Celebrating our Winners! 2024 Business Awards
Our 2024 Business Awards Gala was truly a night to remember, filled with inspiring moments, heartfelt speeches, and the recognition of remarkable achievements across industries. From the red carpet to the final applause, the energy in the room was electric, as our members were celebrated for their exceptional contributions.
Relive the excitement and hear directly from our award-winning members on how they felt about their big win! Congratulations once again to all of our winners and nominees - your stories are a testament to your hard work, innovation, and determination and you make our business community proud every single day. Read more here!
The Board of Trade Business Awards are proudly presented by RBC.
& Our 2024 winners are....
2024 Business of the Year Award
Winner – Wedgwood Insurance
Sponsored by: RBC
"Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you! For somebody who claims to be the leader...the team came to me and asked to apply for this award, and I responded with "I don't like doing awards, I like to just keep our head down and just do our work."
Well, I was wrong again!!
& I didn't know just how wrong I was about this! I feel SO proud of this.
I'm just the person who sits in the office, looks out the window and comes up with ideas - wondering if we can make those ideas come to life.
But, this is the team that actually does it all...so I want to thank this team!
Thanks so much to the Board of Trade. Some of our team members have never been to this Awards Gala, and I've been lucky to and they are so inspired by all of the other companies who have won and shown their community involvement. It just feels great to be part of such an awesome community.
I really feel humbled to accept this. I think there are so many other companies who could be here as well.
Just, thank-you so much. We will keep trying to build a really great culture and we've learned over the last couple of years that we can compete outside of our province, which has been the big change in our business.
Businesses in Newfoundland and Labrador can kick a** absolutely anywhere!"
-Tom Hickey, CEO
Watch their videoOpportunity Seeker Award
Winner – ALPHAS Supplements & Athleisure
Sponsored by: McInnes Cooper
"This event is so well put together and it's been so nice meeting such an enjoyable and respectable crowd of people. Thank-you for this award! As a business that has just opened, there have certainly been challenges along the way but we've overcome a lot and we look forward to what the future holds!"
-Tia Cox, Brand Ambassador
Business Builder Award
Winner – Land & Sea Pets
Sponsored by: Cox & Palmer
"WOW!! I never thought this would happen! I am very proud and I really appreciate this...Are you sure?!
Thank-you very much! Thank-you to my parents, my sister and Glenn. I was raised on the mainland, and my parents brought me here since I was a kid. During the pandemic, I had to re-figure out what I was going to do and so, I came here.
We work so hard. I like to say we are "low-tech, high-touch company." Every single cod-skin is cleaned by our community. There are so many people in the community that help us. Thank-you so so much for this award."
-Chadwick Wiseman, Owner & Founder
Service Star Award
Winner – Always in Vogue
Sponsored by: takeCHARGE NL
"This is one of the only times in my life where I am completely speechless. Thank-you to the Board of Trade for having us. We couldn't do this without our customers.
We're here to bring things to the next level and we couldn't do the work we do without our beautiful staff members. We are so proud of this. I hope everyone enjoyed the Fashion Show!
This one is for my Dad... Thank-you!"
-Darren Halloran, Owner
Community Champion Award (1-19 Employees)
Winner – The Newfoundland Embassy Pub & Eatery
Sponsored by: BMO
"We believe in this community!
It's pretty surreal to be up here in front of such a respected business community and to be nominated for such a great category. We're so happy! We're here for the community, and the community is here for us. Thank-you on behalf of our siblings up here tonight and our family and our staff. This is so exciting!
Thank-you to our Mom & Dad. We do this because we were raised well and we like to do these things for our community. We're so proud and it's because of our business, that we're in a position to do these things.
Woohoo! Thanks everybody and to all the other nominees and the Board of Trade. This is incredible!!"
-Niall Hickey, Meghan Hickey & Brendan Hickey
Community Champion Award (20+ Employees)
Winner – NLCU
Sponsored by: AtlanticXL
"WOW!! That's the only word I have...wow!!
NLCU is really well represented tonight. Not just by me and our COO but by 130 of our employees who work so hard every single day across our province - from here to Stephenville, all the way to Labrador City.You know what? What makes me the most proud is that they drive that community connection...whether it's an act of kindness, or for charities, our employees are the ones that drive that and it's a proud moment. Since 2002 we've raised 1.7 Million dollars to charities and that comes at walk-a-thons, golf tournaments, and ticket sales and the other things we can do to give back.
We're much more than just a banking organization in Newfoundland & Labrador, we're a piece of the fabric of the communities we're in. Thank-you!!"
-Glenn Bolger, CEO
Culture Creator Award
Winner – JAC Digital Marketing Agency
Sponsored by: Fonemed
"Wow!! That wasn't expected whatsoever!
My team are freakin' superstars!! It's their award, not mine. They are truly an amazing bunch of people and whatever I can do to make that culture vibe well, that's my goal - and it has worked out amazingly. As you've seen in the video, we have flexible work weeks, retreats, family days etc. It's not always about a timeline, or a task, it's about how we gel together as a team. They are my family and that's what they mean to me.
Thank-you so much to the rest of the nominees and the Board of Trade!"
