The executive director of the Battlefords Chamber of Commerce has been recognized with a major national award.
Executive Director Linda Machniak was honoured as Executive of the Year for a population base less than 100,000. The award was announced Friday at the Chamber of Commerce Executives of Canada's gala banquet in Hamilton, Ont.
The award was one of four bestowed at the gala - the others include Executive of the Year for population over 100,000, Staff Person of the Year and Council of Excellence. The Executive of the Year category is awarded to the chief staff person at a Chamber of Commerce or Board of Trade for outstanding performance.
Submission items of interest to the panel of judges include outstanding performance, membership growth, financial status, contribution to the chamber/goard profession and contribution specifically over the most recent fiscal year to the success of a chamber of commerce/board of trade.
Machniak was hired as executive director in September 2001, and recently received a 10-year service award from the local Chamber and also from the CCEC.
Machniak was still in Ontario this week and could not be reached for comment, but Battlefords Chamber president Pat Smith noted everyone was "tickled pink" at the news of her achievement.
"That is an incredible feat in my mind," said Smith, who called Machniak deserving of the honor.
The local Chamber backed Machniak's nomination and Smith cited her professionalism and knowledge of what is happening both locally and nationally as reasons she was honored.
"Linda brings a lot of professionalism and knowledge to the table," said Smith. "I think that was recognized by her colleagues."
He paid tribute to Machniak and the rest of the staff at the Battlefords Chamber for the honour, which he says reflects well on the whole community.
"This is recognition from across the country. This is a wonderful thing for the Battlefords - I mean as a whole, not just the Chamber. The business community should be proud of this achievement, that we have unquestionably one of the top executive directors in the country working for us."
