Kamloops & District Chamber of Commerce Announces Nominees for the 39th Annual Business Excellence Awards Presented by MNP LLP

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Kamloops & District Chamber of Commerce Announces Nominees for the 39th Annual Business Excellence Awards Presented by MNP LLP

Kamloops, BC – July 9, 2025 – The Kamloops & District Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the nominees for the 39th annual Business Excellence Awards, presented by MNP LLP. This year, the Chamber received an incredible 217 nominations, representing 76 unique businesses across the region.

The Business Excellence Awards continue to celebrate the innovation, resilience, and impact of our local business community. The diversity of nominations reflects the strong entrepreneurial spirit that drives Kamloops forward. 

“We’re continually inspired by the businesses and individuals who shape our local economy,” said Acacia Pangilinan, Executive Director of the Kamloops & District Chamber of Commerce. “These nominees represent the best of Kamloops, businesses that go above and beyond, leaders who give back, and organizations that help our community thrive.” 

Nominees were celebrated on July 4 at the annual Nominees’ Breakfast, held at the Kamloops Sports Council lounge. Finalists will be announced later this month, and the celebration will culminate at the Business Excellence Awards Gala on Thursday, October 23 in the Grand Hall at Thompson Rivers University.

See the nominees below, note – as these nominations came in from the public, not all are eligible for the awards they are nominated for:

Business Person of the Year, presented by Abbott Wealth Management – Harbourfront Wealth Management:

• Aaron McGowan, Digital Convergence 
• Calli Duncan, Far + Wide 
• Colin Lyons, Lyons Landscaping 
• Dan Groess, A Groess Underground 
• Debora Delyzer, People in Motion 
• Dennis Piva, Avanti CPA LLP 
• Gurpreet Singh, Sun Star Shuttle 
• Karen Watt, Excel Personnel Inc 
• Karina Yetman, Maxwell Mechanical Ltd 
• Mari, Straight 8 Barbers 
• Michael Letterlough, The Lux Loo  
• Rob Lemire, Wilson M Beck Insurance 
• Simran Sra, Papa Murphy’s Pizza 
• Tina Peters, Peters & Company 
• Vanessa Gammel, Tumbleweed Toys 
• Wade Gillespie, Complete Floors

Community Service Award, presented by the City of Kamloops: 

• A Groess Underground 
• Far + Wide 
• MSky Productions 
• Papa Murphy’s Pizza 
• Progressive Planet Solutions 
• Sun Star Shuttle 
• Tastefull Excursions 
• Teck Highland Valley Copper 
• Tumbleweed Toys 
• Wilson M Beck Insurance

Emerging Business of the Year, presented by Community Futures Thompson Country: 

• Birth Matters & Modern Nest 
• Bowl n’ Bun  
• Calibri Cleaning  
• Comb & Curl Hair Co. 
• Cutting Board Bistro and Bakery 
• Exterior Evolutions  
• Fly Fitness Aerial Studio  
• Hosenbocus & Co CPA 
• Nevo Design House 
• Nikola Designs & Energy 
• Old Friends Vintage and Thrift 
• Papa Murphy’s Pizza 
• Carmen Rice Real Estate – Royal LePage Westwin Realty Kamloops
• River City Fibre Limited Partnership 
• Rohit Kumar – Property Management Kamloops & Real Estate@ RE/MAX Commercial Solutions 
• Stswekstem Engineered Waste Facility 
• Sweláps Market 
• Uplift Safety

Employer of the Year presented by Community Futures Central Interior First Nation: 

• AEW LP 
• All Nations Trust Company 
• Avanti CPP LLP 
• Bridgeport Floors / Portfolio Interiors 
• Houle Electric Limited 
• Lou Bowers Marketing and Visibility 
• Lyons Landscaping Ltd.  
• Digital Convergence 
• Peters & Company 
• Progressive Planet Solutions 
• Smart Options 
• Straight 8 Barbers 
• Sun Star shuttle  
• Tastefull Excursions  
• Tumbleweed Toys 
• Wilson M Beck Insurance

Environmental Leadership Award presented by Rocky Mountaineer: 

• A Groess Underground  
• Lou Bowers Marketing and Visibility  
• NexBuild  
• Tastefull Excursions  
• Teck Highland Valley Copper  

Excellence in Trades Award presented by New Gold: 

• A Groess Underground 
• Bridgeport Floors / Portfolio Interiors 
• Electric Avenue Contracting Ltd 
• Progressive Planet Solutions 
• Sun Star Shuttle 
• Tastefull Excursions 
• Teck Highland Valley Copper 
• Wild Ridge Structures and Services 

Inclusive Leadership Award presented by Open Door Group: 

