Business, individuals recognized for excellence
Ron and Sherron Birkett got quite a surprise at the Chamber of Commerce Brantford-Brant Business Excellence Awards dinner on Thursday.
The Brantford couple were presented at the event with the David Baxter Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievement. The award is presented to those who have made the community a better place to work, live, play and conduct business.
“We went there to sell tickets and raise money for the Arnold Anderson Fund,” Sherron said Friday. “We had no idea something else was going on.
“It was quite a shock and a surprise when they announced the award winners.”
Sherron, a retired teacher, has a long record of community service that includes volunteering with Brantwood, the YMCA and Bell Homestead among other endeavors. She is the co-founder of the Terrace Hill Breakfast Club at Graham Bell-Victoria School on Grand Street.
“I used to teach at the school and I knew there was a need,” Sherron said. “When you see a need, you do what you can to address it.”
Ron, meanwhile, has been involved in numerous organizations as well, including the Sports Hall of Recognition, minor sports, Brant United Way, Brant Waterways Foundation and Brantford General Hospital Foundation among others.
“This is like a thank-you from the community, a thank-you from the chamber of commerce,” Ron said of the award. “When you do things in the community, you don’t do it for the recognition.
“All we and anyone else really wants to do is make the community just a little bit better.”
The couple thanked the chamber for honoring them with the award.
Held at TownePlace Suites by Marriott Brantford and Conference Centre, the awards night recognizes businesses, organizations and individuals who have demonstrated business excellence and exemplary corporate citizenship. The event attracted 330 people.
Other award winners include:
The Bell Community Builder Award: winner, Brantford Apparel; finalists, Brantford Toyota, Ben Cliff and Cornerstone Financial Group, Shannon McMannis.
The Enterprise Brant Entrepreneur of the Year award: winner, Lana Burchell and family of Steve’s Tea company; finalists, Kyle and Shannon Manfredi, of Ark Electrical Ltd., Samantha Gernhart, of Clarity Marketing and Design.
Waterous, Holden, Amey, Hitchon Company of the Year Award: winner Rawlings Sporting Goods Co. Inc.; finalists, AIM Recycling Brantford and Hawco Products Ltd.
OLG Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award: winner, Willowbridge Community Services.; finalists, Food4Kids Brant-Haldimand and Six Nations Polytechnic.
Brant United Way presented the Not-For-Profit Resiliency and Business Acumen award to Glenhyrst Art Gallery. Finalists were Brant Waterways Foundation and Strong Start to Reading.
Established in 1985, the business excellence awards presentation is the premier business event held annually by the chamber.
Initially, one award was presented to one company. In 1990, the award criteria expanded to include smaller companies and in 1996, the categories were changed again to include a company award as well as an entrepreneur award.
The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion award was introduced in 2022 and the Not-For-Profit Resilience and Business Acumen Award was added in 2023.
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