BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARD - The Dufferin Area Chamber of Commerce's 2006 Business Excellence award for a Community Business (Not for Profit) went to Family Transition Place. Shown here are donor Peter Quinlan of Collins Barrow Chartered Accountants and Consultants, FTP executive director Doreen Armstrong and Chamber vice-president Bruce Campbell. Photo Courtesy/F-Stop Cameras The Greater Dufferin Area Chamber of Commerce held its annual business excellence awards Tuesday evening at Hockley Valley Resort.

The ceremony celebrated businesses in Dufferin County with a total of 63 nominees selected in the community for 13 business and individual awards.

The 269 guests were treated, at $100 a plate, to tasty appetizers and an excellent dinner before the business of handing out the awards began.

The national anthem, sung by local business professional David Pounds, followed an official greeting by Nancy Adamo, owner of the Hockley Valley Resort.

Orangeville Mayor Drew Brown, acting as master of ceremonies, gave heartfelt congratulations to all of the nominees selected, and the chairperson for this year's awards ceremony, Connie Hodgkinson, thanked the sponsors for their support.

After dinner and a video presentation on the celebrations planned for Dufferin County's 125th this year, the business of presenting the awards began.

The 13 winners:

Customer service award, F-Stop Camera Foto Source; Retail/Service business, Shelburne Golf and Country Club; Chamber Member Excellence award, Moyra McConaghy and Veronica Oliver of JBJ Employment Service Inc.; Home Builder Business excellence,

Devonleigh Home Ltd.; Environmental Excellence Metalon Technology Ltd.; Community Service, not for profit, Family Transition Place; Industrial/ Commercial Business, with fewer than 25 employees, Orangeville Precast Concrete; same category, with more than 25 employees, Hockley Valley Resort; Manufacturing, Orangeville Precast

Concrete; Agriculture Business Excellence, JayLor Fabricating Inc.; Entrepreneur Business award, TFIAerospace Corp.; Community Business Student of Excellence, Spencer Duncan of Orangeville District Secondary School, and Chairperson Recognition Award, Tony and Olga Dutra of Woolwich Dairy Inc.