Safe-Ceremony wins massive at Kelowna Enterprise Excellence Awards

Secure-Rite Mobile Storage was recognized not just for its business progress, but its social consciousness, at Thursday’s 33rd annual Kelowna Business Excellence Awards.

Secure-Rite picked up the trophy for mid-size business of the year as well as the social leadership award.

“We are so honoured,” said Secure-Rite owner and president Lucas Griffin.

“We would like to thank the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce for their diligence, their efforts throughout the process and for coordinating an exciting (and safe) gala.”

</who>Secure-Rite president and owner Lucas Griffin is proud of his company’s wins in the mid-sized business of the year and social leadership categories.” class=”img-responsive” src=”https://news.google.com/files /files/images/Lucas%20Griffin.jpg” style=”margin: 5px;”/></p>
<p>Because of COVID, the awards ceremony was virtual with finalists tuning in to see who would win.</p>
<p>Secure-Rite was the only finalist to emerge with multiple awards.</p>
<p>Big White Ski Resort won for excellence in tourism and is part of the Okanagan Bucketlist that picked up the marketing campaign of the year award along with Predator Ridge Golf Resort, Mission Hill Winery, Eldorado Resort and Sparkling Hill Resort.</p>
<p>Founded 16 years ago in Kelowna by Griffin, Secure-Rite now has multiple locations in BC and Alberta selling and renting shipping containers for mobile storage, mobile offices and mobile homes.</p>
<p>The social leadership win was acknowledgment of the Secure-Rite teaming giving back of time, money and product for the Southern Interior United Way, Kelowna Animal Food Bank, Fill the Container Pet Food Drive and Alberta Cancer Foundation.</p>
<p>As it’s grown, Secure-Rite has been an excellence awards winner through the years picking up the Rising Star accolade in 2007 and the small business of the year trophy in 2013.</p>
<p><img alt=Founded in Kelowna 16 years ago, Secure-Rite now has multiple locations in BC and Alberta selling and renting shipping containers for mobile storage, mobile offices and even mobile homes.” class=”img-responsive” src=”https://news .google.com/files/files/images/securerite.jpg” style=”margin: 5px;”/>

The large business of the year category is always closely watched.

This year the award went to Highstreet Ventures, the builder and operator of apartment complexes such as Mission Flats in Kelowna, Carrington View and Carrington Place in West Kelowna, Skaha Shore in Penticton and Creekview Heights in Vernon.

</who>Scott Butler is CEO of Highstreet Ventures, the land development firm that won large business of the year at the 33rd annual Kelowna Business Excellence Awards.” class=”img-responsive” src=”https://news.google.com/files /files/images/Scott%20Butler(1).jpg” style=”margin: 5px;”/></p>
<p>Brandon Panopoulos was heralded as young entrepreneur of the year.</p>
<p>He’s had a rapid rise, joining TKI Construction 10 years ago and then buying the company in 2017.</p>
<p>TKI built the Cheeba Cheeba cannabis stores in Kelowna and West Kelowna, Blenz Coffee at the Okanagan Innovation Centre, the Child Advocacy Center in Kelowna and the Urgent & Primary Care Center in Vernon.</p>
<p><img alt=TKI Construction owner Brandon Panopoulos was named young entrepreneur of the year.” class=”img-responsive” src=”https://news.google.com/files/files/images/Brandon%20Panopoulos(1).jpg” style =”margin: 5px;”/>

Laurel Douglas was announced as business leader of the year a week before as a way of generating hype about the awards.

Douglas is executive director of the Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust, and formerly the CEO of the Women’s Enterprise Centre.

</who>Laurel Douglas, executive director of the Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust, was named business leader of the year.” class=”img-responsive” src=”https://news.google.com/files/files/images/Laurel% 20Douglas(1).jpg” style=”margin: 5px;”/></p>
<p>In all, the Kelowna Business Excellence Awards saw trophies handed out in 14 categories.</p>
<p>Large business of the year (51-plus employees)</p>
<p>  – High Street Ventures</p>
<p>Mid-sized business of the year (16 to 50 employees)</p>
<p>  – Secure-Rite Mobile Storage</p>
<p>Small business of the year (one to 15 employees)</p>
<p>  – Portia-Ella clean cosmetics</p>
<p>Business leaders of the year</p>
<p>  – Laurel Douglas of the Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust</p>
<p>Young entrepreneur of the year</p>
<p>  – Brandon Panopoulos of TKI Construction</p>
<p>Rising star (for a business operating less than three years)</p>
<p>  – Shambhu’s Spice House Cuisine of India</p>
<p>Excellence in tourism</p>
<p>  – Big White Ski Resort</p>
<p>Technology innovator of the year</p>
<p>  – Hybrid elevators</p>
<p>Marketing campaign of the year</p>
<p>  – Okanagan Bucket List (Mission Hill Winery, Eldorado Resort, Big White Ski Resort, Predator Ridge Golf Resort and Sparkling Hill Resort)</p>
<p>social leadership</p>
<p>  – Secure-Rite Mobile Storage</p>
<p>Ethics in business</p>
<p>  – Inspire Property Management</p>
<p>Inclusive workplace</p>
<p>  – Hampton Pools & Landscape</p>
<p>Arts and entertainment achievement</p>
<p>  – Kelowna Pride Society</p>
<p>Not for profit excellence</p>
<p>  – The Bridge Youth & Family Services</p>
<p>To watch a recorded broadcast of the Kelowna Business Excellence Awards, go to Kelowna Now’s Facebook page.</p>
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