Sault biz named Northern company of the year

NEWS RELEASES

TULLOCH ENGINEERING/NORTHERN ONTARIO BUSINESS AWARDS

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Tulloch Engineering named company of the year

SAULT STE. MARIE -TULLOCH Engineering is pleased to announce that it has been awarded Company of the Year (51+ Employees) by Northern Ontario Business Awards (NOBA).

For 30 years, the NOBA Awards have served to heighten the visibility and influence of business in the north, and bring peer recognition to the business leaders who create prosperity and economic growth. Awards include: Company of the Year in three categories, Entrepreneur of the Year, Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Entrepreneurial Community, First Nations Business Award of Excellence, Innovation, Export and Judges’ Choice.

A respected panel of judges from across Northern Ontario is brought together to adjudicate the many nominations. They are asked to look at all aspects of business performance, from customer service and community involvement to human resource management and future planning.

“TULLOCH is honored to be named Company of the Year in the over 51 employee category,” said Mark Tulloch, CEO TULLOCH Engineering. “With eight of our ten branch offices based in Northern Ontario, including Sault Ste. Marie, it is fair to say that we have been extensively engaged in business activities within the region and are proud to have employed hundreds of Northern Ontarians.”

What Differentiates TULLOCH?

Over 25 years ago, TULLOCH Engineering was established as a small consulting survey practice with seven staff and an office in Thessalon, Ontario. Since then, TULLOCH has grown into a multi-disciplinary engineering firm employing over 275 professional and technical staff providing planning, surveying, engineering and environmental services to the government and private sectors across Canada and internationally.

“Alongside the organic growth of TULLOCH, we have purchased Northern Ontario based businesses at a steady pace − growing market share, creating wealth, and creating employment opportunities,” added Mark. “We are also actively engaged in the communities in which we operate and place a high value on each and every one of our employees.”

TULLOCH donates 10 per cent of its profits back to local community organizations and charities. TULLOCH also makes a point of giving back 25 per cent of its profits to its employee base. Among such initiatives, TULLOCH takes its staff (and their families) on an appreciation vacation every five years. Employees also benefit from annual (non-contractual) bonuses; employee development opportunities, and the option to convert unused sick time into vacation days.

“It’s no surprise that TULLOCH is viewed by many as a leader in the field,” said Barb Tuomi, long time Administrative Assistant with TULLOCH and Nominator of TULLOCH for the Company of the Year Award. “After all, an appreciated employee equals happy customers and a successful bottom line.”

More about the Awards

NOBA has become the largest annual gathering of its kind in Northern Ontario since it was launched in 1986. The 2016 event took place in Sudbury and was co-hosted by Sudbury Mayor Brian Bigger and Northern Ontario Business Former Publisher Patricia Mills. Eastlink TV will showcase the winners in a television documentary to be aired Thursday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 14 at 11 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 15 at 9:30 a.m. and Sunday, Oct. 16 at 3 p.m.

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30th Annual Northern Ontario Business Award winners announced

SUDBURY – Northern Ontario’s business community toasted the achievements of three outstanding individuals and eight remarkable companies at the 30th anniversary of the Northern Ontario Business Awards (NOBA) at the Caruso Club in Sudbury Thursday night.

A capacity crowd of over 500 was moved and inspired by the stories of the 2016 award winners as ten business awards were presented: Company of the Year in three categories, Entrepreneur of the Year, Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Entrepreneurial Community, First Nations Business Award of Excellence, Innovation, Export and Judges’ Choice. The $3,000 Union Gas Essay Scholarship was also presented.

Each year, a respected panel of judges from across Northern Ontario is brought together to adjudicate the many nominations. They are asked to look at all aspects of business performance, from customer service and community involvement to human resource management and future planning. This year’s judges were: Tom Laughren, director of corporate responsibility - Lakeshore Gold (Timmins); Mark Sherry, president - Stroma Service Consulting Inc. (North Bay); Jeff Fuller, president - Fuller Industrial (Sudbury); and Cliff Friesen, former executive vice president – Bearskin Airlines (Thunder Bay).  Dr. Stephen Monet – manager of environmental planning, City of Greater Sudbury judged the Union Gas Essay Scholarship. 

NOBA has become the largest annual gathering of its kind in Northern Ontario since it was launched in 1986.  For 30 years, these awards have served to heighten the visibility and influence of business in the north and bring peer recognition to the business leaders who create prosperity and economic growth.  The 2016 event was co-hosted by Sudbury Mayor Brian Bigger and Northern Ontario Business Former Publisher Patricia Mills. Eastlink TV will showcase the winners in a television documentary to be aired Thursday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 14 at 11 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 15 at 9:30 a.m. and Sunday, Oct. 16 at 3 p.m.

