It was a night to celebrate Estevan business as the 2017 EBEX awards were handed out. 

Before the hardware was distributed, attendees dined on a delicious prime rib and stuffed chicken meal.  

Joe Billsberger (right), Young Entrepreneur and Lori Naka, Affinity Credit Union Branch Manager.

Congratulations to all the winners and nominees who make Estevan and the surrounding a great place to live and work. 

Young Entrepreneur sponsored by Affinity Credit Union
- Joe Billesberger – B&S Construction/Prairie Sky Kitchens

"I find (business) is picking up now. We've also expanded to Carlyle. We work with the mines, we do commercial, residential, maintenance. We've been able to make it through the downturn and we're doing fine now."

Outstanding Service sponsored by Access Communications
- Pharmasave 427

Outstanding Employee sponsored by Bear Claw Casino & Hotel

Michelle Smart (right), Outstanding Employee and ECOC Executive Director Jackie Wall

- Michelle Smart – Southern Plains Co-operative Ltd.

"With our branding team, we get together once a month, we come up with awesome, great ideas. Team leaders, they're so supportive, any ideas that come up they say just go for it. That gives me the energy. Great team members that I work with, love them to death, they're all great to work with."

Community Involvement sponsored by Inland Audio Video

- Southern Plains Co-operative Ltd.

"It was great to be one of the nominees and there's a lot of great businesses in the community that can be nominees. This is something that we've been working towards for years. To be part of the community, it's meted in our mission to be the fabric of the community we serve. (Brian Enns, General Manager)

Business of the Year sponsored by MNP
- Brent Gedak Welding 

(L-R) Jay Bundus, Signpatico Account Executive and Brent and Janelle Gedak, Business of The Year and Growth and Expansion Award.

"I was taught from my dad as an apprentice growing up, and it really came down to what I wanted to do in life, and that was to be a leader and be able to do more with the business than what I can do myself. I really lean on my team members. My wife, she's been a big part of our business with the financials and helping to make those tough decisions whether it's growth or employees or what direction we want to go. And the team has been with me, I've had some who have been with me all ten years. It's been fun. 

"I'd like to be a big part of the community too. I see that my times will come when I'll be able to step up and do those things. We've tried from year one in business to year ten now. Someday I want to be a mentor too and if I can help young entrepreneurs become that, then that's something I want to do."

New Business Venture sponsored by Community Futures Sunrise

- Encompass Fitness 

Brady Johnson, Encompass Fitness (left), New Business Venture Award and Verna O'Neil, GM Community Futures Sunrise.

"It's such an honor. It's a blessing to go to work every day and do what I love, and just pour into our staff and members, and really try to make a positive contribution to the community." (Brady Johnson)

Growth and Expansion sponsored by Signpatico
- Brent Gedak Welding Ltd.

"We've persevered through some ups and downs for the last ten years in business. The last seven were good, we had a little bump in the road and in the last three years in the economy, we decided that we're going to push forward and go into some new areas. Whether that's potash, or SaskPower and the community itself, we do a lot of work in the City of Estevan. " (Brent Gedak)

 

Business Hall of Fame sponsored by Estevan Chamber of Commerce
- Ed Turnbull - Turnbull Excavating Ltd.

Ed Turnbull and Turnbull Excavating were inducted into the Nick and Verna Morsky Hall of Fame.

"It feels great, I never expected anything like this. I never took myself as a Hall of Famer in business. Business has always been challenging and we're in challenging times again here now and we're up for the challenge. We've never been afraid of challenge. Estevan has been the key for us. We moved here in the sixties and we came here for opportunity and Estevan is full of it. We've seen some ups and downs but we live in a great place. 

Before the awards ceremony, Ray and Doris Frehlick were recognized for their contributions to the business commnunity in southeast Saskatchewan and in 2016, Prairie Mud Services was inducted into the ABEX Business Hall of Fame.

READ MORE: Nominees Announced For 2017 EBEX Awards

RED MORE: PICTURES: 3rd Annual EBEX Awards