FEC Manitoba’s 2019 Family Enterprise of the Year Award Finalists
Winnipeg, MB – February 4, 2019 – The Family Enterprise Canada (FEC) is proud to announce the three family finalists for the Manitoba Family Enterprise of the Year Award (FEYA): Barkman Concrete Ltd., Doreen Bissett School of Dance and Nelson Financial Consultants. The Family Enterprise of the Year Award (FEYA) recognizes significant achievements made by a Manitoba Family Enterprise. The Award enables us to publicly celebrate the successes of family businesses – ones that can inspire others. These stories showcase family businesses that demonstrate many layers of success through drive, dedication, and commitment to employees and the community at large.
Barkman Concrete Ltd.: In 1948 three brothers, Arnold, Edwin and Peter Barkman started a Plumbing & Heating company. Before long, the brothers realized the potential of the concrete business and spun this off as a stand-alone business and constructed the first stage of the present factory in 1963 operating under the name Barkman Concrete Ltd. Precast steps soon followed and in 1975 Barkman brought in one of the first automatic paving stone machines into North America. Seventy-one years later this third generation family-run business has continued to expand and improve upon its robust and diverse product lines and can be seen far from Canada with products that have travelled to Guantanamo Bay, Norway, the Caribbean and even Madagascar. The latest advancement to the Barkman brand came in 2015 when Barkman took large steps forward in concrete innovation with its new Hess paver plant. This state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, was the first of its kind in North America and has helped increase production and provided countless other product possibilities. Revolutionizing the dry cast concrete production method, the Hess plant has pushed Barkman Concrete forward as a truly progressive market pioneer and has set them apart from competition.
Doreen Bissett School of Dance: Doreen Bissett School of Dance has been operating in the Transcona community since 1966. Founded by Doreen Bissett, the organization has been a mainstay in Transcona for the last 52 years, offering dance instruction, performance opportunities and competition opportunities to all children in Transcona and the surrounding communities. Barb Bottle, who danced at DBSD under Doreen’s instruction since the age of 3, took over the business in 1995. Barbs daughter Ella who also started dancing at the school since the age of 3 is now involved in the family business as an instructor with plans to eventually take over the business. Under the artistic direction of Barb, the studio has flourished since 1995, winning countless awards, accolades and titles at various competitions both locally, nationally and internationally. DBSD dancers have also competed for and won World Championship titles in dance. DBSD prides itself on providing a warm, friendly, professional atmosphere for the community, with a place for every dancer no matter the skill level.
Nelson Financial Consultants: The original founder of this family legacy, Vernon Nelson, began his career in the financial services business in 1966. In 1979 Vern incorporated his business and began operating as Nelson Insurance Services. Forty years later this successful family-owned business, now with Douglas Nelson at the helm, has expanded the Nelson group of companies, otherwise known as Nelson Financial Consultants, to include three unique entities: Nelson Insurance Services Corp (NISC, launched 1979), Nelson Financial Planning Corp. (NFPC, launched 2002), and Nelson Portfolio Management Corp. (NPMC, launched 2013).
The FEYA finalists will be honoured at the 12th annual Manitoba FEYA gala, held on Tuesday, March 19th, 2019. A cocktail reception and dinner will be held and those that wish to support and celebrate the local Family Enterprise community are welcome. Dave Angus, Vice President Chamber Relations of Johnston Group, Inc. will MC the event. Visit the FEC events page located here for more details.
About the Family Enterprise Canada
The Family Enterprise Canada (FEC) is an independent association of business families and family enterprise professional advisors, consisting of over 1500 members from across Canada. The supportive community provides shared wisdom, world-class expertise, and education to address the realities and opportunities unique to family enterprise. FEC provides a safe harbour community for members to share insights and experiences, as well as giving business families and advisors a voice that will be heard in the most influential political and economic circles in Canada. The organization is dedicated to ensuring that they’ll receive a unique blend of shared wisdom as well as experience, and the world’s best, leading-edge thinking and knowledge.
Chapter & Award Contact
Brenda Knight
Manager, Membership Community Engagement,
Family Enterprise Canada Manitoba T: 204.918.6170
E: manitoba@familyenterprise.ca
FEC Media Contact
Michelle West
Director, Marketing & Communications
Family Enterprise Canada
T: 905.337.8375
E: mwest@familyenterprise.ca