Nominations open for Best of Claresholm awards

By Rob Vogt
The Claresholm and District Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for The Best of Claresholm awards.
“We want to help recognize outstanding contributions businesses make throughout the year,” said Jordie Bronson, president of the chamber of commerce.
He added the chamber has re-defined some of the categories, hoping to get a little broader participation.

The categories are:
Community Builder Award
This category is open to all local businesses, not-for-profits, and community organizations. This award recognizes the outstanding contributions of a local business or organization that enriches the Claresholm community as a whole.
Farm Family Award
This category is open to all local businesses or individuals. Celebrating a farming, ranching, or agricultural-producing family business who exemplify strong agricultural values and demonstrate a positive approach to agriculture. The nominees balance tradition with innovation and maintain a strong connection to community spirit.
Home Business Award
This category is open to all local home-based businesses. It spotlights a home-based business with consistently outstanding products and services, and a strong presence in Claresholm and area through community involvement.
Small Business Award
This category is open to all local businesses with one to nine employees within the Claresholm area. It honours an exceptional small business that demonstrates a strong sense of community spirit and support, and consistently strives to deliver exceptional results with unwavering commitment to performance excellence in their business. The business is a shining example to the business community.
Large Business Award
This category is open to all local businesses with 10 or more employees working in the Claresholm area. It honours an exceptional business that distinguishes itself through its unwavering commitment to performance excellence in its business, demonstrates community spirit and is a leader in the business community.
New Venture Award
This category is open to all local businesses in operation for less than three years. It celebrates a new business that demonstrates exceptional promise and creativity in its early years of operation. These newcomers have hit the ground running and are dedicated to proving themselves in the local community.
Roots of Excellence Award
This category is open to all local businesses in operation for at least 15 years; may be awarded to a business or a sole proprietor; and may be awarded posthumously. It recognizes a business with a legacy of positively affecting the Claresholm community and distinct in memorable ways. The winner is a role model for new businesses, a community leader, and an integral part of the business community.
Women in Business Award
This category is open to all local female-owned or female-led businesses. This award showcases a female business leader who displays exceptional leadership qualities, a commitment to helping other women succeed, a healthy work-life balance and who demonstrates a strong entrepreneurial spirit.
Young Entrepreneur Award
This category is open to all local individuals under the age of 25. This award celebrates a young person in business who displays exceptional leadership qualities, a fearless attitude towards taking risks, and an unwavering work ethic.
Employee Excellence Award
This category is open to all local individuals employed in the Claresholm area. This award showcases an employee with an outstanding work ethic, who provides excellent customer service, shows leadership, and has a positive effect on the local business community.

The chamber reached out to other chambers of commerce about their award categories and for advice on a selection process. Consequently, this year there will be a panel of judges choosing the winners. This panel is made up of two community members at large; one chamber board member; one business owner; one representative from town council; the citizen of the year or a service club representative; and one youth representative from the high school leadership team.
The judges will review the nominations and scoring each. Any name or identifying feature of the nominees will be redacted before the judges read them over.
Bronson encourages everyone to consider making a nomination.
“It’s very important you put in why you feel the nominee deserves that award,” he stressed.
People can nominate a business by visiting https://claresholmchamber.ca/awards. There is no charge for submitting a nomination, and no chamber membership is required.
Businesses around town will have tent cards with a QR code that can be scanned to submit nominations.
Paper nomination forms will also be available at the town office. They will be placed in a sealed envelope and forwarded to the judges. The deadline for nominations is Oct. 11.
Winners will be announced at the Claresholm and District Chamber of Commerce’s Best of Claresholm Gala Nov. 23 at the Claresholm Community Centre.