Greg Wheeler (centre), the pharmacist and owner of Remedy Pharmacy in Oliver, was named the winner of the Entrepreneur of the Year at the South Okanagan Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards last Friday evening at the Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort and Spa in Osoyoos. Wheeler was presented with the award by Eastlink marketing manager Matthew Street (left) and new SOCC board president Brian Highley. Keith Lacey Photo.
A veteran pharmacist, successful funeral home, established and popular credit union and burgeoning hospitality business shared the spotlight during the 2015 South Okanagan Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards.
A contingent of about 50 business owners and employees gathered this past Friday evening at the Spirit Ridge Vineyard Spa and Resort for the annual business excellence awards.
The winners included Nunes-Pottinger Funeral Service and Crematorium for Small Business of the Year (one to six employees), Vintage Hospitality Management for top large business (seven plus employees), Greg Wheeler, the longtime owner of Remedy’s Pharmacy in Oliver for Entrepreneur of the Year and Osoyoos Credit Union for Best Workplace Environment.
Wheeler received one of the loudest rounds of applause during the evening while accepting his award for top entrepreneur.
“I never thought you would pick a drug dealer,” said Wheeler jokingly during his acceptance speech.”
Wheeler, who recently sold a pharmacy he owned in Penticton and is about to open a new store in West Kelowna in the next couple of weeks, said he got his start in the pharmaceutical industry at the same store he now owns in Oliver.
He had just graduated from the pharmacy program at the University of British Columbia and was invited to pursue his career at the same pharmacy he now owns back in 1998.
Hiring quality staff has been a huge key to success at the store in Oliver, said Wheeler.
“You are only as successful as the people you surround yourself with,” he said. “And I’ve been lucky enough to have great people working with me since I took over this store. The skill and talent we have here in Oliver is amazing.”
Wheeler, who is the father of five teenage children, credited his wife for being a huge part of his success in business.
“Thank God for having such a loving, supportive and forgiving wife,” he said.
Other nominees for Entrepreneur of the Year included Dr. Chris Scheuren, an Osoyoos-based chiropractor and Ingrid Jarrett, the general manager of the Watermark Beach Resort hotel facility in downtown Osoyoos.
Michelle Quail, the business development officer for the Osoyoos Credit Union, said she and the entire staff of 25 full and part-time employees at the credit union, were thrilled to be inaugural recipients of the Best Workplace Environment award.
“We’re very excited because we truly are a family at the Osoyoos Credit Union and we do believe we have a tremendous workplace environment,” she said. “It’s also exciting to be the inaugural winner of this best workplace environment award.”
Osoyoos Credit Union has been providing quality service to its clients for almost 70 years and being able to be a big part of the Osoyoos business community for almost seven decades is something all of the employees are very proud of, said Quail.
Other nominees for the Best Workplace Environment award includes Expert Hearing Solutions, the Watermark Beach Resort and Hester Creek Estate Winery.
Doug Keeler, the owner of Vintage Hospitality Management Services, said his company has come a long way in nine short years since establishing roots in the South Okanagan.
Vintage Hospitality now owns and operates the Sonora Room at Burrowing Owl Estates Winery, the Gun Barrel Saloon and Restaurant at Apex Mountain ski resort in Penticton and the new Liquidity Bistro Restaurant in Okanagan Falls. Providing quality service and outstanding food and wine have been the key to success at all three businesses owner and operated by Vintage Hospitality, said Keeler.
“We aim to provide unique culinary experiences at all three of our restaurants in the area,” he said. “The support we’ve received in the community has been outstanding and allowed our business to grow and prosper.”
Vintage Hospitality is continually looking to expand its operations and would like to add another location in the coming months, said Keeler.
The other finalists for Best Large Business included the Watermark Beach Resort and Osoyoos Credit Union.
Darren Pottinger, who became a full partner with John Nunes at Nunes-Pottinger Funeral and Crematorium, said he and his partner are humbled by winning the award for Best Small Business.
“It’s a great honour,” he said. “We could never have done this without the tremendous support of the community.
“The community has been hugely supportive of our business over these past many years and we couldn’t have done any of this without their constant support.”
Other finalists for Best Small Business were Expert Hearing Solutions (Oliver) and Jane Long Chartered Accountants (Osoyoos).
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
