It was a night to celebrate those who have made a mark of excellence upon the community. The Humboldt and District Chamber of Commerce (HDCC) hosted their 14th annual Mark of Excellence Awards on March 22 at the Uniplex. Over 300 people attended the awards evening, which not only celebrated success in the business community, but among local non-profit organizations as well. The nominees for the nine Mark of Excellence Awards came from all over the Humboldt region. "The word 'district' in our organization's name came to mean something this year," said Jodi Smith, president of the HDCC in her address. "We are an organization representing business in a much larger region."The Humboldt area is the envy of the province, she said, in how well they work together. "We have something unique happening here," she said. People ask her, she noted, what the heck is going on in this part of the province, and tell her it sounds exciting. "It is exciting," she enthused. "I look at the nominees, and each one has done something to get noticed by someone." Smith challenged all those present that evening, especially the nominees, to take a moment to reflect on what has been accomplished this year, big wins and small, on family and the support they have given, on co-workers and the big parts they play in our lives. "We've got a lot of good going on here," she said. "So please always take the time to reflect."Before the first Mark of Excellence Awards were handed out, three special local entrepreneurs were inducted into the HDCC Business Hall of Fame - Werner Wittke, and Douglas and Kathleen Ross. Wittke, who died in 1991, was recognized due to his entrepreneurship and keen business sense, which led to his many ventures in Humboldt's business sector. Born on a farm near Dixon in 1934, Wittke started his business career on the family farm and seed cleaning business. In 1962, he and his father Carl purchased the Arlington Hotel and the Windsor Hotel, as well as land to build a new hotel, which he did in 1965. That new hotel, the Pioneer Hotel and Motel, is now owned and operated by his three sons, Brad, Russell and Murray, who attended the induction ceremony on their late father's behalf. Kathleen Ross and her seven children were present for the induction of herself and her late husband, Douglas. The Ross family moved to Humboldt in 1950, where with a partner, they established Graham and Ross Jewellers. Douglas became the sole proprietor in 1958, and the store was renamed Ross Credit Jewellers, then renamed Ross Jewellers Ltd. in 1975.Kathleen, in addition to raising her children, worked at the store and was an active business partner with her husband until he passed away in 1979. Kathleen ran the store with her son, Gordon, until 1987. She then retired, and is now living in Alberta.Both the Wittke and Ross families thanked the Chamber for the honour of the induction. "We are... very honoured for our mom and dad," said John Ross. "They spent a lot of very happy years here in Humboldt..... It was a great place to grow up.""Dad would have been very honoured," said Murray Wittke. "He knew Humboldt was a great place to invest in property." Habitat for Humanity Humboldt accepted the first Mark of Excellence award for the night - the Community Merit award, which goes to a non-profit organization. No one begins a project with the hope of winning an award, noted Bob Bellamy, co-chair of the Humboldt Habitat committee, who accepted the award with co-chair Ivan Buehler. "You do it because it's the right thing to do."Together, over 250 volunteers built a duplex which is now home to two families in the first Habitat for Humanity project Humboldt has taken on. The project not only benefited those two families, Bellamy noted, but it benefited those who worked on the homes. Volunteers learned skills they may not have had before, and they laughed a lot doing it."Our volunteers had fun helping," said Bellamy. "Volunteering is fun."Buehler reminded the crowd that Habitat still owns two more empty lots. "We want them filled," he said. "Not in 2013. This is a 'rebuild your energy year'," he said. "We'll see what happens after that."PotashCorp Lanigan claimed the Community Involvement award over businesses Conexus, Elite Salon and Spa and RBC Royal Bank. Adele Failler spoke on behalf of the company that employs over 600 people and contributes to the community through investment and education."We're honoured," she said. "I salute everyone else in this category."Elite Salon and Spa won the next award they were nominated for - the Service Award. An Aveda Concept salon and spa, Elite offers a wide range of beauty retail and services from haircuts to waxing, and employs 15. Customer service, they