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While anticipation is already building for the 2018 Outstanding Business Achievement Awards, first things first.

With the nomination process for the Friday, October 12 event well underway, there is a deadline, that being Monday, July 9 at 5 p.m.

Nominations can also be ‘phoned in’—just call the Chamber offices:
(519) 336-2400.

Following that key date, nominees will be notified and once they accept the nomination, the process of submitting material for judging will begin.

Already dozens of companies have been nominated for one or more of the 16 categories at this year’s OBAA gala.

Is it your turn to win one of the top business awards in Sarnia-Lambton?

A significant change this year is removing the “membership requirement” for nominees. Self-nomination is permitted under the OBAA rules.

Nominations can be made online by clicking HERE or by filling out a form at the Chamber office. Nominations can also be made at any branch of Libro Credit Union, the presenting sponsor for this year’s Outstanding Business Achievement Awards.

It will be a great night on Wednesday, June 20 and the place to be is Big Fish, one of the more popular restaurants known for its seafood (naturally) and steak.

Owned by the Tsprailis family for several years now, Big Fish is proud to be the sponsor of the Chamber’s Business After 5 for June, opening its doors for the 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. event.

As is the case with so many of the Chamber’s events, Business After 5 is a great opportunity to connect with other members in a casual atmosphere. The group that organizes these events pulls out all the stops to make it a great time!

We look forward to welcoming you on Wednesday, June 20 at Big Fish—1717 London Line, Sarnia. Mark it on your calendar today!

As the heat of Sarnia-Lambton’s summer hits, there’s another season in full swing, that being nominations for this year’s Outstanding Business Achievement Awards.

While the event itself may seem a ways off—Friday, October 12 at the Imperial Theatre in downtown Sarnia—it’s the nominations in some 16 categories that are now taking place.

Since nominations opened on April 9, dozens of companies and individuals have already had their names put forth, many from clients that have a keen desire to “spread the word” as to the satisfaction they’ve received over the past year.

But it’s also important to note that it is extremely rewarding for companies and individuals that have distinguished themselves in the eyes of their customers to be recognized in a public forum in one or more of the OBAA categories, says Chamber CEO Shirley de Silva.

“With this year’s event, we’ve also made the significant change of opening up nominations to every business in Sarnia-Lambton, not just those who are already members,” said de Silva.

The next key deadline on the path to this year’s Outstanding Business Achievement Awards is Monday, July 9, when nominations come to a close.

At that point, nominees will be contacted for their formal acceptance and the preparation of their submissions for judging will begin.

This season’s OBAA gala is expected to be one of the Chamber’s most successful and exciting, with broader appeal and intense competition among so many worthy contenders for the various categories.

Nominations can be done online by clicking HERE or by filling out a form at the Chamber office or at any branch of Libro Credit Union, the presenting sponsor for this year’s Outstanding Business Achievement Awards.

Planning is underway for an event that will leave you laughing—and sharing a new appreciation for the importance of building community in a light-hearted setting.

While many of the details are just now coming together, this is no “ordinary” opportunity for bringing Chamber members together for a “joyous” time of connection.

Headlining this event—which will take place at the Downtown Market located on the ground floor of the former Taylor’s Furniture building (corner of Cromwell and Christina St.)—is Jeff Leeson, an accomplished stand-up comedian who’s known as the “King of Crowd Work.”

Look for more details on this event in future Chamber newsletters but be sure to save the date—Wednesday, July 18.

You won’t want to miss it!

The Sarnia and District chapter of the Human Resource Professionals Association is holding a River Cruise event next Thursday, June 7, featuring speaker Jamelle Lindo, an emotional intelligence coach, trainer and speaker with over 10 years of professional experience in learning and development.

The event takes place at the Duc D’Orleans dock—297 Front St. N., Sarnia—beginning at 5 p.m. and ending at 8:30 p.m.

Lindo (pictured) is a certified international coach as well as a certified training practitioner who is passionate about supporting professionals in becoming their greatest version through the practice of emotional intelligence.

HRPA members (the local chapter is a member of the Sarnia Lambton Chamber of Commerce) pay $20 + HST; non-members of the HRPA pay $35 + HST. Register for the event by CLICKING HERE.