2016 NOBA Winners

Company of the Year 1-15 Employees

Winner:  Northern Truss (Moonbeam)

Sponsored by: CIBC

In 1988, Luc Bouchard, a 25 year old father of three took a gamble on an idea, mortgaging his home to raise the funds to start his own business. Twenty eight years later, that gamble has more than paid off, as Northern Truss is still going strong and offering employment opportunities for young people in a small Northern town.

Company of the Year 16-50 Employees

Winner:  Morin Industrial Coatings Ltd. (Lively)

Sponsored by: OLG

Rick Morin was driving to work one day 15 years ago, when he viewed a cloud of dust lofting from his sand-blasting shop. That day, he became an agent of change and today this specialized and diversified industrial blasting and coatings company is recognized for its commitment to recycling and reclamation.

Company of the Year 51+ Employees 

Winner: Tulloch Engineering (Huntsville)

Sponsored by: Northern Credit Union

Twenty-five years ago, this consulting survey practice started with seven employees. It now has more than 275 employees in 10 offices across the province, with another sizable acquisition in the offing this fall, putting the company well on its way to becoming the leading provider of surveying and geomatic services in Ontario. 

Entrepreneur of the Year

Winner:  Pat Dubreuil (Sudbury/Dubreuilville)

Sponsored by: Kia Canada

This year’s Entrepreneur of the Year was inspired by his grandfather’s and father’s legacy of risk and initiative in the business world. Pat Dubreuil is the owner of the Relais Magpie Relay, a haven for snowmobilers across North America. Now he is helping consult on a plan to market the North as the ‘world’s best snowmobiling destination’.

Young Entrepreneur of the Year

Winner: Pipat Sripimolphan (North Bay)

Sponsored by:  Laurentian University

 An electrical engineer by training, Pipat Sripimolphan started a new life in Canada in 2003. Thirteen years later, he has honed his skills in the hospitality industry as a successful four time restaurateur who continues to introduce new dining experiences to the people of the North.

Innovation Award

Winner: Haasen Farms Ltd. (Timmins)

Sponsored by: Huntington University

Innovation is integral to the sustainability of Haasen Farms and though it’s been part of the dairy farm for about five years, the state of the art technology employed still raises eyebrows every now and then when people learn robots are milking the cows.

First Nations Business Award of Excellence 

Winner:  Waubetek Business Development Corp. (Birch Island)

Sponsored by: Ontario Power Generation

The First Nation owned and operated business financing and economic development organization has invested more than $70 million in some 3,000 Aboriginal businesses. Their clientele has grown from a handful of small business owners, to a thriving sector providing employment through-out the region.

Entrepreneurial Community of the Year

Winner:  Northern Centre for Advanced Technology (Sudbury) 

Sponsored by: Air Canada

If there is a mantra to be followed at NORCAT, it might be: What’s next? Since its founding in 1995, this not-for-profit innovation centre has created, nurtured and celebrated a culture of innovation, safety and efficiency while promoting an entrepreneurial mindset that’s made it one of the cornerstones of the mining supply sector.

Judges' Choice Award

Winner: Maestro Mine Ventilation (Sudbury)

Sponsored by:  TD Canada Trust

Motivated by concern for the health and safety of miners, Michael Gribbons and David Ballantyne weren’t seeking financial success when they designed an air quality monitoring and control system. Raised in multi-generational mining families, both felt there was an unresolved issue to address with hardrock mining.

Export Award

Winner: Centric Mining Systems (Sudbury)

Sponsored by:  Export Development Canada

From the beginning, the owner of this information management company knew he had to take a global approach and tap into the export market. In 2005, Chris Novak began working on a deliverable software product. Today, the company has offices in West Australia and Indonesia with plans to expand to Central and South America.

Union Gas Essay Scholarship

Winner:  Devon Gavan (Sudbury) 

Sponsored by: Union Gas

Devon Gavan doesn’t preach about environmentalism, but it’s been on his mind since he was a young boy, looking up at one of Sudbury’s best known landmarks, the superstack. Now a first year mechanical engineering student at Laurentian University, he hopes to continue to explore alternative forms of sustainable energy. 

Mark your Calendars:  31st Annual NOBA – 2017 – in Timmins

The 31st annual Northern Ontario Business Awards will be held in the city with the heart of gold. For 2017, NOBA travels north to Timmins to recognize the important contributions of business to our economy and our communities. For more information on NOBA, contact Corissa Miles, Events Coordinator, 705-673-5705 ext. 304, 1-800-757-2766 or email inquiries to [email protected]  

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