A Nanaimo airline took top honours in the Vancouver Island Business Excellence Awards Thursday.
Harbour Air won Business of the Year as 17 awards in total were given to businesses across Vancouver Island. More than 450 businesses were submitted or nominated in the 12th annual awards gala.
Other Nanaimo businesses honoured include:
Country Grocer of Duncan, Nanaimo and Victoria for Retailer of the Year;
Harris Auto Group for Automotive Business of the Year;
McKinnon and Associates of Nanaimo for Community Leader of the Year;
Island West Coast Developments of Nanaimo for Construction/Development Company of the Year;
Nurse Next Door of Nanaimo for Health Company of the Year;
ABC Precast and Ready Mix Ltd. of Nanaimo for Manufacturer of the Year.
It’s the second award of excellence for ABC Precast, which won a Rocky Award from more than 130 Redi-Rock manufacturers worldwide for its design of a retaining wall project in Mill Bay.
The 39-metre long seaside retaining wall features two three-metre high tiers of locally manufactured blocks. Between the two tiers are platforms, one of which houses a putting green with an ocean view while the other boasts an outdoor kitchen for entertaining.
This project and the work of ABC Precast will be featured in trade magazines around the world. Nanaimo sales rep Brian Fillmore heads to Texas to receive the award Feb. 4.