2011 Business Awards Recipients

Each year the Grand Bend & Area Chamber of Commerce selects Business Of The Year and Entrepreneur Of The Year recipients from those nominated by Members and Residents of the Grand Bend Area.

Business of the Year (Company Award)

Huron Country Playhouse is the recipient of the Grand Bend & Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2011 Business of the Year award.

The Business of the Year award is given to a company or organization for accomplishments in one or more areas that include environmental consciousness, product research and development, marketing innovation, increased sales, business development, employee relations, and product service and quality. In addition, the organization must demonstrate good business ethics, corporate citizenship and excellent customer service.

Huron Country Playhouse is this year’s award recipient. Part of the award-winning Drayton Entertainment family, Huron Country Playhouse has provided area residents and visitors with 40 years of live entertainment and received this award for their continued investment in live entertainment in our community with their recent $4-million renovation and refurbishment of the Main Stage and Playhouse II theatres.  In addition, this award recognizes the Playhouse’s ongoing contribution to Canadian theatre, overall contribution to the business and cultural life of the area, provision of quality employment opportunities and innovative means of marketing and selling theatre.

Entrepreneur of the Year (Individual Award)

LeeAnn Powers – Grand Bend & Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2011 Entrepreneur of the Year award. Pictured here is LeeAnn Powers, who along with her husband Patrick Power, owns and operates the iconic Aunt Gussie’s Country Dining & Delectables. LeeAnn is also the great granddaughter of the original owners.

This year, this award is given to LeeAnn Powers of Aunt Gussies Country Dining & Delectables for her ongoing community involvement. Most of you will have heard of the Goderich tornado, which had a devastating affect on the community. LeeAnn’s highly successful fundraising efforts for tornado relief – through the provincial 2-for-1 matching program, raised $75,000!

LeeAnn truly embodies all the characteristics of this award and as one of my summer students said about Aunt Gussies – you’re just a breakfast away from a life-changing pancake experience!

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