2023 Business Person of Year Recipient
Business Person of the Year Award 2023
Robin Young
The BDC Business Person of the Year Award acknowledges a founder, owner, CEO, president or manager who has achieved significant success in their business by showing strong leadership skills and business acumen, contributing to the growth of the business.
This year we are pleased to honour the contributions of small business owner, Robin Young, owner of Jeans Flowers and Gifts.
Robin’s love for flowers began when she was a teen in high school. She would spend weekends, evenings, and summers in her parent's flower shop in Shubenacadie. Taking what she learned from her parents, Robin worked a couple years in Edmonton, gaining even more knowledge in floral arranging and business management.
Upon returning to Nova Scotia in the early ‘80’s, she bought her parents’ flower shop and then a few years later went on to purchase Jean’s Flowers and Gifts; where she has been its sole owner for 37 years.
Robin is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to floral arranging, having taken a floral design course in Holland, passing the exams with distinction, from there went on to teach floral design at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College.
On every occasion, happy or sad, and all the important milestones in between, Robin and her staff have delivered beautiful flower arrangements for generations and every branch of her customers’ family. Robin’s commitment to her community often goes undetected, helping when and where she can without hesitation. Her passion for flowers has blossomed into a well-known, and trusted family-oriented business.
Truro & Colchester Chamber of Commerce is pleased to recognize Robin Young with the BDC Business Person of the Year Award.
12 Days of Local Boxes are back!
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A gift box filled with 16+ local products perfect for the holiday season. Perfect as a present for a loved one, for yourself, or as a corporate gift!
2022 Small Business Award Recipients
Chamber to honour outstanding businesses with Small Business Awards
2022 Small Business Start-Up Legacy Award
The Truro & Colchester Chamber of Commerce is pleased to issue a call for submissions for its 5th annual Rising Star Start-Up Award Investing in Entrepreneurs provided in partnership with several of its members to offer support to a budding entrepreneur.
This award will be presented in October during the Chamber's Small Business Week Awards Luncheon, sponsored by MNP LLP on Oct. 21 to assist the recipient in taking their venture to the next level.
Its purpose is to identify a viable start-up - a business that is just beginning to develop, located within Truro and Colchester region - and provide it with a one-time $2,500 cash prize as well as in-kind supports, products and services, from partnering member businesses.
Criteria
- You must live within Truro or Colchester Region
- The business must operate within Truro & Colchester Region
- Open to an individual or partners with a business idea that needs capital and professional support.
- All entrepreneurs must have ideas or business models in the start-up phase and have earned less than $5,000
- Your business idea should stand apart from current business offerings, giving you a unique edge on the competition.
- Demonstrate the grant money and support services will have a meaningful impact on business growth and job creation in the local area
Submissions will be received by the Chamber until Sept. 26, 2022. Awards will be presented at the 2022 Truro & Colchester Chamber of Commerce Small Business Awards luncheon at noon on Oct. 21. Chamber at 902-895-6328 or email [email protected]
Selection Process:
The Truro & Colchester Chamber of Commerce will appoint an internal preliminary adjudication committee to review submissions consisting of Chamber Board of Directors and members, which determines the eligibility of each nominee. Submissions will be treated with the strictest of confidence. Shortlisted nominees will be invited to present to a judging panel consisting of Chamber members and/or representatives from sponsoring partners.
Applicants/nominees understand and agree that merely by applying for these Awards does not entitle the applicant/nominee to any other form of consideration.
Decision of the Chamber-appointed judging panel on all matters is final and binding on all applicants/nominees and no correspondence will be entertained on the same.
The Chamber reserves the right to withdraw or amend the terms of the Awards at any time, and does not take the responsibility for any loss or damage that any person / organization / Applicant / Nominee may suffer as a result of the Awards being withdrawn or its terms amended.
Small Business Week Award Nominations Now Open!
Small Business Week Awards – Oct. 21, 12 p.m., Inn on Prince
*All Nominees will be contacted to fill out a questionnaire from the Truro and Colchester Chamber of Commerce that will be used by the panel of judges to determine the award recipient. All responses will be kept strictly confidential.
2022 Small Business Award nominations are currently being accepted in the following categories:
Note: Qualifying businesses must employ less than 100 people.
New Small Business of the Year, sponsored by Community Credit Union
Criteria: The New Small Business of the Year award recognizes a Truro or Colchester County business person whose dream of opening their own business has earned them the title of “Start-Up Entrepreneur” over the past year. Their business must have shown innovation, and they must offer a unique product or service to Truro and Colchester County.
Small Business Achievement, sponsored by Grant Thornton
Criteria: The Small Business Achievement Award recognizes a local entrepreneur who has been in business for more than 10 years and demonstrates new product or service achievements, business growth and a commitment to their community.
