THUNDER BAY -- Sandi Boucher considered it a win when she saw her name on the list of nominees for the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce’s Business Person of the Year Award.
When her picture graced the screen and her name was announced as the award's winner on Saturday night, she was so overwhelmed she thought it must have been a mistake.
“It’s so encouraging. It’s confirmation of everything I believe in,” said the owner of Traditionally Speaking.ca Indigenous Speakers Network.
“As an indigenous person, this just echoes through the Indigenous community and now so many of our youth will take inspiration from this. So many people will realize it’s possible for them. This just confirms everything I’ve been saying for seven years: we can do this. We can be successful without giving up who we are.”
Boucher’s company took off in 2015 when she was awarded PARO’s Aboriginal Entrepreneur of the Year Award. What began as a local and regional public speaking company had become national and the recognition landed her company its first international gig in Finland and speaking on cross-cultural relationships at a United Nations event.
With the chamber's support behind her, Boucher intends to take the business back into First Nations communities.
“The Indigenous communities are still struggling,” she said.
“Our youth are still dying, our women are still going missing. This just raised my profile so I can reach way more people a lot faster.”
All winners of the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce 22nd annual Business Excellence Awards on Saturday night at the Victoria Inn are posted below.
HONOURARY MEMBER
Eric Long
CHARLES J CARTER
Cliff Friesen
BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD
Sponsored by: Ambassadors Northwest
Sandi Boucher, Traditionally Speaking.ca Indigenous Speaker’s Network
COMMITMENT TO QUALITY AWARDS
Sponsored by: Performance Kia
Finnish Book Store/The Kitchen Nook
BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARD - SMALL
Sponsored by: Gillons* Insurance
Crock-N-Dial Sandwiches
BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARD – MEDIUM
Sponsored by: Weiler, Maloney, Nelson
Daytona’s Kitchen and Creative Catering
BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARD - LARGE
Sponsored by: BDO Canada LLP
Chartwell Thunder Bay Retirement Residence
CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD
Sponsored by: Fort William Historical Park
Take A Hike
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AWARD
Sponsored by: Ontario Power Generation
Sleeping Giant Brewing Co.
LEADERSHIP IN DIVERSITY & SOCIAL INCLUSION AWARD
Sponsored by: Bombardier
PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise
LOOKING GOOD AWARD
Sponsored by: Grand Portage Lodge & Casino
Impact Promotions
NEW BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARD
Sponsored by: RBC Royal Bank
Nurse Next Door
NOT FOR PROFIT EXCELLENCE AWARD
Sponsored by: OLG Casino Thunder Bay
Roots to Harvest
QUALITY OF LIFE AWARD
Sponsored by: Thunder Bay CEDC/Entrepreneur Centre
Copperfin Credit Union
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AWARD
Sponsored by: Thunder Bay Hydro
Staal Foundation Open, Whitewater Golf Club & Fort William Historical Park
TOURISM PARTNERSHIP AWARD
Sponsored by: City of Thunder Bay
Fort William Historical Park