• Art Knapp 
• London Drugs 
• Lyons Landscaping Ltd 
• Maxwell Mechanical Ltd 
• People in Motion 
• Progressive Planet Solutions 
• SMART Options 
• Sun Star Shuttle 
• Tastefull Excursions 
• Thompson Region Division of Family Practice 
• Vivacity Technologies 
• Winners 

Indigenous Business Excellence Awards presented by Sc.wén̓wen Economic Development Corporation: 

• 4 Generations Creations  
• AEW LP 
• All Nations Trust Company 
• Complete Floors 
• Electric Avenue Contracting Ltd 
• River City Fibre Limited Partnership 
• River Select Fisheries Cooperative 
• Tk’emlups Petro Canada 
• Top Down Enterprises Inc. 
• Wild Ridge Structures and Services

Innovation Award presented by BCLC: 

• Abbott Wealth Management  
• Digital Convergence 
• Maxwell Mechanical 
• River City Fibre Limited Partnership 
• Vivacity Technologies 

Not For Profit of the Year presented by Trans Mountain Corporation: 

• BC Interior Community Foundation 
• Day One Society 
• Kamloops Hospice Association 
• Kamloops Makerspace Society 
• Kamloops Sexual Assault Counselling Centre 
• People in Motion 
• SRDK9s 
• St. John Ambulance 

Retailer of the Year presented by Andre’s Electronic Experts:   

• Art Knapp 
• Complete Floors 
• Far + Wide 
• Kennell’s Shoes Ltd 
• Lyons Landscaping Ltd 
• Ms. Whimsy’s Gift Emporium 
• Tumbleweed Toys 
• Winners 

Service Provider 1 – 10 Staff Award presented by Cutting Edge Consulting:   

• A Groess Underground 
• Abbott Wealth Management  
• All Nations Trust Company 
• Brice’s Enterprises 
• Complete Floors 
• Interior Display Services 
• Kamloops Florist 
• Lou Bowers Marketing and Visibility 
• Peters & Company 
• Robin’s Room 
• Straight 8 Barbers 
• Sun Star Shuttle 
• Tumbleweed Toys 
• Wild Ridge Structures 
• Wilson M Beck Insurance 

Service Provider 11+ Staff Award presented by Dearborn Ford: 

• Argo Road Maintenance (Thompson) Inc. 
• Arrow Transportation Systems Inc. 
• Avanti CPA LLP 
• Bridgeport Floors / Portfolio Interiors 
• Houle Electric Limited 
• Lyons Landscaping Ltd 
• Maxwell Mechanical Ltd 
• Tk’emlups Petro-Canada 

Small Business of the Year presented by Venture Kamloops: 

• 4 Generations Creations 
• A Groess Underground 
• Abbott Wealth Management 
• All Nations Trust Company 
• Avanti CPP LLP 
• Brice’s Enterprises 
• Bulman Designs  
• DL music 
• Excel Personnel Inc. 
• Far + Wide 
• Kennell’s Shoes Ltd 
• Lou Bowers Marketing and Visibility 
• Lyons Landscaping Ltd. 
• Ms. Whimsy’s Gift Emporium 
• Papa Murphy’s Pizza 
• Straight 8 Barbers 
• Sun Star shuttle  
• Tastefull Excursions  
• Tk’emlups Petro-Canada 
• Tumbleweed Toys

Young Entrepreneur of the Year presented by Bob Gaglardi School of Business & Economics:   

• 4 Generations Creations, Ashley Michel 
• Crooked Crown, Brianna Shelton 
• Interior Display Services, Nicholas Adams 
• Papa Murphy’s Pizza, Simran Sra 
• Sage + Plate, Paige Badminton 
• SMART Optons, Bria Gatien

Business Excellence Awards Sponsors: 

PREMIER SPONSOR:

• MNP LLP

PREMIER MEDIA SPONSOR: 

• Pattison Media, B100, 98.3 CIFM, CFJC

PREMIER PRODUCTION SPONSOR: 

• GK Sound

PHOTOGRAPHY SPONSOR: 

• Olsen Imaging

FINALISTS ANNOUNCEMENT SPONSOR: 

• Teck Highland Valley Copper

GALA SPONSORS: 

• Air Canada – Recognition Sponsor 
• Rocky Mountaineer – Grand Prize Sponsor 
• Castanet Kamloops – Attendee Gift and Advertising Sponsor  
• Infotel Media – Advertising Sponsor 
• RBC Royal Bank – Experience Sponsor 

Media Contact: 

Acacia Pangilinan 

Executive Director 

Kamloops & District Chamber of Commerce 

P: 778-257-5900 

E: acacia@kamloopschamber.ca