Export Achievement, sponsored by Nova Scotia Business Inc.
Criteria: The Exporter of the Year award will recognize a Truro or Colchester County business that has demonstrated excellence in exporting outside Nova Scotia. The business must have achieved noticeable growth as a result of entering the global marketplace and has made a significant contribution to the growth of the local economy.
Small Business Innovation, sponsored by RBC
Criteria: The Small Business Innovation Award will recognize a Truro or Colchester County entrepreneur who has been in business for more than five years, continually modifying to demonstrate innovative leadership through technology, development of new or value-added products and services and improved productivity. Those nominated for this innovation award portray community spirit and generosity towards clients past, present and future by consistently supporting community causes and grow employment in the local area.
Excellence in Community Development award sponsored by the Town of Truro.
Criteria: The Excellence in Community Development award will recognize a business or social enterprise that has made significant and notable contributions to its community (cultural, social, environmental and/or economic) and that serves as a catalyst for positive action, exhibiting the highest standards of leadership.
Agriculture/ Agri Small Business Award, sponsored by MNP LLP
Criteria: Recognizes an individual, group or organization or business where the principles of running a successful agricultural or related operation are applied and result in a thriving and environmentally friendly endeavor. The enterprise must derive more than 50 percent of its annual revenue from agricultural-related activities.
Small Business Growth Award, sponsored by BDC
Recognizes a business that has been in operation for more than two years, demonstrating growth in a measurable way such as expansion, increased customers, new employees, and new products.
Workplace Excellence Award - Payworks
This award recognizes a small business employee that goes above and beyond in their job duties. The employee delivers excellent customer service, engages in professional development and places a high level of importance on corporate culture, teamwork and ensuring a happy and healthy work environment.
Small Business of the Year Award – CBDC NoBL
Honors an outstanding business with 1 – 20 full-time employees that demonstrates commitment to performance excellence in their business or industry and embodies the spirit of the business community. Must be an independently-owned business for at least 3 years. Recognizes outstanding achievement in some or all of the following: Research & Development, Company Growth, Customer Service, Products & Services, Market Development, Sales & Marketing, and Community Service. The nominee must be a registered business operating in Colchester County.
Newcomer Business Award – Sponsored by TCPEP
This award recognizes the contribution to the local economy by a business that has opened in Truro or Colchester County by an individual who has moved to the community in recent years and is not an original resident of this region.
Tourism business of the year – Municipality of the County of Colchester
This award recognizes an individual, group, organization or business operating in Central Nova Scotia where the principles of running successful tourism or related operation are applied and result in a thriving attractive business for visitors. The enterprise must derive more than 50 percent of its annual revenue from tourism-related activities.
Small Business Environmental Stewardship Award - Sponsored by the Town of Stewiacke
This award recognizes a business that keeps environmental stewardship at the forefront of its operations. They keep resources in use for as long as possible, extract the maximum value from them, and then recover and regenerate products and materials at the end of each service life. Their focus on environmental stewardship may reduce waste, drive greater resource productivity, address emerging resource security/scarcity issues in the future, while implementing a plan to extract the maximum value and use from raw materials, products and waste, fostering energy savings and reducing Green House Gas emissions.
Nomination forms are also available from the chamber office at 105B Walker Street, Truro and online at www.trurocolchesterchamber.com
Nominations will be accepted until Sept. 26, 2022
When will the awards be presented?
The award luncheon will be held at the Inn on Prince on Friday, Oct. 21, 2022 beginning at noon.
Butterfly Sculpture - Request for Proposal
The Truro & Colchester Chamber of Commerce, along with our partners, is creating a series of interactive, human-scale butterfly wing sculptures to be placed in key main street neighbourhoods throughout Colchester County. These art installations will beautify our downtown and main street neighbourhoods and provide aesthetic, artistic and interactive benefits which will enhance the pedestrian experience for visitors, businesses and the community.
5 x Butterfly Wing Sculptures with moveable display bases, made to human scale that can be decorated by local artisans and can withstand the elements.
For more information, click here to download the Request for Proposal.
Shop Local Boxes - Summer boxes available now!
News Release - Temporary Physician Housing Pilot Project Announced
May 9, 2022
News release
TRURO – Two business-led organizations have launched a pilot project that will provide temporary
accommodations to support physician recruitment in the county.
The Truro and Colchester Chamber of Commerce and the Truro Colchester Partnership for Economic
Prosperity have partnered to lease a fully furnished, two-bedroom apartment located close to the
Colchester East Hants Health Authority.
“This as a fantastic opportunity for two major business groups in Colchester County to come together and
partner with this project,” said Chamber President, Matthew Mossman. “To be able to create this
opportunity to help bring in physicians to our area by offering temporary housing is so beneficial to
recruitment efforts.”
