MBiz

Winners' Circle The 2012 Manitoba Business Awards The 2012 Manitoba Business Award winners were the toast of the town at a gala celebration of excellence at the Fairmont Winnipeg Oct. 18. We salute the winners. Standard Aero (Long-Term Business Achievement in Winnipeg) The Sopwith Camel had yet to be invented when Standard Aero launched as Standard Machine Works in 1911. Its roots in Winnipeg and more than a century of success as it grew into one of the largest, independent aviation service businesses in the world earned it a spot on the MBiz stage. A leader in military, commercial and business aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul, Standard Aero has more than 1,400 employees in Winnipeg and operates a global service network in Canada, the U.S., Europe, Singapore and Australia. www.standardaero.com Finalists: Poulin's Pest Control, Westeel. Hemp Oil Canada (Outstanding Small Business) A true trailblazer, Hemp Oil Canada hit the ground running in March 1998, incorporating in the same month hemp cultivation was legalized in Canada. An innovative approach to creating a niche market led to rapid growth. Today, 21 employees at its Ste. Agathe seed processing facility produce, package and distribute hemp food products to global markets. www.hempoilcan.com Finalists: Brandon Wheat Kings, Half Pints Brewing Co. 6 MBiz November 2012 by Pat St. Germain Murray Automotive Centre, Brandon (Long-Term Business Achievement in Rural Manitoba) Born in Souris during the Roaring '20s, Murray Automotive Centre has set the pace in vehicle sales and service for 85 years. Now based in Brandon, the third-generation family-owned company has 20 dealerships and more than 1,000 employees across Canada. www.murrayautogroup.ca Finalists: Elias Woodwork, Smooth Freight. Tribal Wi-Chi-Way-Win Capital Corp. (Outstanding Medium Business) Committed to providing opportunities for aboriginal entrepreneurs, Tribal Wi-Chi-Way-Win Capital Corp. was established in 1993 through the combined efforts of five Manitoba Tribal Councils and several independent First Nations. It has provided financial advice and services to more than 725 First Nations innovators, along with more than $45 million in loans. www.twcc.mb.ca Finalists: Epic Information Systems, Gislason, Taragownik and Peters. Bison Transport (Outstanding Large Business) Named for the hardy, social animal that symbolizes the pioneering prairie spirit, Bison Transport has been based in Winnipeg since 1969. With a fleet of 1,050 tractors and 3,000 trailers, along with 1,800 employees, Bison's transportation services now range throughout North America. www.bisontransport.com Finalists: Cargill Ltd., HyLife Ltd.

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