Two Yorkton businesses are finalists for ABEX awards, which celebrate聽 success across Saskatchewan.
YPH Mechanical and N.L. Construction Inc. are competing in categories at the ABEX awards. YPH has been nominated for the Community Involvement, and Growth and Expansion awards. Dustin Nehring and Taylor Lang from N.L. Construction are running聽 together for the Young Entrepreneur of the Year award.
鈥淎nytime you can be in a class with the rest of the people of Saskatchewan...it鈥檚 truly an honour,鈥� said Nehring, CEO of N.L. Construction.
N.L. Construction is no stranger to the ABEX awards. They won the Growth and Expansion award in 2014. Nehring said it was shocking to hear his name called.
鈥淸It] definitely got the heart going,鈥� he said.
Justin Yawney, president of YPH Mechanical, has won several ABEX awards.
鈥淚t鈥檚 pretty prestigious,鈥� he said.
The ABEX awards are presented by the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce.聽 82 nominees were whittled down to 50 finalists across nine categories. A committee chose the finalists.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e exceptional businesses,鈥� said Steve McLellan, current president of the Chamber of Commerce, referring to the Yorkton finalists. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e good companies.鈥�
The ABEX awards have been held since 1984. Their aim is to celebrate all facets of the private sector, regardless of their size and scope.
The awards will be handed out on October 21 at the TCU Place in Saskatoon. It will be a聽gala event with close to 800 people.聽
鈥淚t鈥檚 an opportunity to rub shoulders,鈥� McLellan said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a big dinner.鈥�
鈥淭he gala鈥檚 always a great time,鈥� Yawney said.
鈥淚t opens so many doors,鈥� Nehring said. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 know who you鈥檒l meet. The networking opportunities are endless.
鈥淧eople that see us there trust us.鈥�
Nehring thinks all the finalists deserve their nominations, describing them as 鈥渆lite.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 a competitive guy, so I always want to win,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut will I be upset if we don鈥檛? No.鈥�
