Surrey Board of Trade Women in Business Awards 2017 with Margaret Trudeau

As published on Surrey604 online magazine March 15, 2017

A sold out crowd gathered at the Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel for the Surrey Board of Trade Woman in Business Awards. These awards highlight the best Surrey has to offer in the success and empowerment of women in business in Surrey.

Anita Huberman, CEO of the Surrey Board of Trade, in her opening remarks, encouraged women in business to consider the necessary ingredients to success. She listed them as being positive energy, the ability to energize others which in turn releases their abilities, the ability to make tough calls or be decisive, having the talent to execute and lastly, having the passion for success. The room was full of women who embodied those principles.

Representing Mayor Linda Hepner and the City of Surrey, Councilor Vera LeFranc addressed the crowd. She thanked the previous speakers for acknowledging the indigenous heritage of the unceded land  of the Musqueam, Sto:lo and Tsleil Waututh Nation on which this event took place. She took special notice of the indigenous women who had cared for the land for so many years previously. She thanked Margaret Trudeau for being not just a rock star but also a fashion icon  telling of seeing her in Hadai Gwaii as a teen and never forgetting Margaret’s bell bottoms and jean jacket.

Vera talked about both the joy in celebrating the achievements of women but also noted the challenges still ahead. As Justin Trudeau said about his cabinet being 50% woman, when asked why, he responded with the famous because it is 2015, Ms. LeFranc pointed out that in 2017 half of the Surrey City council was comprised of women. This was reason to celebrate.

And celebrate we did. The MC for the luncheon was Sonia Sunger, news anchor from Global T.V. She mentioned some of the challenges that women are currently fighting such as bridging the pay gap, the gender deficient in care work, access to leadership and entrepreneurial opportunities, access to social protection, job creation and poverty reduction. All of these are barriers, which need to be addressed before all women can truly see their potential in the business community.

According to Sonia, there are 821,000 self-employed women, who add $18 billion dollars to the economy.  This truly is economic development for women.

Economic Development also means welcoming others from all over the world and Sonia was greeted with a round of enthusiastic applause when she said that “Canada was proud to be inclusive.”

The buffet of salads, pasta and chicken followed by a pumpkin spice dessert in the lovely setting of the ballroom at the Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel, was the perfect place for this sold out crowd to enjoy the awards and the entertainment..

A wonderful surprise was a spoken word piece by Sajadeh Zaki, a refugee who came to Canada at the age of 12 as an unaccompanied minor from Afghanistan detailing her experiences as a child of war, a refugee and a her life now here in Canada. The room became silent as she passionately connected with expressions of pain and desire for a better life. She stirred the crowd to respond with finger snapping and heads nodding. She spoke of the pain of losing a family member or a friend as you were trying to run from the danger and many in the room felt deeply what that must have been like for her and others who made that journey.

“You respect one another, value one another, believe in what we live for, live our lives to the fullest, push our own limits, we are all equal no matter where we are from.”

And with those touching words,  the audience was primed to hear the keynote speaker, Margaret Trudeau. She gave a moving, inspiring, pointed talk on mental health and the cost to society for ignoring this important component of our well being.

Margaret mentioned the three pillars necessary for good mental health, sleep, good nutrition and exercise and stressed the importance of doing regular check in – “stock taking” she called it – of assessing your mental health and where you are at in terms of self-care.

Her wit, great story telling ability and personal charm won the crowd over. She received an instant standing ovation at the conclusion of her talk. For more on Margaret Trudeau at the event, see the article Margaret Trudeau speaks on Life, Sex, Love, BC Bud and addressing Personal Mental Health in this addition of Surrey604 online magazine.

The Surrey Board of Trade Woman in Business Awards is an annual event honoring women who have worked hard and contributed to business in Surrey in five categories.

1. Entrepreneur: Is an owner or significant shareholder of any business size
2. Corporate/Leadership: Holds a senior/executive level position in a public or private-owned business
3. Professional: Nominees have a professional designation, i.e. accountant, notary, lawyer, engineer
4. Not-for-Profit Leader: Nominee holds a paid position as CEO, Executive Director or Senior Manager
5. Social Trailblazer: A founder or leader of an organization, initiative, or project that makes a significant social, economic, or environmental impact by building progressive and sustainable solutions to a complex issue facing our local community.

The event this year had a different feel than in past years.   While it has always celebrated the empowerment of women in business, this year it also acknowledged the support of men who through practical participation, encouragement and hiring women in key positions, had contributed to the success and partnership of women in business.

Noel Asmar from Noel Asmar Group Inc who won in the Entrepreneurs Category, thanked her husband for taking care of the children and allowing her to continue to build her enterprise to which women in the audience responded with cheers. Other nominees in this category were Leanne Cordeiro from Salon Cordeiro and Galia Shukr of Prestige Performance Consulting Inc.

