2021 Whistler Excellence Awards Winners

Innovative leaders shared the spotlight with long-time community cultivators at the virtual Whistler Excellence Awards on Thursday, September 16, 2020.  The 10th annual community awards gala, recognizing and honouring Whistler’s most excellent, aired as a YouTube Premiere for the second year in a row. The captivating premiere captured and highlighted the successes of Whistler’s outstanding community leaders!

Hosted by the Whistler Chamber and presented by BlueShore Financial with community partners the Whistler Arts Council, Whistler Community Foundation and AWARE, the awards honoured excellence in the areas of service, innovation, sustainability, outstanding leadership in the arts, business and community service. New this year, the evening also celebrated the resilience Whistler businesses have shown during the COVID-19 pandemic with the Resilient Business of the Year Award.

“All winners, finalists and nominees of this year’s awards embody a remarkable dedication to leadership and business excellence, and are incredibly deserving of this recognition.  In fact, every person in every business, deserves an award this year! It has been an honour for our team at the Whistler Chamber to host these awards once again, and to bring our community together to celebrate the success of local businesses leaders,” said Melissa Pace, CEO of the Whistler Chamber of Commerce. “New this year, we introduced the Resilient Business of the Year Award to recognize the resilience and determination that our business community has shown during the pandemic. Each of these businesses have a unique story to tell on how they have overcome the incredible challenges of the last year.”

Inspired by the work of Whistler Community Services Society, Whistler’s first responders and frontline workers, the evening celebrated the theme “Together” to recognize the connection and collaboration that has come out of the challenges of the pandemic. In a poetic tribute, Jack Crompton celebrated the hard work, passion and dedication of all the first responders and front line workers and expressed how deeply inspired he is by how the community has come together over the past 18 months.

The Whistler Chamber is pleased to announce the overall winners for the 2021 Whistler Excellence Awards:

Business Person of the Year  |  Presented by BDO Canada  |  Jerry & Sana Marsh, Creekside Market

Citizen of the Year  |  Presented by Race & Company LLP  |  Karin Kausky

Innovative Business of the Year  |  Presented by Beedie Living  |  Bluebird Strategy/WNORTH

Rising Star of the Year  |  Presented by Hotel Association of Whistler  |  Padraic O’Rourke -Fairmont Chateau Whistler

Whistler Experience Service – Large Business  |  Presented by Whistler Blackcomb |  Portobello

Whistler Experience Service – Small Business  |  Presented by Reactive Design  |  Whistler Medical Clinic

Sustainability in Action Business  |  Presented by Cascade Environmental Resource Group Ltd  |  Whistler Community Services Society

Whistler Champion of Arts & Culture   |  Presented by The Whistler Real Estate Company Ltd  | Dave Petko – Black Ohm Tattoo

*New for 2021* Resilient Business of the Year  |  Presented by BCIT  | Whistler Blackcomb