Kootenay Business recognizes that this trend is evident in the Kootenays as well, with a tremendous increase in women-owned and operated businesses throughout the region. Kootenay Business is pleased launch a new awards program to recognize and salute the outstanding accomplishments of Kootenay women in business. This new program is called The 2012 Influential Women in Business Awards.

A call for nominations went out earlier in the year and dozens of women were nominated. Kootenay Business would like to congratulate all the nominees. At the upcoming Kootenay i-Tech Tradeshow and Luncheon we will be presenting an award to six of the most influential Kootenay women in business for 2012.

Here are the nominees for 2012...

WEST KOOTENAY Influential Women In Business Awards Nominees

Lisa Erven, Columbia Basin Trust; Pam McLeod, Castlegar & District Chamber Of Commerce; Terri MacDonald, Selkirk College; Truus Zelonka, Gill and Gift in Balfour; Allison Smith, Little Scholar Montessori Pre-School; Barb Blatchford, publisher of the Trail Daily Times; Betty Anne Marino, Executive Coaching & Consulting; Natasha Lockey, Betty Go Hard; Jan McMurray, Valley Voice; Nikta Boroumand, Maverick Design; Kathleen Zubick, McDonalds Castlegar and Trail; Nancy Trotman, Centum Mortgage Centre; Thea Stayanovich, Realtor – ReMax All Pro Realty; Ingrid Hope, President/owner Hall’s Printing; Maggie Stayanovich, executive director – Trail & District Chamber of Commerce; Fiona Richards, Cartolina Cards; Tammy Darough, RHC Insurance Brokers Ltd; Willow Enewold, Pinnacle Accounting; April Cashman, April’s Care Giving For Seniors, Trail; Rebecca Vassilakakis, Krueckl Financial Services Ltd; Jenna Semenoff, The Seed.

EAST KOOTENAY Influential Women In Business Awards Nominees

Sydney-Anne Porter, owner of AG Valley Foods; Diane Sirois, Kootenay Savings Credit Union; Tiffany Gulbe, Thredz Clothing; Cynthia Levagood, Smoking Water Coffee Co. Café/Bistro, Fairmont Hot Springs; Denise Pallesen, Nutters, Cranbrook; Janice Alpine, Kootenay Aboriginal Business Development Agency, Cranbrook; Vivian Ko, That’s A Wrap; Suzanne Pantazis, Notary Public; Marilyn Christensen, P.T. The Clown / Kootenay Energy Advisor.

Everyone is invited to attend the 2nd Annual Kootenay i-Tech event but remember seating is limited and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Kootenay i-Tech Trade Show & Luncheon, Nelson
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Prestige Lakeside Resort in Nelson, B.C.
Lunch 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

Kootenay i-Tech Trade Show & Luncheon, Cranbrook
Friday, May 25, 2012
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Prestige Rocky Mountain Resort in Cranbrook, B.C.
Lunch 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

To register email Kristin Polier distribution@kpimedia.com or call her direct at 250 426 7253 or 1 800 663 8555 at Kootenay Business magazine. $25 for lunch

Don’t miss the second annual Kootenay i-Tech Trade Show and Luncheon in Nelson, Wednesday May 23rd at the Prestige Lakeside Resort.

This celebration of Kootenay innovation will feature a mini trade show and luncheon with keynote speaker Dr. Morgan Dehnel of Nelson’s D-Pace Technology, Keith Klimchuck of Teck’s business development unit and David Savage of the Kootenay Leadership Institute.

Dr. Dehnel, as the owner of D-Pace Technology, is involved in particle accelerator technology. Though his company is based in the West Kootenay, he does business around the globe. He will speak to the topic, "How technologies can thrive in the Kootenays and still do worldwide business."

Keith Klimchuck will speak about Teck’s new projects and the business opportunities that have and could be spun off of Teck’s rare metal processing. Klimchuck is chemist at Teck and will bring a unique insight into the Kootenays' largest employer.

There will also be an informative panel discussion with Kootenay entrepreneurs and innovators.

Kootenay i-Tech Trade Show and Luncheon event details

When: Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The luncheon starts at 11: 45 a.m.

Where: The Prestige Lakeside Resort in Nelson, B.C.  

Register early and double your chances to win a new Samsung Galaxy Tab—one of the hottest selling new tablets on the market.

To register call Kootenay Business today at 1-800-663-8555.

$25 registration includes lunch. Seating is limited.

The eye-catching new building will house an expanded manufacturing facility for Kootenay Granite, along with a spacious showroom and offices for the company.

Kootenay Granite, as the name implies, fabricates granite countertops, tabletops, bathroom countertops and other granite products for both residential and commercial usage. The new facility will feature the finest equipment to ensure top quality and creativity.

Watch for the official grand opening of Kootenay Granite coming soon.

Rod Schween has been the operations manager of the company's radio stations in Lethbridge—while still overseeing the Cranbrook radio station properties too—over the last few years. He will now be president of the entire Jim Pattison Broadcast Group and the general manager of the Kamloops Broadcast Centre, with its two radio stations as well as TV-7.

This is a result of the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group announcing that veteran media executive, Rick Arnish, is moving up the corporate ladder—he will remain in Kamloops.

Arnish is slated to become chairman of the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group. He will oversee strategic planning, acquisitions and the regulatory side of the business.

The Jim Pattison Broadcast Group is based out of Kamloops. Congratulations Rod Schween, on your achievement—we wish you much success.

In June 2012, Living-Stones Developments Ltd. will start construction on a new 58-unit townhouse complex located at 2306 - 30th Avenue North in Cranbrook.

“The land is cleared and ready for start of construction, which we are hoping will be sometime in June this year,” stated Dennis Hockley, Living-Stones’ owner/developer.

The development will consist of four types of family dwellings—from one-bedroom, one-level wheelchair-accessible units to three-bedroom, three-level units. Some will have ensuite bathrooms and all will come with six stainless steel appliances.

“We have had the vision for this townhouse (development) for about four years now,” said Hockley, “and have been gathering information. We have travelled to other centres to look at projects similar to this, and we have worked hard to make it not look like a row house.”

The buildings will be different colours, Hockley said, and each area will have a small private yard with a picket fence. There will be a green space in front of the complex, with a gazebo and a water feature.

“Our vision for 30th Avenue North Park is to develop a project that embraces the concept of community,” said Hockley. “The buildings have been carefully designed and located on the site to create pleasing sightlines that highlight walking paths, trees and grassy areas where families can congregate and children play. Parking, roads and site access have been designed so as not to interfere with play areas for children or detract from the park-like atmosphere.

“We are trying to hit that place (pricewise) for people who have not been able to afford to get into a new home. The whole idea is to create community so that we’ve got both younger families and older families in there.”

This will be a strata development, convenient for those who wish to travel. It will be built in stages, and pre-sales are projected to start in June 2012 for a January 1 possession date. Hockley said that the East Kootenay Community Credit Union has come on board as a partner, offering zero-down mortgages.