North Bay firms named Company of the Year at 23rd NOBA awards

Northern Ontario Business Awards
News Release

********************

SAULT STE. MARIE - Hundreds of business and opinion leaders from across the North celebrated the achievements of nine companies and individuals at the 23rd Annual Northern Ontario Business Awards (NOBA) gala this evening.

NOBA has become the largest annual gathering of its kind in Northern Ontario since it was first launched in 1986.

The 23rd annual NOBA event was co-hosted by Sault Ste. Marie Mayor John Rowswell and Northern Ontario Business publisher Patricia Mills.

NOBA is an initiative designed to celebrate successful businesses throughout Northern Ontario.

The award evening provides the perfect occasion to acknowledge the efforts of those who create the opportunities that allow everyone to enjoy living and working in the North.

The event rotates annually among the five major centres in Northern Ontario.

The awards program would not be possible without the generous support of corporate and government sponsors.

There were nine business awards presented: Company of the Year (three categories, based on size), Entrepreneur of the Year, Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Entrepreneurial Community, First Nations Business Award of Excellence, Innovation, and Judges’ Choice.

The Union Gas Essay Scholarship, worth $3,000, was also presented.

An independent panel of judges adjudicated more than 100 nominations from around Northern Ontario.

The esteemed panel of adjudicators certainly had their work cut out for them.

This year’s judges were Mike Gribbons, president, Synergy Controls Corporation (Sudbury); Lyle Knudsen, vice-president of operations, Equipment World (Thunder Bay); Don Mitchell, vice-president - commercial dept./partner, Algoma Financial Group (Sault Ste. Marie); Jennifer Twigg, president, Twiggs Coffee Company (North Bay); and the Union Gas Essay Scholarship judge Jacqueline Savoie, directrice générale/executive director, La Fondation du Collège Boréal.

The following are 2009 Northern Ontario Business Award Winners:

Entrepreneur of the Year

Mark Torchia president, The Torchia Group, Timmins


Company of the Year (51+ employees)

TBT Engineering, Thunder Bay


First Nations Business Award of Excellence

Ahnisnabae Art Gallery, Thunder Bay


Innovation Award

Hydro Tech Inc., Sault Ste. Marie


Judges’ Choice

Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services Corp., Sault Ste. Marie


Young Entrepreneur of the Year

Jeff Elgie and J.R. Pierman, Lucidia Ltd. Sault Ste. Marie


Entrepreneurial Community of the Year

MIRARCO Mining Innovation, Sudbury


Company of the Year (16-50 employees)

Designed Roofing Inc., North Bay


Company of the Year (1-15 employees)

Near North Laboratories, North Bay


Union Gas Student Essay Scholarship

Irina Cividino, Sudbury


Eastlink will be airing the NOBA documentary.

The NOBA documentary will premiere on Eastlink on Thursday October 22 at 9 p.m. and Friday October 23 at 10 p.m. in the following cities: Sudbury, Timmins, Sturgeon Falls, Elliot Lake, Temiskaming Shores, and Kapuskasing

24th NOBA 2010 in Thunder Bay

The 24th Annual Northern Ontario Business Awards 2010 will be held in Thunder Bay on October 7, 2010, at the Victoria Inn.

********************