Love is everywhere at Baffin chamber business awards

Albert Netser, co-CEO of the Arctic Fresh Group of Companies, celebrated his 46^th birthday by picking up the Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year award.

As he stood onstage at the Aqsarniit hotel’s ballroom with company founder Rhoda Recinos and general manager Evan Schellenberg, the crowd of about 250 people serenaded him with Happy Birthday.

The Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce presented its Excellence in Business awards Thursday at a gala dinner, marking the end of the four-day Nunavut Trade show in Iqaluit.

Igloolik-based Arctic Fresh was recognized for its business growth, operational resilience and impactful service delivery tailored to northern communities, a list of recipients provided by the chamber of commerce said.

Netser emphasized the company works as a team.

“If we could showcase anything about Arctic Fresh, it is looking out for one another,” he said in an acceptance speech. He quoted the Bible verse from 1 Corinthians about love being patient and kind.

“We all have some imperfection within the team, but we learn to work with one another,” he said. “We put love for the people in the middle. And that truly is our business.”

The chamber of commerce gave five awards — for Businessperson of the Year, Business of the Year, Special Achievement Award, and two Lifetime Achievement Awards.

The late Rhoda Cunningham, who started Innirvik Support Services, an Inuktitut translation and interpretation company, received a Lifetime Achievement Award. Her husband Duncan and daughter Alexandra Cunningham accepted the award.

Rhoda Cunningham was a teacher, writer, translator, and a role model for Inuit women, her husband said.

“Her hard work and dedication was a breath of fresh air for the entire community,” Duncan Cunningham said.

Glenn Cousins also received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his decades of work at Kakivak Association, where he supported Inuit business development. He was not able to attend Thursday’s ceremony because he is in the south for cancer treatment, said his son Max Cousins, who accepted the award on his father’s behalf.

Max Cousins relayed his father’s message that it was an honour to work with so many people in Iqaluit’s business community.

“He’s not always the best at taking credit, but he’s given a lot and accomplished a lot for his community, and we’re very proud of him for it,” he said.

Kirt Ejesiak, owner of Sedna ROV Services which uses underwater drones to generate images of the seabed around Nunavut, was named Businessperson of the Year for his entrepreneurial vision and innovation.

Nunavut Nukkiksautiiit Corp. CEO Heather Shilton accepted a Special Achievement Award on behalf of her company.

She said Nunavut Nukkiksautiiit Corp.’s planned hydroelectricity generator 60 kilometres northeast of Iqaluit will make Nunavut stronger by reducing the city’s reliance on diesel.

“Once we have access to affordable, reliable and abundant energy, the sky’s limit for Nunavummiut,” she said.