Award Category: Indigenous Business Award

Combining a strong entrepreneurial spirit with inspiration from his traditional Tahtlan artistic style, Alano Edzerza has been successfully managing Edzerza’s Gallery for the past seven years. His strong focus is on achieving business success while maintaining the balance of an artists’ eye. Exhibiting integrity in all his business practices, he meets the needs of his clients while offering mentorship to his colleagues. He is known as a leader in his field, establishing an international client base while developing excellent partnerships with other galleries and artists. Congratulations to Alano Edzerza of Edzerza Gallery for outstanding business achievement.

Artifaax, a clothing and jewelry design company, based in the Lower Mainland, was founded 10 years ago. Designer, Denise Brillon-Hill, who is of Cree and French heritage, believes that when you purchase an Artifaax piece “you are investing in culture, in Canada, and in North American peoples”. Denise infuses everything she touches with a sense of history carefully uniting her First Nation and French backgrounds into each thread of her designs. Artifaax clothing is an exceptional business known for its mentorship and commitment to the Aboriginal community and its cultural integration into the fashion world.

Rhonda Dieni, an Okanagan Salish from the Upper Nicola Band, is the majority owner and director of Bikram’s Yoga College of India in North Vancouver. Rhonda has recognized the growing trend of individuals striving to achieve a healthier lifestyle and has established a strong and growing membership base in her studio. Rhonda has gone beyond simply providing a yoga training centre to create a personal development centre. Bikram’s Yoga College of India is a reflection of Rhonda’s own personal quest to be a healthy, successful individual and to share knowledge and experience with a community of like-minded individuals. Congratulations to Bikram’s Yoga College of India!

Ellen Melcosky, a member of the Esketemc (Alkali) who has made Westbank First Nation her home, is the owner and operator of Little Miss Chief Gourmet Products Incorporated. At first, Ellen used her own back yard to smoke her specialty salmon. Now, fourteen years later, Little Miss Chief’s product, is carefully prepared in a federally approved plant in Sooke and distributed worldwide. Its beautiful presentation and delectable flavour make it a favourite host gift in Canadian Embassies. Ellen has maximized food security and provided outstanding customer service to successfully build her company, and find her place in the established food industry.

For the past 25 years, Wind Spirit Art and Gallery in Powell River and partner studio in Masset has managed the production, framing, marketing and distribution of the work of Aboriginal artists including its owner, Haida artist, April White. A successful business, the gallery has an international reputation with loyal and dedicated clients. April White’s commitment to the history of her ancestors and a hard-working tenacious attitude in the modern day business environment has helped her to flourish. Part of a cooperative working style, the Gallery provides a community for the creation of high quality native crafted art.

Established in 1998, Chinook Cove Contracting Ltd. is a forestry business specializing in timber harvesting and silviculture operations. Moving into Right of Way clearing for pipeline development, allowed the company to diversify its business and it continues today to be a reliable brushing contractor working with major BC and Alberta industries. Chinook Cove is also well-known for its outstanding safety practices. The company supports the Simpcw First Nation, through continued opportunity for education, training and employment in industries working in traditional territories.

Chetwynd’s Paul Paquette and Sons Contracting began its business in residential water and sewer services. Fifteen years later, the company has diversified, now offering services to the alternative energy, forestry, mining, and oil and gas sectors. The company has worked hard to develop strong local strategic alliances within First Nations, industry and local communities. It is committed to quality, safety and responsible environmental performance. Known as outstanding corporate citizens, Paul Paquette and Sons employs many local people and is committed to its Saulteau First Nations community.

Established by the Doig River First Nation in 2003, Doig River Energy Ltd based in northeast BC, is an oilfield service company. Its mission is to provide oil field services that will help customers produce oil and gas more efficiently through sustainable environmental practice. The company recently completed a two-year BC environmental assessment process for an environmental secured land-fill project making it the first company in British Columbia to go through this rigorous new provincial process. The Doig River Energy Ltd team is comprised of hard-working and empowered members who take pride in a job well done.

The Chemainus First Nation has operated a wholly-owned service station since 1989. From the beginning, the Chemainus First Nation made the decision to offer full service to its customers, providing employment opportunities to many band members. The station has managed to both meet its social obligations to the Chemainus First Nation and remain a viable, profit generating entity, not to mention a station famous for its outstanding customer service. Located strategically on the Trans Canada Highway, just north of Ladysmith, the station has become an important and convenient stop for both locals and tourists.

The Westbank First Nation’s Pine Acres Home was established 25 years ago to meet a significant need for elders of both the Westbank First Nation and other Aboriginal groups across the country. It is the first Aboriginal care home in the country and, in 2007, it was awarded full accreditation status for excellence in health care standards. It has grown from a 20 bed facility to a 63 bed facility and is known for its respect for its people, its tremendous quality of care, its outstanding employee relations and its dedication to health for older adults in our country. Pine Acres is a model of care for all health organizations and its nominators have stated that should they need long-term care, Pine Acres is where they want to reside.