Winner - Large Business Award

Kelowna Chamber of Commerce - 2009 Business Excellence Awards

For the past 22 years the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce has been awarding top businesses recognized as leaders in our community. Past winners and finalists are an honourable list of top businesses & entrepreneurs from all age groups and business types in Kelowna, who have all gone beyond the norm in their business. "We were really pleased to be nominated in this prestigious competition; to be one of 3 finalists of 21 nominees was humbling, and to win this top honour exhilorating!" states Matt Cameron. CTQ qualified for the large business over 31 employees group which had three finalists, Expert Hearing Group, Paragon Pharmacies, and ourselves CTQ Consultants.

Businesses are put through a rigourous set of standards by judges selected through the Chamber of Commerce awards committee. The areas of community reputation, management styles and strategies, focus on customer practices and proven treatment, communication within the company and to the community, teamwork & social activities with all staff, opportunities for staff and management to interact, internal policies, and financial stability are all scrutinized for the winning firm. The focus is primarily on overall business excellence, but also on fun at work. All comments in the nomination package are verified prior to a company being allowed into the final categories. After the finalist's are selected, the judges conduct interviews with a barrage of questions to ensure their support is behind the right business, only then are the winners selected. Companies and individuals may be nominated by staff, other companies, or other professionals.

The categories for nomination annually are:

• Business leader of the Year - Individual award
• Rising Star-In business less than 3 years
• Small Business Award-1-10 employees
• Mid size Business Award-11-30 employees
• Large Business Award-31 plus employees
• Community Impact Award of the Year-not for profit
• Young Entrepreneur of the Year-under 34

The theme for the awards this year was "Your dream, Your business, and Your passion"

Ron Cannan MP Okanagan Lake Country - "When we talk about innovation and promise and the opportunities that are in store for Canada we are really describing the people and companies like CTQ. When they first struck out on their own, I am sure it took a lot of courage and belief in what they could do. That is the kind of entrepreneurial spirit that drives success and says "Look what we can do in the Okanagan. Look what Canadian Companies can do. Congratulations to CTQ, and keep up the good work!!

Lisa Tongue shares, "People work here because they want to. Since the beginning of CTQ when there were just a few of us, we have all worked together to work and play hard. It has paid off with a great team, great clients and a lot of hard work rewarded with fun!"

Gord Tycho shares, "My family and I moved from the lower mainland to Kelowna because I felt there were great opportunities to excel in interesting engineering and planning projects with this company. There are some very good people working for this firm, and it is their energy and humour that will ensure CTQ maintains its reputation as an organization with a bright future."

Read the full Chamber of Commerce press release here