‘Momma, I thank you’
Cruise ship marketer makes emotional return at Sydney and Area Chamber of Commerce awards
When Bernadette MacNeil stepped up to the podium after being named CBRM ambassador of the year Tuesday night, she told the crowd at the Sydney and Area Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Business Awards, she would try not to be too emotional.
Understandably, she failed.
The face of Cape Breton’s cruise ship industry has been sailing rough seas in her personal life following a threevehicle crash that killed her elderly mother in June and left her in a medically induced coma with multiple broken bones, including her pelvis, sternum, collar bone and vertebrae. But on Tuesday the waters seemed calmer as the Port of Sydney director of cruise and marketing stood in front of her peers to accept an award voted on by the public.
“It’s amazing to me that this honour and this title has been bestowed upon me for really just doing my job — but it’s a job that I love,” said a weeping MacNeil, who was given a standing ovation by the approximately 300 people attending the gala dinner at the Membertou Trade and Convention Centre.
“I dedicate this to Christie MacInnis. She’s been on my shoulder … and Momma, I thank you for having a voice in my ear and in my heart that’s been saying ‘Bernadette, fight. Fight tooth and nail to get your wings back that so many around you have enabled you to have. I dedicate this to my mother, Christie MacInnis, and I thank you all tonight and I thank you for your support. I’m sorry for my emotions.”
In total, 17 awards were handed out during the evening. Home heating mogul Al Pace and hoops visionary Tyrone Levingston were two of the notable winners. Pace, a well-known philanthropist and owner of Sydco Fuels and Scotia Propane, was named the Irving Schwartz businessperson of the year, while Levingston, the GM and president of the Cape Breton Highlanders, took home the Jack Yazer young entrepreneur of the year award for bringing the National Basketball League of Canada franchise to Sydney last year.
“It’s 35 years of working hard in the community and the support of a great staff,” Pace said of the award. “I’m just thrilled with it, and I knew Irving and that makes it all that much better.”
Levingston, who spent much of the day picking up players as the team prepares to begin training camp next week, said he was honoured to be recognized after just one full season of play.
“It’s an amazing welcoming — I’ve been here a short two years and ever since I stepped foot in this community, it’s been nothing but open arms and warm smiles to me,” said the 34-yearold Detroit, Mich., native whose team tips off the season at Centre 200 on Nov. 21.
“So I just I hope that I’m doing a god job of fulfilling a promise I made to elevate the community in a positive manner.”
Other winners were: Ubique Networks (export achievement award); Fiddlerslake B&B with MacHoll IT Services (best immigrant entrepreneur award); Best of Cape Breton (best social enterprise business award); Animal Medical Centre (outstanding customer service award); Lumiere Festival (arts and entertainment award); Undercurrent Youth Centre (community sector award); Sydney Credit Union (Sydney Area Chamber of Commerce member of the year); TD Bank (financial services award); CBCL Engineering (professional services award); and Escape Outdoors (rising star award).
In addition to MacNeil’s ambassador of the year award, Mian’s Restaurant (favourite new place to dine), Get Nauti (favourite
place to shop), Fortress of Louisbourg (favourite tourist attraction), and Protocase (best place to work) took home People’s Choice Awards.