A Morinville pet food producer and two St. Albert restaurateurs have won some of Alberta's top prizes for business.
Morinville's Champion Petfoods and St. Albert's Team Chiasson were two of the 13 winners at the 24th annual Alberta Business Awards of Distinction ceremony last Friday at the Renaissance Edmonton Airport Hotel.
Run by the Alberta Chambers of Commerce, the awards recognize excellence in Alberta business community.
There's been a lot of doom and gloom out there when it comes to the Alberta economy, said Ken Kobly, president of the Alberta Chambers of Commerce. Yet there are still many companies here that are thriving.
"This year more than anything I think we need a little bit of a message of positivity out there that Alberta business is here, it's thriving, and it is exporting to the world markets."
These are the champions
One example was Champion Petfoods, which took home the Premier's Award last Friday – the top prize of the event.
Sponsored by Alberta Human Services, the Premier's Award is given to a business that demonstrates outstanding leadership and consistent community involvement and is helping to build a better Alberta, and is picked from among the finalists for all the other awards.
Based in Morinville, Champion produces high-end pet food for export to some 73 countries.
This is the second time that Champion has won an award at this event, noted company president Frank Burdzy – it claimed the Export award last year.
"A key part to our success as a corporation has been having fresh, regional ingredients," Burdzy said.
Often sourced from local farms, these ingredients are good enough for use in gourmet meals for people – meals the company often serves in its "eat like your dog" promotional events.
This focus, plus a drive to not only meet but also exceed customer expectations, has helped Champion build the trust it needs for good word-of-mouth advertising, Burdzy said.
"Maybe people would be satisfied with something, but we want to delight them."
Most of Champion's employees live in Morinville, which is why the company has invested heavily in the community, Burdzy said. The company is a major sponsor of the town's dog park, youth basketball league, festival society and farmers' market, and is now building a new research lab across from its plant in the town's industrial park.
Burdzy said Champion was humbled and delighted by this award.
Rob and Karen Chiasson of Team Chiasson Inc. received the Employer of Youth award at last Friday's event. This award recognizes those who excel in hiring youth and providing them with career-orientated opportunities.
Team Chiasson owns all four McDonald's outlets in St. Albert and employs some 250 people, about 60 per cent of whom are youths, said Rob Chiasson.
The key to being a great employer of youth is to work with them to understand what's important to them, Chiasson said.
"A lot of young people come to us and it's their first job," he said, and many are often shy and lacking self-confidence.
Being on the job can teach these youths communication, time management and problem-solving skills they can't necessarily learn in school, he continued. If you create a work environment where your employees can thrive and have fun, you get skilled workers and better staff retention – important in today's tight labour market.
"It's not only good for business. It's good for the community."
While Karen works with youths through Ronald McDonald House, Rob serves on the St. Albert Youth Advisory Team and teaches career and life management classes at Paul Kane and Sturgeon Composite.
Chiasson said he and Karen were tremendously honoured by this recognition.
Visit abbusinessawards.com for the full list of winners.
