P.W Enns Award Winners Represent Winkler's Best And Brightest

Five Winkler success stories in the private and non-profit sectors will be honoured at the 2019 P.W Enns Business Award Gala this spring.

Rise Athletics & Wellness will take home the Business Builder award. Owner Kurtis Fox says a key part to growth is understanding the market, "I look at my original business plan and this is nothing like that... it's a good reminder to pay attention to the market, to the customers you have and understanding that information."

The business is currently in its third location, and Fox credits the rapid evolution to surrounding himself with a great team and providing personal development and education opportunities. "It's 100 percent the team."

Fox adds taking risks is built into his DNA, which pushes him outside his comfort zone. "That gets me out of bed in the morning, I want to now meet that expectation."

His success as an entrepreneur has also been picked up by the international community. Fox recently found out he's been picked as a Canadian Delegate for the 2019 G20 Young Entrepreneurs' Alliance Summit in Japan this May. "You never stop learning... I meet with new entrepreneurs and I'm learning from them as well."

Solutions IT has been awarded best in Customer Service.

SolutionsIT was the result of a merger between two technology IT companies, Mega Computers and Heartland Solutions in 2012. Since its inception the company has grown to a staff of 42, serving clients to ensure the technology they depend on is working well.

Owner Dennis Kehler explains the recognition for customer service is especially a source of pride, "it's what we do, we're a service based business."

In the end, he says improvement can only come by allowing customers to evaluate their experience and provide feedback. "We deal with the places we fall short as quickly as we can. We measure it, we track it. And I'm proud to say we've developed a culture amongst the staff where they understand what we're trying to do."

"We understand someone can make a mistake, but when we do we need to fix it."

The Winkler & District Health Care Board is being honoured in the not-for-profit sector. Member Marvin Plett explains the board hasn't been in the limelight, but prefers to work behind the scenes.

The board oversees the community-owned C.W Wiebe Medical Clinic in Winkler. In the last nearly 20 years the clinic has grown from six doctors to 43. "I have to give credit to the people that started the healthcare board because they really had a vision... and we're building on that vision."

Looking to the future, Plett notes the clinic is once again feeling the pinch for space, and announcements on new initiatives are coming soon.

Taking home the night's top honours, Triple E has been named Community Builder, and Elias Woodworking & Manufacturing has earned its second P.W Enns award in Business Excellence.

Started in 1983, Elias Woodworking & Manufacturing has grown to provide a diverse product line including cabinet doors and refacing products for the kitchen and bath industry. The company has expanded its facilities and now has a footprint of 360,000 sq. ft.

Well-known Winkler business Triple E recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. No stranger to awards, Triple E's Co-founder Philipp Ens was also awarded the Order of Manitoba in 2017 for his contributions as a community leader through the company he helped create with his brother-in-law Terry Elias (Winkler's Citizen of the Year in 2016) and father-in-law, P.W Enns, the Winkler Chamber's business awards namesake.

The awards will be presented at the P.W Enns Business Awards Gala April 4 with special guest Terry O'Reilly.