-John Atkins, CEO
Boundary Pusher Award
Winner – Stella’s Brasserie
Winner – Sponsored by: Port of Argentia
"Hi everyone! Thank-you!
It is such a privilege to represent this organization because of the amazing work that happens in it. I'm standing up here, but we've got a table full of incredible people in the back who are really responsible for winning this award. Please give a wave! Thank-you to Rob, Laura, Evan...you are the heart behind this project so that we can dream big and increase our impact in the lives of people who have barriers to accessing services and employment that they deserve. Thank-you to Susan and Matt from SAM Design at our table. They were instrumental in making this project happen and allowed us to dream big and turn that dream into a reality. Thank-you to our governance board that allows us to take risks and respond to the needs of the community and make changes that allow our impact to deepen.
& what a wonderful day to receive this award! It's actually World Social Enterprise Day! & so, my call to action would be to support Social Enterprises where you know those funds will go back into the programs for people who are so deserving of services that meet their needs.
At Stella's Circle we do that and we are so deeply grateful for this award."
-Laura Winters, CEO
Leading the Way: DEIB Award (1-19 Employees)
Winner – DiversityNL
Sponsored by: Newfoundland Power
"Wow!! Thank-you so much to the Board of Trade... you are truly the membership that I feel I belong in and I cannot say that about all spaces. So, thank-you so much to the team at the Board of Trade. How does a small group of people turn out everything they do in the run of a year?!...It's truly amazing. So, thank-you for all the work that you all do.
Secondly, to the nominees. Some of you I brought up here with me on stage.
This award is truly shared with you.
Quadrangle NL... as a queer kid, I wish that organization existed.
Laurabel...there are no words, you are my sidekick in all the good things that we do together.
Tera...as well, you're doing such fabulous work in everything that you do.
Constanza...Newbornlander! Shout out to you my friend. Amazing work!To my lovely wife...I would not be an entrepreneur without you! I would have stayed with my "good healthcare job" as my parents put it!!
& finally...for those of you who haven't done work with us, and it is an us when it comes to Leading the Way: DEIB and anti-racism, please connect in the new year! Our calendars are open and we want you to do work with us! We want you to look at your policies and strategies because we want people to feel included.
Thank-you so much! I appreciate this greatly!"
-Stephanie Howlett, CEO
Leading the Way: DEIB Award (20+ Employees)
Winner – St. John's Fish Exchange
Sponsored by: Newfoundland Power
"Thank-you so much!!
Thank-you first to the Board of Trade for having us here this evening, it's great to be part of such a wonderful organization and to have supportive and like-minded business community leaders all here together. It's phenomenal!
This means a lot to me because it means a lot to our team. We have such a diverse workforce and we couldn't be any prouder of the team - our cultural leaders that welcome in our staff, influence our processes and build a sense of community so that we can learn to become a better employer.
We have 17 countries represented and we couldn't be any prouder of team who come from all corners of the world and situations that you'd never believe.
Maybe they are learning English for the first time, or worrying about their families over-seas.
But...food & beverage is that global language that allows us all to grow, learn and evolve together. It's a lifelong journey that we're on together with our team members.
It's funny...over the summer I was showing a customer to a table and they noticed the diversity in our staff and I told them "everybody you see here...they are fighters, they're resilient, they don't give up!"
& what is more Newfoundland & Labrador than that?!!"
-Justin Garland, Owner/GM
Early Bird Draw - Air Canada Prize
Winner – Jerry O'Neill
Jerry won two tickets to anywhere in the world Air Canada flies*!
Music & Entertainment
Kellie Loder & The Evan Smith Trio
Kellie Loder & The Evan Smith TrioKellie Loder & The Evan Smith Trio took the stage & set the soundtrack for an unforgettable evening! Thank-you to our Performance Sponsor, Pennecon and thank-you to MusicNL!
Past Winners
We are so proud of our past winners! As you will see, they are businesses big and small, all making a big impact in our business community!
2023 Award Winners
Opportunity Seeker: Whelan Wellness
Boundary Pusher: ASL Energy
Service Star: KBRS meridia
Community Champion (20+ employees): Colemans
Community Champion (1-19 employees): St. John Ambulance
Business Builder: Keen
Culture Creator: Telelink
Leading the Way DEIB *NEW*: Newfoundland Power
2023 Business of the Year: Heave Away Waste Management
2022 Award Winners
Opportunity Seeker: Piatto Pizzeria + Enoteca
Boundary Pusher: Port of Argentia
Service Star: Catalyst Health Solutions
Community Champion (20+ employees): Deloitte
Community Champion (1-19 employees): Newfoundland Growlers
Business Builder: Fort Amherst Healthcare
Culture Creator *NEW*: CoLab Software
Business Resilience Award: Studio VERSŌ
2021 Award Winners
Opportunity Seeker: Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra
Community Champion (20+ employees): Harvey’s Home Heating
Community Champion (1-19 employees): The Shop, SALT
Service Star: Avalon Laboratories
Business Builder: Saltwater Designs
Boundary Pusher: DF Barnes
Business Resilience Award: Alderwood Estates