Description

Join us in welcoming our new Board of Directors! 

Meeting will include a President’s report, financial report & outlook for 2023 

Special Recognition Ceremony & TWO Lifetime Business Achievement Awards

 Date:Thursday, March 30, 2023 

Time:Registration & Networking: 8:00am 

Breakfast & Meeting: 9:00am 

Lifetime Business Achievement Awards presentation: 10am 

Place:Brockville Country Club 1548 King Street Cost:$35.00 (plus HST) Members $40.00 (plus HST ) Non-Members 

Please advise if you have special dietary needs Pre-registration is required no later than Friday, March 17th Cancellations after March 17th and no shows will be billed.

Thank you to our partner:

BROCKVILLE CHAMBER ANNOUNCES LIFETIME BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

The Brockville & District Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce Mr. Joe Hudson as the first of two recipients of the 2023 Lifetime Business Achievement Award. Two individuals will be honoured this year to address a backlog of worthy candidates. Previous recipients include Paul Fournier, Hunter Grant, Gord Brown, David Beatty, Bob Runciman, Al Smith, Dave Sheridan, Don Green, Sherri Simzer, John & Steve Mazurek and Dave Jones.  

Since 2017, this award has been sponsored annually by the 1000 Islands Community Development Corporation. Recipients are chosen by an independent committee of judges following review and assessment of multiple criteria including community involvement, mentorship, economic impact, job creation, volunteerism, longevity and personal/corporate generosity.

Mr. Joe Hudson is a highly successful entrepreneur, widely respected philanthropist, and decades long community leader.  Most prominently known as co-founder (with his brother Grant) and President of Burnbrae Farms Limited, Mr. Hudson, now retired, has devoted himself to improving the lives of others through his professional and personal endeavors. 

Under Mr. Hudson’s leadership, Burnbrae Farms has grown into Canada’s largest integrated producer and marketer of eggs and egg products. From humble beginnings, the company is now a thriving participant in Canadian agri-business, selling eggs and egg products to major grocery chains, food service operations and large bakery customers throughout Canada and the United States.

Recognized as one of Canada’s Best Managed companies, Burnbrae Farms continues to be owned and operated by the Hudson family.  Among its 1700 employees working in farming and manufacturing facilities across several Canadian provinces, the company proudly employs over 400 people in the Brockville and Lyn areas.

Through decades of building this agri-business giant, Mr. Hudson received multiple honours and awards, including the “We Care Hall of Fame Award” which is the most prestigious in the Canadian food service industry and the “Golden Pencil Award” recognizing individuals who have made a significant and worthwhile contribution to improving the Canadian food industry as well as their own communities.  He is a member of the Canadian Grocery Business Hall of Fame honouring the highest achievers in Canada’s grocery industry and he has been inducted into the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame for his leadership, vision and contribution to agriculture.  Mr. Hudson was also named Brockville & District Chamber of Commerce “Business Person of the Year” in 2005.

Mr. Hudson’s family established the Hudson Burnbrae Foundation in the early 1970’s to provide financial support to multiple charitable causes in Eastern Ontario and across the country.  He and his family have always recognized the importance of community leadership and commitment by contributing their time, energy and money to such important initiatives as Brockville & District Hospital Foundation, YMCA of Eastern Ontario, Aquatarium, Frontenac Arch Biosphere, Terry Fox Foundation, United Way of Leeds & Grenville, the Ottawa Cancer Centre, Queen’s University, St. Lawrence College, Canadian Red Cross and many others. 

Brockville & District Chamber of Commerce President, Mr. Orlando Spicer, expressed his appreciation by noting that “Mr. Hudson has reached legendary status in his industry and in his community.  We are very grateful for the generosity he and his family have shown to so many in need.” 

The 1000 Islands Community Development Corporation sponsors this award annually and is actively involved in the recipient selection process.  The corporation’s Executive Director, Mr. Tom Russell, offered his congratulations by stating “Mr. Hudson has always been a ‘larger-than-life’ figure in the local area and it is a privilege to honour him in this way.  Few have done more for our community than Joe and his family.”

Mr. Hudson will be celebrated during a special ceremony following the Chamber’s Annual General Meeting and breakfast at the Brockville Country Club on Thursday, March 30th.

