxwell Abraham, orthodontist and owner of Abraham Orthodontics
Celso Oliveira, manager at the Business Development Bank of Canada
Matthew Thibert, pharmacist and owner at Shoppers Drug Mart.