DECEMBER 2019
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DECEMBER 2019
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COMOX VALLEY Manatee Holdings Cracks National List for Fastest Growing Companies
Vancouver Island WWW.BUSINESSEXAMINER.CA
When Business Meets Politics Tim Horton’s Owner Ed Mayne Enjoying Second Term As Parksville Mayor PAGE 9
BY MARK MACDONALD BUSINESS EXAMINER
DUNCAN Organic Growth Takes West Coast Evergreen to New Heights
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INDEX News Update Digital Marketing Port Alberni Nanaimo Parksville Cowichan Valley Comox Valley Campbell River Who Is Suing Whom Movers and Shakers Opinion
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ARKSVILLE – When Parksville Mayor Ed Mayne says he’s “taking care of business”, believe it. The second-term Council leader and his family owns three Tim Horton’s franchises, and his successful business background was undoubtedly one of the reasons he swept two-t h i rd s of t he mayoral vote in last year’s civic elections and made him Parksville’s mayor for the second time. It’s also helping him lead the city into a new era, riding an air of optimism. One of the first things Mayne did in his mandate is something he learned in business: Listen to your customers. He set up a Mayor’s Round Table in January, inviting 80 citizens from all walks of life, interests and income levels to participate in a day-long session with a professional moderator. “We wanted to hear from them about what they envisioned for
Ed Mayne is in his second term as Mayor of the City of Parksville Parksville in the next five years,” he says, adding the resulting summary included Five Points: 1. Affordable Housing 2. Public
Safety. 3. Doctors. 4. Recreation. 5. Economic Development. “These became our five objectives, and everyone on council
can rotate back to these steps regarding any issue, and stay focused on that what people told us they would like for us to do. This makes our jobs a lot easier.” Mayne holds “Coffee With The Mayor” every second Thursday at City Hall, when citizens can stop by and air their concerns, or just visit. “It’s the most fun part of my job,” he says, adding it helps him stay connected to citizens. “I get to talk and listen to people. You’re going to get complaints, but you also get some people who come by to say you’re doing a good job.” Quiet, friendly conversations with Qualicum Beach Mayor Brian Wiese have resulted in the recent announcement that both communities have reached an agreement to jointly operate one Fire Department for the Oceanside region. The streamlining of operations will eliminate cost and service duplications, while SEE ED MAYNE | PAGE 12
Judging Underway For Business Excellence Awards January 30 Grant Thornton LLP BE Awards Gala Set For Westin Bear Mountain Resort
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ANAIMO – Organizers of the 20th Annual Grant Thornton LLP Vancouver Island Business Excellence Awards have been busy gathering nomination information from businesses across the island for the annual celebration of the best of the best in Island business. “2019 has been good year for
business on Vancouver Island,” notes Mark MacDonald of Business Examiner, which coordinates the event, set for January 30 at the Westin Bear Mountain Resort in Victoria. “Every year, the quality and quantity of companies that take part in these awards is outstanding, and there are some outstanding, innovative companies
that have been nominated for the event this year. “These awards bring out new, exciting businesses and the judges’ job to determine winners in the categories is always a tough task.” Grant Thornton LLP is the Title Sponsor of the Awards, and along with Gold Sponsor RBC Royal Bank and Business Examiner, will
host a morning-after “Breakfast For Champions” business round table for winners of the event’s 17 categories. Black Press is a Platinum Medium Sponsor of the BE Awards this year. Categories this year are: ■ Automotive (car and truck SEE BE AWARDS | PAGE 17
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