30th Annual Business Excellence Awards Update
January 27, 2021
Delayed for a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Windsor-Essex Chamber of Commerce’s 30th annual Business Excellence Awards, presented by Windsor Star, will now take place Thursday May 20, 2021 at the Chrysler Theatre and St. Clair College Centre For The Arts.
Business Excellence Awards Committee Chair Jason Toner today provided event updates during a virtual news conference sponsored by Media Street Productions. For the first time, there will be a live stream as well as an invitation only component to the in-person portion of the Awards.
The live audience will be comprised of the three Award Finalists representing 10 different categories, Business Excellence Awards (BEA) Sponsors, committee members, on-stage presenters and respective guests. Marlene Corey, previously announced as the ATHENA Leadership Award winner for 2020-2021, as well as representatives from FARROW, already recognized as the Believe Windsor Essex Award winner, will also be in attendance.
Actual numbers will be based on COVID guidelines in place on Awards night, in accordance with Windsor Essex County Health Unit regulations, and will be adjusted as required.
Although capacity will be limited inside the Chrysler Theatre, the BEA’s will be available on a wider scale thanks to a special partnership with Cogeco, the exclusive Broadcast Sponsor. For the first time, the Awards will be streamed live on the YourTV Windsor YouTube channel, as part of a ticketing package. The broadcast will also be carried Live to local Cogeco television subscribers on YourTV starting at 7:00pm. As in past years, YourTV will rebroadcast the Awards several times.
The live stream is part of the new BEA Ticket Package announced today, which also includes a dinner voucher redeemable at a local restaurant and an exclusive BEA Gift Bag filled with items from sponsors and local makers. The new ticket packages will be available March 1st on the Chamber’s web site. Companies and individuals who purchased tickets for the BEA’s, originally scheduled for May 21, 2020, will be contacted by the BEA Committee with information on the new offerings.
The BEA Official Program, printed by the Windsor Star, will be distributed on May 13th and also available in a digital format. The program will be included in all BEA Gift Bags. Information on advertising opportunities is available from the Windsor Star.
As is tradition, the winners of ATHENA Leadership Award (sponsored by Bell) and the Believe Windsor Essex Award (sponsored by WFCU) have already been announced. Winners of the other 10 Awards however, will be a secret until names are revealed during the live event, produced by Media Street Productions. The three Finalists in each Award category will carry over from the event planned for last May, and can be found on the Chamber’s web site. All BEA sponsors are highlighted, including Motor City Community Credit Union, Grant Thornton, University of Windsor, University of Windsor Alumni Association, WFCU, RBC, Families First, Bell, Caesars Windsor, OLG, TD Canada Trust, Libro Credit Union, St. Clair College, Enbridge, ParkerDKI, BMO and Bell Media.
Gordon Orr, CEO of Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island, returns as MC of the Awards, the role he also held from 2004 to 2006.
Nominations for the 2022 Business Excellence Awards will open late summer; the date and venue will be announced soon by the BEA Committee, a volunteer group of local business professionals, entrepreneurs and community supporters.
The Business Excellence Awards are the premier business event of the year. They not only put the spotlight on local companies and individuals while celebrating their success, the BEA’s also engage and incorporate local suppliers, vendors and partners. For updates, follow WE Business Excellence Awards on Facebook, on Twitter @BEAwards20 and at #BEA20 on Instagram.
For more information on the 30th annual Business Excellence Awards, including sponsorship opportunities, please contact:
Keith Chinnery
Director of Membership Services
kchinnery@windsoressexchamber.org
(519) 966-3696 ext. 223
Jason Toner
Chair, Business Excellence Awards Committee
jtoner@tourismwindsoressex.com
519-253-3616 x4329