Awards ceremony honours North's best and brightest: Northern Ontario Business Awards gala attracts over 400 delegates. (Northern Ontario Business Awards).

A high-tech homebuilder, an entrepreneurial-minded academic program and a First Nations tire and auto service were among the big winners at the 15th annual Northern Ontario Business Awards held in Timmins last month.

About 440 delegates representing the North's political, financial, business and development spheres congregated in the Senator Hotel ball room Oct. 18 to honour the region's best and brightest.

Thunder Bay's own Ray Williamson, president of Ray Williamson Developments Inc, walked away with the CIBC Entrepreneur of the Year. Williamson, a "Smart Home" developer and holder of many provincial and national homebuilders' awards, acknowledged afterwards this honour was special.

"When you get recognized by your peers it's like family telling you you're doing a good job and there's nothing more important to me than family."

His latest project is to transform Haileybury into Canada's first recreation retirement community with residential units equipped with telecommunications technology.

"This is pretty incredible because what I'm doing is an important development. To be recognized means I'm on the right track and words can't really express it.

"I just wish my mom (who died seven month ago) was around, she was very instrumental in my life."

Main Filter and Supply of Sault Ste. Marie took home the Tembec Company of the Year (1-15 employees). The rapidly expanding outfit, an international joint venture with Filtrec s.r.l. of Italy, has quickly become a North American leader in the manufacturing, selling, design and installation of filters and filtration systems.

Timmins accounting firm Ross Pope and Company won the Bell Company of the Year (16-50 employees). A fixture in the local business community for 75 years, the business boasts a client list more than 2,000 names.

The Murdoch Group Inc. of Kirkland Lake was named Royal Bank Company of the Year (51-plus employees). The family-run business owns and operates 16 National Car and Truck Rental franchises across northeastern and central Ontario.

Mike Delfre, director of Sault Ste. Marie's BRIDGE initiative won the National Research Council Canada's IRAP award as entrepreneurial community of the year.

The Bi-National Regional Initiative Developing Greater Education is a consortium that includes three area post-secondary institutions whose mission is to promote entrepreneurial thinking and encourage business creation.

"This is the alumni of Northern Ontario business and they represent the very best, most creative, courageous people. And to be in their company is wonderful," says Delfre. "It really does affirm that what we're doing is the right thing to do. This award says people believed in us, that it's a good idea and that it'll work."

Sudbury's Sandvik Tamrock Canada Inc. won the airOntario Innovation Award for the integral role it has played in the mining industry in the development of automation technologies, specifically telemining, through its collaboration with a consortium of players in Inco's groundbreaking mining automation program.

Theo Margaritis and William Ferguson of the Theodore William Group in North Bay were selected as co-winners of the Scotiabank Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. The small advertising agency has spearheaded many innovative and creative local campaigns and is regarded as a regional business leader in print and Web design.

Lisa Corbiere-Addison, owner and operator of the Addison's Cat House and BJ's OK Tire Sales and Auto Service received the First Nation's Award of Excellence.

The hardworking mother of four attributes her success to simple "honesty, service and hard work" adding the reward should boost her business' standing in the Aboriginal community on Manitoulin Island.

Daniel Morin, 21, was named the Union Gas Essay Scholarship Winner, and received a $3,000 scholarship.

His essay depicts the evolution of his father's mobile parts supply company from selling truck parts locally into mining equipment sales company with a worldwide client base.

Among dignitaries in attendance for the awards dinner was Dan Newman, minister of northern development and mines.

"Although eight companies and individuals are being singled out and honoured with awards, we actually have many winners here tonight. That's because gathered in this room are owners and employees of Northern Ontario organizations whose ingenuity and hard work over the years have made significant contributions to the region's economy.

"This evening is a well-deserved tribute to all of your efforts."

Kevin Dane, vice-president of the Business Development Bank of Canada, a major NOBA sponsor and host of the winner's dinner at Cedar Meadows Resort the evening prior to the awards gala, said his staff "were energized by the stories that they heard from these dedicated individuals.

"The BDC...is pleased to be able to provide this forum."

As well as being lavish with their applause, delegates were generous with their wallets with NOBA collecting $1,100 for the Disaster Relief Fund for Victims of the World Trade Centre at the Awards dinner. The money will go to the Red Cross.