When Northern Ontario Business publisher Patricia Mills looks back on 25 years of Northern Ontario Business Awards winners, she sees businesses that are “still in operation, still creating wealth, still creating jobs in northern Ontario.”

This year's crop of winners are equally impressive, Mills said.

“There are some very interesting stories, some very interesting entrepreneurs and companies,” she said. “It really is a reflection of our geography in northern Ontario, and the struggles and the accomplishments that they have are truly inspiring.”

More than 500 people attended the 25th annual Northern Ontario Business Awards gala at the Caruso Club Sept. 27. The event is presented by Northern Life's sister company, Northern Ontario Business.

Nine business awards were presented, along with the Union Gas post-secondary scholarship. Three of the awards went to Greater Sudbury-area businesses or organizations.

The Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI) won the Judges' Choice Award. CEMI, founded in 2007, helps small businesses achieve success in projects that improve efficiency in mine development, advance sustainability and increase safety.

Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI) vice-president Douglas Morrison speaks at the Northern Ontario Business Awards gala at the Caruso Club Sept. 27. CEMI was presented with the Judges' Choice Award at the event. Photo by Marg Seregelyi.

“CEMI is a relatively young organization, but it has the ability to pull together all the other organizations that have been working very, very hard for many, many years to improve the performance of all the mines in northern Ontario,” Douglas Morrison, CEMI's vice-president, said.

“I think we've had a very good effect in the very early years.”

J.L. Richards and Associates Inc., a Greater Sudbury-based architecture and engineering firm which also has offices in North Bay and Timmins, won the Company of the Year (51+ employees) award.

Georges Quirion, the company's Timmins branch manager, said the business is especially proud of developing young engineers and architects, and “encouraging people to come back north.”

“To be recognized like this by your peers and other people up north is a really great opportunity,” Quirion said. “We just feel very proud.”

HLS HARD-LINE Solutions Inc. was presented with the Company of the Year (16-50 employees) award.

The Greater Sudbury-based company designs, manufactures, installs and services radio remote control systems for mining and other applications, with 40 per cent of its sales in exports.

Ryan Siggelkow, vice-president of the company, told those gathered at the event that its “an honour” to be amongst the “great companies” who have received Northern Ontario Business Awards over the last 25 years.

“I'd like to ... accept this award for the whole team at the company,” Siggelkow said. “We have a very close group of employees that work for us. Truly, none of this would be possible without them. I'd like to thank them for what they've done for us.”

Other award winners included:

-Entrepreneur of the Year - Amanda Dalcourt, Physiomed Peaks, Hearst.

-First Nations Business Excellence Award - J.J.'s Ranch, Schumacher.

-Innovation Award - DST Consulting Engineers, Thunder Bay.

-Young Entrepreneur of the Year - Northern Disposal and Sanitation, Katrine.

-Entrepreneurial Community of the Year - North Bay & District Multicultural
Centre, North Bay.

-Company of the Year (one to 15 employees) - Voyageurs' Lodge and Cookhouse (Batchewana)

-Union Gas Essay Scholarship - Ashley LaRose (Cochrane)

-Posted by Heidi Ulrichsen