Niagara honours its best entrepreneurs
A Port Colborne man who has made a career in poultry has been plucked for a lifetime achievement award.
The top honour at Friday’s Niagara Entrepreneur of the Year Awards went to Pinty’s Delicious Foods Inc.
Jack Vanderlaan, executive chairman of the company, was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Brock University’s Goodman School of Business.
He credited family and dedicated employees for making his business a success.
“I think that’s probably one of the biggest factors as we grew,” he said of the company that started as W. Vanderlaan and Sons when his parents founded it in the 1950s.
The name later changed to Port Colborne Poultry Ltd., before it merged with Pinty’s Poultry Ltd., which had been around since the 1940s, to become Pinty’s Delicious Foods Inc. in the late 1990s.
Vanderlaan also said being able to read the market has helped Pinty’s Delicious Foods be as successful as it has been, allowing the business to open two other locations in Ontario. Port Colborne, however, still holds a special place for him and the company.
“I think we’ve always been close to the business community,” he said.
Vanderlaan still calls his operation a family business because Pinty’s Poultry was also family-owned.
Family seemed to be the theme of the awards night for a few of the entrepreneurs recognized.
A Welland father-son real estate duo and the president of a longtime family business in Welland also received awards.
Mike and Roman Grocholsky of the Roman Grocholsky Team were honoured with the Family Entrepreneur Award presented by Durward Jones Barkwell & Co. LLP,
Son Mike Grocholsky said family has helped make the business what it is.
“We’re a family team, so that’s got its pluses and minuses,” he quipped.
Grocholsky said knowing how to transform the business to keep up with the times and technology has been a big part of real estate, but keeping the relationship with clients personal is also a big asset so the client has a good experience.
Roy Timms, president of Timbro Design Build, was honoured with the Established Entrepreneur Award presented by Performance Auto Group.
His business was started by his grandfather and his grandfather’s brothers. He said he remembers sitting around the dinner table hearing stories his grandfather and dad had about the business and that was part of what got him into it, too. Delivering a good product and knowing what the consumer is looking for are also key parts of each of their businesses, he said.
During the gala at White Oaks in Niagara-on-the-Lake, eight other awards were presented, including for emerging and young entrepreneurs and contribution to community.