Noel Asmar is the CEO of a company that sells designer uniforms online. She is the designer, marketer and business developer and has grown the business to where it is servicing over 4,000 clients in over 60 countries worldwide.

In past years, thank you speeches often rang from the sentiment that women have succeeded in business in spite of the roadblocks and in spite of men.   This years awards removed the “us” and “them” mentality and one category winner said that she dreams of a day when there is no longer a need to acknowledge women in business but rather that categories should include everyone of all genders. Perhaps as a society we are starting to see a shift in how women perceive themselves in the business community. Those who truly belong at the boardroom table would be hesitant to play the gender card and understandably uncomfortable with the idea of being singled out for an award as a result.   It was refreshing to see women acknowledge all of those who partnered and supported them regardless of gender.

In the category of Corporate Leadership, Dona Hurry from Mansonville Plastics Group of Companies was the take home winner, taking the prize from nominees, Marion Meletta of Westminster Savings and Emily Taylor of Surrey City Development Corporation. Starting in 1982, Dona worked her way up to the job as President and Director of Mansonville Plastics Group. As a large employer in Surrey, with over 80 full time employees, Dona continues to build on the founder’s original vision with a dedication to her staff and her company.

Professional Category with nominees, Mandie La Montagne, The Intueri Group, Parminder Mann, All Care Counselling and the winner, Sonia Virk from Virk Viyas and Associate Lawyer is an immigrant, having come to Canada in 2000. She is the President of the Indo-Canadian Business Association and is the first woman to hold that seat. She serves on the Board of Directors for G&F Financial and was appointed as a public member to the Board of the College of Dieticians of B.C.    She is a woman who is breaking through numerous glass ceilings. Sonia Virk took time to thank the men in her life who supported and empowered her.

In the Not-For-Profit Leadership category the competition as fierce with community changers, Judy Krawchuk of the Centre for Child Development went up against Dc. Noreen Simmons of the BC Family Resource Hearing Society but the winner of the day was Louise Trembley who thanked her family and the leaders of the Semiahmoo House Society who “took a chance on her” and gave her the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those with challenges. Louise Tremblay completed her Master of Arts Degree in Leadership by conducting research on the barriers that people with disabilities face especially around the areas of employment. She has become a professional and passionate advocate for people with disabilities and other vulnerable adults.

In the category of Social Trailblazer,  Winner Paola Ardiles of SFU/Bridge for Help did just that by asking all of the nominees for the award in her category to join her on the stage and to share the award.

“I think it is time we changed how we reward women.” Paola announced.

Sharing both the stage, pictures and trophy, Paola acknowledged the contributions of the nominees, Alice Sundberg of the Surrey Poverty Reduction Coalition and Jenn Temple of Trademark Group.

Paola also high jacked the mic to send a personal message to Justin Trudeau via his mother. She stated that is was time to end the need for a homeless count in a country as rich and capable as Canada. She wanted Margaret to be sure to tell Justin that it was time to address this issue. This is what happens when you give a true social trailblazer a microphone.

The presenting sponsor for this event was Vancity who has built their marketing around the idea of making room for everyone at the table. The speaker sponsor was Margaret Trudeau’s own alma mater Simon Fraser University. Kwantlen Polytechnic University, the law firm of McQuarrie Hunter and the Co-operators Insurance company were the awards sponsors. The media sponsors were all present with their lights and cameras. Global TV, The SurreyLeader and News Talk 980 CKNW  all rotated around the room asking questions and taking pictures. The Women’s Enterprise Centre was the Community Sponsor.

The topic around the table was of women’s empowerment and how much things had changed even in one year. Some women felt that for them empowerment was becoming an outdated term, no longer applicable in their organizations. Some pointed out that they were on boards where the majority of the board was comprised of women while others argued that we still have a long way to go in combating rape culture, wage gap and gender discrimination in the work place.  Others pointed out the great strides taken by the event sponsor Vancity as being the first bank in Canada to give a loan to a woman.

When former Surrey City Councilor, Judy Higginbotham, was asked what she thought of woman’s empowerment, she said

As a woman, you need to focus on where you want to go, you educate yourself and then you be ready so when the opportunity presents itself, you can seize it and you will have the confidence to move forward into it. Work towards that goal or that dream.”

As the last word on woman’s empowerment, host of the event, Anita Hubermann, CEO of the Surrey Board of Trade had this to say

“I think that in today’s world it is all about reaching for the stars, working hard and making sure that you have the right support system around you and that is what woman’s empowerment is, supporting each other.”

This luncheon was a celebration of friendship, business connections but most of all, hugs and support for each other as we pursue our achievements in business.