The partnering organizations are members of a Community Physician Recruitment Committee for Truro
and Colchester, along with the three local municipalities and Millbrook First Nation. The group has been
working with the province for more than five years in an effort to recruit physicians to this region.
A lack of housing in the region is impacting the ability for employers to recruit new employees and
unfortunately this issue has also been identified as an ongoing barrier to physician recruitment.
The Partnership, partially funded by the business community, has a dedicated employee working handson with physician recruitment activities.
“Our objective with this project is to provide incoming doctors with a soft landing in the community”,
said Mark S. Wood, TCPEP Chair. “As opposed to having to scramble to find a place to live, a doctor
coming to our community can settle into a comfortable, ready-to-go space”. Wood added that TCPEP is
happy to be collaborating with the Chamber on this innovative new offering. “It is just another important
piece in our ongoing effort to attract family doctors to our area.”
An estimated 20 per cent of the population of Truro and Colchester is currently not assigned to a Family
Physician.
The Chamber and Partnership have combined funds to invest about $30,000 to support the pilot project
including the lease, insurance, cleaning and other associated costs. The project launches this month with
clients ready to move in on a short-term basis.
The apartment will be available for short-term accommodations for new physicians moving to the area,
those providing locum (temporary coverage for another in the region physician) or residents and medical
students needing accommodation as part of their education such as job shadowing or work terms in the
region.
The Chamber will manage the financial part of the project while the Partnership will co-ordinate with
physicians requiring accommodation support.
“I’m happy to see the Chamber, along with our partner, be a part of an idea and once again turning that
idea into solution-oriented action that will positively benefit our community,” said Mossman.
While the organizations are pleased to offer this support, they also recognize it is a temporary solution.
Wood added that, “while this pilot project is a big step forward in our effort, the important work to close
the physician gap continues”.
We will continue to do and try new things to ensure that doctors know they will be welcomed and valued
in Colchester County”.
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Media Contacts:
Sherry Martell
Executive Director
Truro and Colchester Chamber of Commerce
902-895-6328
J. David Phillips
CEO
Truro and Colchester Partnership for Economic Prosperity
902-222-8839
Dianne Kelderman to receive Chamber Lifetime Achievement Award
For immediate release
News release
April 5, 2022
Dianne Kelderman to receive Chamber Lifetime Achievement Award
TRURO – Well-known business woman Dianne Kelderman will be recognized this month for her life-long commitment to economic growth here and the province as a whole.
Kelderman, president and CEO of the Nova Scotia Co-operative Council, will be presented with the Truro & Colchester Chamber of Commerce’s Lifetime Achievement Award on April 21, at the organization’s Annual Dinner Gala and Awards in Truro.
“Dianne is an inspiration to so many with her can-do attitude and out-of-the-box solutions to overcome social and economic challenges,” said Matthew Mossman, Chamber President.
“We are incredibly pleased to honour her, especially as a Past President of our Chamber, for her many contributions to the local community and helping drive economic development in the province.”
Through her leadership at the Council, Kelderman has spearheaded countless projects and initiatives to help businesses thrive while also supporting the diverse social needs of communities. She was also recently recognized as one of Atlantic Canada’s 25 Most Powerful Women in Business by Atlantic Business magazine.
This is the first time the Chamber’s Lifetime Achievement award has been presented since 2015 and Kelderman is the first woman to receive it.
Along with the Lifetime Achievement award, sponsored by Patterson Law, two additional prestigious awards will be presented at the masquerade-themed evening gala. Developer, entrepreneur and community volunteer Joe Pinto will be honoured with a Business Person of the Year award, sponsored by BDC, for his efforts to increase mixed-housing units, repurpose historic buildings in Great Village and support for the Food Bank. Mastodon Ridge in Stewiacke has been selected as this year’s recipient of the Business Excellence Award, sponsored by Community Credit Union. Marking 25 years in operation in 2021, the popular attraction has been expanded and enhanced in the past year and offers countless spin-off benefits to several businesses as a key tourism destination.
The Chamber is pleased to bring back an in-person event after hosting a virtual gala and awards in 2021. Ian Munro, Chief Economist with the Halifax Partnership will be the guest speaker for the event discussing market trends. The President’s Social will kick off the evening’s festivities at 6 p.m. at the Best Western Glengarry followed by the gala dinner at 7 p.m. Seats must be reserved in advance by April 15 and cost $65 plus HST for members and $75 plus HST for future members. To book a seat contact the Chamber at 902-893-6328, email [email protected] or reserve online at www.trurocolchesterchamber.com by clicking on the event’s calendar.
The Chamber is a non-profit, membership-based organization representing more than 450 businesses and organizations in the Truro and Colchester region as the recognized voice of business.
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Media contact:
Sherry Martell
Executive Director
Truro & Colchester Chamber of Commerce
902-895-6328