BROCKVILLE CHAMBER ANNOUNCES LIFETIME BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

The Brockville & District Chamber of Commerce is very pleased to announce Mr. Larry VanderBaaren as the second of two recipients of the 2023 Lifetime Business Achievement Award.  The Chamber has previously announced Mr. Joe Hudson as the other recipient.  Two awards are being given this year to address a backlog of worthy candidates.

Mr. VanderBaaren is being posthumously recognized as he very sadly passed away on November 26, 2021. Previous recipients of this award include Paul Fournier, Hunter Grant, Gord Brown, David Beatty, Bob Runciman, Al Smith, Dave Sheridan, Don Green, Sherri Simzer, John & Steve Mazurek and Dave Jones.  

Since 2017, this award has been sponsored annually by the 1000 Islands Community Development Corporation. Recipients are chosen by an independent committee of judges following review and assessment of multiple criteria including community involvement, mentorship, economic impact, job creation, volunteerism, longevity and personal/corporate generosity.

Mr. Larry VanderBaaren was universally respected as a highly successful entrepreneur, dedicated community leader, caring volunteer and generous philanthropist.  With deep roots in the local area, he and his family spearheaded and supported countless causes of great significance.  As founder and President of Hendrix Restaurant Equipment, Mr. VanderBaaren built a commercial giant that is now spread out across Canada.

In 1980, Mr. VanderBaaren and his father, Henk, started the business in a small Brockville basement office steadily building a customer base through hard work and personal relationships. The company eventually grew to be one of the largest foodservice and equipment dealers in all of Canada, employing 500 people in nine locations and three distribution centers nationwide.  In 2016, Hendrix merged with Russell Food Equipment to form Russell Hendrix Foodservice Equipment making it the market leader in the industry, over four times larger than its next biggest competitor.  Mr. VanderBaaren acted as CEO of the new company.

Highlights among many awards of distinction include Hendrix Restaurant Equipment being recognized as one of Canada’s best managed companies in 2012 and as Brockville & District Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year in 2005. As a fitting tribute to cap a very impressive career, Mr. VanderBaaren was inducted into the Canadian Foodservice Equipment & Supply Industry Hall of Fame soon after his retirement in 2019.  He was widely acknowledged as a “titan” of the industry by colleagues and competitors alike.

Remembered by all who knew him as a generous, kind and humble gentleman, Mr. VanderBaaren strongly believed in giving back to his community. He sat on multiple boards and committees, including Brockville General Hospital and Brockville Country Club, and he was active in mentoring young professionals, coaching youth sports teams, and contributing to countless charitable causes.

He and his family expressed passionate support and donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Brockville General Hospital, believing it to be the cornerstone of our community.  This was highlighted by a $200,000 gift to the recent “Under One Roof” hospital expansion campaign. Other organizations of special importance include multiple youth sports teams, YMCA of Eastern Ontario and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Leeds & Grenville.

Following his passing, Mr. VanderBaaren’s family donated $20,000 in support of palliative care services at Brockville General Hospital and established the Larry VanderBaaren Memorial Fund so that he might continue to make an impact in the community. This fund, managed by the Brockville & Area Community Foundation, will provide long term assistance to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Leeds & Grenville.

The 1000 Islands Community Development Corporation sponsors this award annually and is actively involved in the recipient selection process. The corporation’s Executive Director, Mr. Tom Russell, stated that “Larry was a wonderful soul who left us far too soon.  His impact will be felt both locally and nationally for many years to come.  I consider myself extremely fortunate to have had the privilege of calling him my friend and I’m thrilled to see him honoured in such a meaningful way.  His was a life of consequence and one that we should all be very grateful for.”

Brockville & District Chamber of Commerce President, Mr. Orlando Spicer, noted that “Mr. VanderBaaren did so much to build our city into a beautiful place to live, work and play.  He was an unwavering supporter and champion of countless worthy causes and we will always remember him fondly.”

Mr. VanderBaaren will be celebrated during a special ceremony following the Chamber’s Annual General Meeting and breakfast at the Brockville Country Club on Thursday, March 30th.

Those interested in attending can RSVP at the Chamber of Commerce website www.brockvillechamber.com or call 613-342-6553 by March 16th.

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The Brockville and District Chamber of Commerce represents more than 300 members and has been the community's business advocate since 1906. Our mission is to support and grow business to build a strong economic community through proactive leadership in advocacy and relevant programming.