The accolades keep rolling in for a pair of Whistler businesses.
At the Small Business BC (SBBC) Awards on Feb. 26, Nonna Pia's Balsamic Reductions was named Best Company while Pepe Barajas and Infinity Enterprises Group were named Best Immigrant Entrepreneur.
"It was fantastic. First and foremost we were just honoured to be one of the top five finalists, but then to get it we were just over the moon," said Norm Strim of Nonna Pia's.
Nonna Pia's was featured on CBC's Dragons' Den in November 2014, where they inked a deal with two of the show's investors David Chilton and Arlene Dickenson.
In 2015, Nonna Pia's plans to expand to the U.S. market in a big way.
"In the next few months we're hoping to see ourselves in some of the bigger chains in California and actually in Texas too," said Norm's wife Natasha.
For Pepe Barajas and Infinity Enterprises, the SBBC recognition comes after being named "Rising Star of the Year" at last year's Whistler Excellence Awards.
"It really means a lot, because it reinforces the commitment that I have towards my employees to become a better leader for them every day," Barajas said.
"It also means I can share it with them. I may have received the award but it was only possible due to the tremendous effort that they all put into the businesses every single day."
Whistler's Canadian Wilderness Adventures and RDC Fine Homes were both top-five finalists for the Best Employer Award.
Nonna Pia's was also a top-five finalist for the Premier's People's Choice Award.
Pick up the Pique on Thursday for more.
