Aboriginal expertise recognized in Alberta business awards nominations

Sunchild E-Learning Community is thrilled to be one of three nominations for the Eagle Feather Business Award in this year’s Alberta Business Awards of Distinction.
“We were very excited, especially after we saw the quality of the corporations that we were nominated with. They are all very distinguished companies. So we are very honoured,” said Dr. Martin Sulcher, CEO of the Sunchild E-Learning Community.

The Eagle Feather Business Award is given to a 100 per cent Aboriginal-owned company that excels in its area of expertise.

Sunchild E-Learning Community is joined as nominee for the Eagle Feather Business Award by Aseniwuche Development Corporation (Grand Cache), Lesser Slave Lake Management Services (Slave Lake), and The Sawridge Group of Companies (Edmonton). The award is sponsored by Indian and Northern Affairs of Canada.
“Financial liability, as well as what (the company) does in their community, what they are involved in outside of the actual business is looked at,”said Tracy Elofson, manager of events for the Alberta Chambers of Commerce, which sponsors the awards.

According to Sulcher, the overall validation that this particular Eagle Feather Award credits to small businesses provides a strength and solidity to the company and a value to the Aboriginal community.
Sulcher hopes that this recognition will help Sunchild E-Learning, which operates out of Rocky Mountain House, to better market itself and create more opportunities. Sunchild E-Learning is dedicated to increasing the Aboriginal education level by providing on-line courses via cyber-school.

The nomination process rests heavily on the achievements of the nominated company within the past three years, as well as the community and First Nations involvement, whether it is through business planning, management or the operation of the business.

There are 11 Alberta Business Awards of Distinction, three of which highlight Aboriginal-related achievements.

Vying for the Aboriginal Women Entrepreneur Award  (sponsored by Alberta Aboriginal Relations) are Isabell Ringenoldus, TAWS Security Ltd.; Janice Laroque, Spirit Staffing and Consulting; and Tammy Charland-McLaughlin, Primco Dene LP. Nominated in the Aboriginal Relations Best Practice Award of Distinction (sponsored by INAC) are PTI Group Inc., RBC Royal Bank, TransCanada Corp., and United Protection Services Inc.
This year’s Diversity Leadership includes one Aboriginal nominee, Ghost River Rediscovery Society, while the Youth Entrepreneur category includes two Aboriginal nominees: Colby Delorme (NATION Imagination, the Aboriginal Gift Company) and Massey Whiteknife, ICEIS Safety.

Each category has its own sponsor who determines the finalists and the overall winner.  Winners receive a trophy and a dinner out.

“People can nominate themselves, that is something a lot of people don’t realize, it must be our modest Canadian background,” said Elofson.

The majority of the companies that make up Alberta businesses are 80 per cent small businesses.

The awards gala, which marks the 20th annual ceremony, will be held on March 4, at the Marriott River Cree Resort in Enoch.