Announcing the British Columbia 2021 Family Enterprise of the Year Award Recipient, Kalesnikoff

OAKVILLE, ON – October 14, 2021 – Family Enterprise Canada is proud to announce Kalesnikoff is the recipient of the 2021 British Columbia Family Enterprise of the Year Award. This honour was celebrated virtually at the BC FEYA celebration on October 14, 2021.

For over 80 years and four generations, the Kalesnikoff family continues to be inspired by the forest and the endless possibilities of wood. In 1939, Koozma, Peter and Sam Kalesnikoff started a horse-logging operation that would grow to become a specialized sawmill in Thrums, BC. The brothers abide closely to the credo, “Take care of the land, and the land will take care of you.” This remains the company’s guiding principle to this day.

At just 14 years old, Peter’s son, Pete Jr, joined their team and eventually took over the family-owned and operated company. A generation later, Pete Jr’s son, Ken, also joined the business and rose through the ranks to his current role as President and CEO. The family legacy continues with Ken’s son, Chris, as the Chief Operating Officer and Ken’s daughter, Krystle, as the Chief Financial Officer.

Ken, Krystle and Chris consider their team of 200 employees as their extended family. As the business continues to grow – with over 65 skilled jobs added in the past year and a half – Kalesnikoff is making efforts to maintain the ‘family feel.’

Kalesnikoff recently expanded into mass timber, where the company adds value to wood from the sawmill by processing it into engineered timber products that are replacing concrete and steel in construction of schools, multi-family housing, commercial buildings and more. From seedlings to solutions, Kalesnikoff manages its entire timber supply chain.

To learn more about the B.C. 2021 FEYA Recipient, watch the Kalesnikoff’s FEYA video. To learn more about Kalesnikoff, visit their website.

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About the Family Enterprise of the Year Award

The Family Enterprise of Year Award (FEYA) was established in 1986 to celebrate and promote the achievements of Canadian business families and the considerable contribution they make to the economic and social fabric of both their local communities and Canada as a whole. Each year, business families across Canada are nominated and recognized at regional FEYA celebrations. Each regional recipient is then considered for the National Family Enterprise of the Year Award, chosen by a volunteer selection committee and presented at the National FEYA celebration.

FEYA is unique among business awards in Canada, as it does not only focus on traditional business metrics. Instead, the selection committee also looks at how well the family enterprise integrates best practices that benefit the business, the family and their communities. Having demonstrated significant capabilities in these regards, FEYA recipients are examples of excellence and are integral to Canada’s economic future.

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