Local business up for ABEX honours

Two Yorkton businesses are finalists for ABEX awards, which celebrate  success across Saskatchewan.

YPH Mechanical and N.L. Construction Inc. are competing in categories at the ABEX awards. YPH has been nominated for the Community Involvement, and Growth and Expansion awards. Dustin Nehring and Taylor Lang from N.L. Construction are running  together for the Young Entrepreneur of the Year award.

“Anytime you can be in a class with the rest of the people of Saskatchewan...it’s truly an honour,” said Nehring, CEO of N.L. Construction.

N.L. Construction is no stranger to the ABEX awards. They won the Growth and Expansion award in 2014. Nehring said it was shocking to hear his name called.

“[It] definitely got the heart going,” he said.

Justin Yawney, president of YPH Mechanical, has won several ABEX awards.

“It’s pretty prestigious,” he said.

The ABEX awards are presented by the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce.  82 nominees were whittled down to 50 finalists across nine categories. A committee chose the finalists.

“They’re exceptional businesses,” said Steve McLellan, current president of the Chamber of Commerce, referring to the Yorkton finalists. “They’re good companies.”

The ABEX awards have been held since 1984. Their aim is to celebrate all facets of the private sector, regardless of their size and scope.

The awards will be handed out on October 21 at the TCU Place in Saskatoon. It will be a gala event with close to 800 people. 

“It’s an opportunity to rub shoulders,” McLellan said. “It’s a big dinner.”

“The gala’s always a great time,” Yawney said.

“It opens so many doors,” Nehring said. “You don’t know who you’ll meet. The networking opportunities are endless.

“People that see us there trust us.”

Nehring thinks all the finalists deserve their nominations, describing them as “elite.”

“I’m a competitive guy, so I always want to win,” he said. “But will I be upset if we don’t? No.”