Last week, Sarnia Lambton Chamber of Commerce CEO Shirley de Silva (pictured third from right) was part of a group that officially marked the opening of High Park Farms, a new cannabis greenhouse facility located in Enniskillen Township.

High Park was launched in April and will be producing and distributing a broad-based portfolio of cannabis brands and products for the Canadian market in anticipation of adult-use legislation.

We congratulate High Park and welcome them to our growing business community!

The event featured a series of speeches, tours, and a ceremonial ribbon-cutting. High Park was also pleased to announce a $15,000 donation to the Enniskillen Education Scholarship Fund to help promote post-secondary education in the region.

Cultivation began at High Park Farms in early May following the successful delivery of thousands of live cannabis plants from British Columbia.

The Province of Ontario has numerous services intended to help small businesses succeed in a highly competitive environment, one of which is a website with a variety of services worth checking out.

The Small Business Access website (www.ontario.ca/page/small-business-access) includes links to funding sources, advice, ways to grow your business, and sources of legal advice.

It also lists various workshop opportunities (under Recent Announcements) and an opportunity to sign up for updates, helping keep you informed about various changes that could assist you.

The Chamber is constantly looking for ways to help our members succeed. If you happen upon a resource that your fellow members ought to know about, feel free to pass it on. We’d love to hear from you: info@slchamber.ca.

Several new members of the Sarnia Lambton Chamber of Commerce are now experiencing what it means to be part of a growing community of businesses in the area.

Join us in welcoming the following:

—Quality Inn, located at 751 Christina St N, Point Edward, ON N7V 1X5. Online at www.qualityinnsarnia.com. (519) 344-5561. Contact: Charn Lalli or Leigh Krasinkiewicz.

—Journeys Driving Academy, located at 109 Durand St, Sarnia, ON N7T 5A1. Online at www.journeysdrivingacademy.com. (519) 381-4250. Contact: Nicole Yates.

—Frameworks Media, online at www.frameworksmedia.ca. Contact: Tana Manchester—tana@frameworksmedia.ca.

—Sherwood Mortgage Group, online at www.erinhamilton.ca. Contact: Erin Hamilton, (519) 333-7499, ehamilton@sherwoodmortgagegroup.com

—L&R Chapple Holdings Ltd., Contact: Lori Chapple, (519) 882-4372.

—James & Sandra Krall, Contact: (519) 882-0292, sandra_krall2000@gmail.com.

—M&D Krall Holdings Ltd., Contact Dawn Marie Krall, dmkrall1990@gmail.com

—IRS Locks, online at www.irslocks.ca. Contact: Terry Burr, (519) 381-3172.

—Ewyn Studios, online at www.ewynstudios.com. Contact: shyla@ewynstudios.com.

—Zen Yarn Garden, online at www.zenyarngarden.com. Contact: Roxanne Yuen, (226) 402-3631. roxanne@zenyarngarden.com.

—Swagelok SWO, online at www.sw-ontario.swagelok.com. Contact: Aaron Somogye at aaron.somogye@swagelok.com.

—Stag Island Investments, Contact: Jon McEachran at jonmceachran@hotmail.com.

—FluorDriver, online at www.fluordriver.com, Contact: Andrew Gibbard at (226) 932-1847 or andrew.gibbard@fluordriver.com.

Welcome to all! For information on how to become a member of the Chamber or how to take advantage of member only benefits, contact Kim Inniss-Petersen, manager of Member Engagement and Retention, kim@slchamber.ca.

You’ve already put the date on your calendar—Friday, October 12, 2018—for the Chamber’s Outstanding Business Achievement Awards gala, taking place at the Imperial Theatre downtown.

In just the first few weeks of nominations we have nearly 100 organizations in the running for honours in the 16 categories for this signature Chamber event, with lead sponsorship by Libro Credit Union.

You have until July 9th to add worthy businesses, organizations or individuals to the list of those nominated.

This year, in a change designed to provide organizations who are not yet members with a “taste” for what Chamber membership can deliver, nominations are open to every business and organization in Lambton County.

Take the first step and nominate your favourite business TODAY by clicking HERE.