say, is their number one priority.Owners Vicki Washburn and Amanda Thiemann thanked their staff first off as they accepted the award. "We wouldn't have gotten this award without the service they provide," Washburn said. "They spend lots of hours at meetings, conferences and seminars trying to learn how to serve our guests."Also nominated in this category were the Humboldt Co-op C Store, Brockman Enterprises and Cash's Car and Truck Wash.The Marketing award went to Prairie's Edge Development Corporation, owned and operated by Lorraine Forster of Humboldt. "Wow, this is unexpected," she stated when accepting the award. "And incredibly exciting for me."She congratulated the other nominees in the category - Johnny's Bistro, Colony Motor Products and Graphic Ad Ltd. "You do a great job and set the bar high. I'm very proud to be in the same category," she noted. Forster thanked her family, and the business community in Humboldt as a whole."Each day I wake up, I'm invigorated. I'm excited. I'm so proud to be a part of this business community."Her business focuses on creating unique lakeside subdivision projects, including her latest at Lucien Lake.Aaron and Monique Strueby were named this year's Young Entrepreneurs of the Year. The couple operates Strueby Plumbing and Heating, which was founded in 2008.The Struebys won over another couple, Adam and Stacey Tremblay, who run Tremblay Electric, and Sarah Rohne of Rohne's Deli and Desserts."I want to say thanks to my employees. Their hard work and dedication over the past few years is what got us here," said Aaron Strueby. He also thanked his wife and the community of Humboldt and area. "We couldn't do this without your guys' support," he noted. Discover Humboldt and 107.5 Bolt FM won the New Business Venture award over Brickhouse Clothing and Sumar Ventures. Brian Kusch, station manager, accepted the award, noting that it feels great to win it, and that he accepted it on behalf of the staff at the station."They are the ones who provide the content that makes the station great," he said.Bunz Electric was named the Small Business of the Year. The Muenster-based, full-service electrical company has been serving Humboldt and area for over 42 years, and has a customer base of over 2,300."It's an honour to be recognized and chosen as the small business of the year," noted Jay Zimmerman, on behalf of his partners Ben Zimmerman, Jason Zimmerman and Carl Blakely."The other nominees are very deserving of the award," said Jay. Their work projects take them all over the province, Zimmerman added, and as a service-based company, they realize their staff is their greatest asset."We wouldn't be up here without them," he said. "Thank you for recognizing their efforts."Also up for this award were Reel Attractions Cinema and Video, and Weber and Gasper law firm.Schulte Industries of Englefeld won the Large Business of the Year award over Kirsch Construction, Koenders Manufacturing and Sapphire Water International.Schulte Industries began as a blacksmith shop over 100 years ago and has grown to become a world leader in the manufacture of rotary mowers, rock removal equipment and snow removal equipment. It employs more than 150 people in Englefeld. Its products are marketed around the globe."This is pretty distinctive company to be keeping," said Trevor Kowalski, who accepted the award for Schulte Industries. "I'm sure it was not an easy task for the selection committee."That all four nominees hail from small towns in the area is a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit of Saskatchewan, he said. "You don't have to be in Saskatoon or Regina to run a successful business," he said. "We have the knowledge, the experience and work ethic to run a successful business (in rural Saskatchewan)."Schulte Industries, he said, has been on a path of innovation and growth for the last couple of years, and they are excited about the future for them, and for everyone in the region. "We are all interconnected," he said. "We all benefit from each other's success."The last award of the night was the newest award - the People's Choice. It was won by Johnny's Bistro, who claimed 44 per cent of the online voting. The Humboldt Co-op C Store came in second with 22 per cent. Opening a restaurant in Humboldt was the dream owner Carla Clement's father had for her, and after losing her father in 2005, she felt there was no better way to pay tribute to him than by following this dream."Thank you to everyone who supported us for the past five or six years," said Clement. "Without your support we wouldn't be standing here."Also nominated for People's Choice were Shopper's Drug Mart, Sobeys, Subway, The Brick and DK Dance Visions.
