The 128th annual Business Excellence Awards were presented by the Chatham-Kent Chamber of Commerce on Thursday night.
Mike and Sue Korpan are the Entrepreneurs of the Year, and Sue hopes the recognition will give their business, Early Acres Estate Winery, a boost.
"I'm hoping that it brings a little more attention to our place and to a local establishment, so that more people buy local and stay local and find all the little hidden gems that are here locally," she says.
Mike Korpan wants to see the "buy local" movement grow.
"It's a spinoff," he says. "If you buy local everything stays in the circle and if you can do that, the community builds up. It gets to be a better community and stronger."
Erieau Marina was named Corporate Citizen of the Year while Kent and Essex Mutual Insurance was named Business of the Year.
Citizen of the Year is Jennifer Wilson, and Industry of the Year was presented to Dajcor Aluminum Ltd.
Jeff McFadden of JM Controls and Electric Ltd. was given the Young Entrepreneur/Professional of the Year, and the Youth Entrepreneur went to Jacklyn Janssen.
