Pet Planet owners Lee and Corinne Penner came to the Samuel McLeod Business Awards on Thursday hoping to win one award.

Instead, they left with two.

Pet Planet received the coveted Business of the Year Award during Thursday’s gala, beating out nominees Gem Denture Clinic and WillowGrove Pharmacy. They also walked away with the Business Transformation Award in recognition of the upgrades and renovations completed in 2021.

“It’s very humbling, especially to be recognized by your peers, and the customers,” Lee said following the ceremony at Plaza 88. “Our amazing staff have all worked together. It’s very humbling for us to win this award, especially with so many deserving people in the room.”

Corinne said they put a lot of work into transforming their business, and entered the ceremony hoping to win the Business Transformation Award. Taking home Business of the Year too was an unexpected surprise.

“It’s very exciting,” Corinne said. “Obviously, we can’t do it without our staff and our wonderful customers. They’re what makes us get up and go to work and do what we do every day. Really, this award is for them.”

Both Lee and Corinne said the last two years have been challenging ones for local businesses. With that in mind, they sought to use nothing but local contractors and suppliers for their renovations, regardless of the cost. Both said it was their way of giving back to the community during a challenging time.

“Renovating during a pandemic was a little bit tough, but being recognized as the Business of the Year, it’s almost like surviving COVID, and now we’re in the next stage,” Lee said. “We’re really looking forward to new opportunities coming to PA as well. It’s a place of tremendous growth.”

Pet Planet wasn’t the only double award-winner on Thursday. Mann-Northway dealer principle Mark Ripley was named Male Business Leader of the Year ahead of nominees Fred Matheson of Ted Matheson Men’s Wear and Michael Lypchuk of RE/MAX P.A. Realty.

Ripley was back onstage with his team not long after to accept the Marketing Award on the dealership’s behalf.

“Honestly, I was pretty humbled by it,” he said afterwards. “To be in a category with Freddie Matheson and Michael Lypchuk, you’re talking about some pretty high-pedigree people. Obviously, I was very excited, but I was very humbled as well.”

Like the Penners, Ripley was quick to credit his staff for the business’ success. He was proud to see his team recognized with the Marketing Award, since it vindicated their hard work over the past two years.

“The marketing one really feels like it’s a team effort,” he said. “That one I was very proud of. It was an opportunity to share all the hard work that my team and employees have put into marketing ourselves and branding ourselves in the community.

“I think we’ve done a pretty good job (over the last two years),” he added. “There have been some struggles for sure, but we’ve taken advantage of some of the situation too as well and bought a lot of vehicles. It goes back to having the right team and the effort that goes into every day to be successful.”

Female Business Leader of the Year dedicates award to much loved former employee

Like many of Thursday’s award winners, Coronet Hotel general manager Mona Selanders was quick to credit her employees for her success. However, Selanders singled out former front-desk attendant Livia Yakubchuk as someone who went above and beyond the call of duty.

Yakubchuk died unexpectedly on March 17 at the age of 64. Selanders described her as the perfect mix of friendliness, kindness, and assertiveness, and dedicated the Female Business Leader of the Year Award to her.

“She was fabulous,” Selanders said. “She remembered people’s names. She remembered where they were from. She knew what they needed. She knew what they wanted. She’d do anything she could, but she also said ‘no’ better than anybody I worked with, and that’s pretty high praise. Most people have trouble saying ‘no’ in a decent sort of way.”

Selanders said Yakubchuk’s death was surprising, and difficult for staff since they weren’t able to visit her in hospital before she passed away. Yakubchuk worked at the front desk for about 10 years, and will be missed for her ability to make friends with everyone.

“We miss her a lot,” Selanders said during her acceptance speech. “She was, at the front desk, our leader. She kept everything organized. She kept the customers organized. She kept me organized. We hope she’s having a good rest, wherever she may be.”

Selanders joins a long list of talented female business leaders who have won the award, but said she never thought of herself as a woman working in business. She said her first hospitality job taught her that it was more important to find people who did good work, regardless of their gender, and that’s something she carried with her for the rest of her career.

“Gender had little to do with the conversation,” she remembered. “Could you do the work? Can you unload the beer truck? Can you fix the dishwasher? Do you know when to call the electrician and when not to call the electrician. Those were the things (that mattered). It was never about what we were, gender-related, it was all about, ‘how do you do the job?’”

Sarah Graves of Gem Denture Clinic and Marianne Turcotte of Beau “Lac” Funeral Home were also nominated for the Female Business Leader of the Year Award.

2021 Samuel McLeod Business Award Winners:

• Business of the Year – Pet Planet

• Male Business Leader of the Year – Mark Ripley, Mann-Northway

• Female Business Leader of the Year – Mona Selanders, Coronet Hotel

• Business Transformation Award – Pet Planet

• Community Involvement Award – Lake Country Co-op

• Customer Service Award – Carlton Trail Hearing Clinic

• Marketing Award – Mann-Northway Chevrolet GMC Buick

• Best New Venture – Alumarine

• Non-Profit of the Year – Rotary Club of Prince Albert

• Young Entrepreneur of the Year – Amy Lamb, WillowGrove Pharmacy Prince Albert