Business Awards

Our Business Award Winners

Our business award winners are clients of ANTCO and are showcased at our Annual General Meeting, which honors excellence and inspires achievement in Indigenous business and entrepreneurship throughout the province. We are pleased to be able to provide four (4) awards each year.

Business of the Year 2023 Winner

Marmac Mechanical Solutions Ltd.

Marmac Mechanical Solutions Ltd. is owned and operated by Marcelle Leon who is a member of the Nak’azdli Whut’en First Nation, and Dean MacDougall.

Marmac Mechanical Solutions Ltd. is an Indigenous owned contract maintenance provider, based in Kamloops BC. Marcelle and Dean have established relationships in all sectors of resource based industry and have cultivated over 50 years of combined experience in the field.

Their head office is located on Tk’emlups reserve in Kamloops. They also offer a satellite office in Fort St. James, which furthers their reach to local mines, sawmills, and pipeline projects in the Northern parts of BC.

Marmac is interested in filling the void in today’s industry. Their team specializes in both long-term and short-term maintenance. With an emphasis on professionalism, quality, integrity and a heightened skillset they provide a hand-selected candidate for each job. Marmac works to address labour shortages by creating employment opportunities for indigenous adults and apprenticeship opportunities mentored by industry professionals in a culturally appropriate environment for youth.

Marmac’s goal is to completely dissolve the labour gap in the maintenance sector by incorporating an array of highly trained individuals. The founders of Marmac share deep roots in Indigenous history and strive to facilitate an environment where First Nations tradespeople can succeed.

Marmac Mechanical Solutions approached ANTCO to start their Mechanical Services Company by purchasing welders and accessories, safety gear, tools, and software.

Marcelle Leon of Marmac Mechanical Solutions Ltd
Elise Ruel

Elise Ruel  |  Elise Ruel Birth Services

Female Business of the Year 2023 Winner

Elise Ruel Birthing Services

Elise Ruel is a member of the Sagkeeng First Nation and resides in Kelowna, BC. Elise Ruel Birth Services is 100% Indigenous owned and operated as a Sole Proprietorship by Elise Cheryl Ruel. The business has been successfully operating for over 3 years.

Ms. Ruel is a Maternal Support Practitioner (Birth and Postpartum Doula) offering informational, emotional and physical support for people giving birth and for their immediate families. The business provides a Full Spectrum Doula, Breastfeeding Educator and Childbirth Education Services. This is a home-based business providing an additional option for those parents seeking support in all things, birth and postpartum. Offering informational support with factual, customized information that fits the clients needs, along with physical support during pregnancy, labor and postpartum and importantly, emotional support during and through the difficult transition into parenthood. Ms. Ruel completed her Maternal Support Practitioner Certificates on November 10, 2018, from the Bebo Mia program.

Elise Ruel Birth Services works closely alongside well-established organizations such as Westbank First Nations Community Centre, The Kelowna Woman’s Shelter, Canadian Mental Health Association, and The City of Kelowna, along with local maternity care practitioners.

Elise Ruel approached ANTCO to support the expansion of her business by using the funds to help with advertising her business and purchase supplies to help with her classroom teaching.

Tourism Business of the Year 2023 Winner

Grape Savvy Wine Tours

Savannah Swaisland is a member of the BC Métis Federation and resides in Penticton, BC. Savannah is the sole owner of the Grape Savvy Wine Tours and has been successfully running the business for over 4 years and she has been in the wine industry for over 10 years. This business was the first of its kind in the Okanagan Valley. She started this company with a Ford Passenger Wagon and featured four wineries, she then added an additional four wineries bringing the total offers to eight wineries. Grape Savvy Wine Tours has distinguished itself from other tours by focusing on education and providing unique, staged tasting and eating experiences. The business has evolved from the immersive and custom wine tasting experience into a full circle transportation company offering a range of private tours from two to fourteen participants in addition to the Trolley Co., Okanagan’s first ever hop-on, hop-off experience. Like the name suggests, you hop on and off their trolley as it fits your schedule. The trolley will take you to breweries and cideries, wineries and beaches, as well as other attractions including shopping and restaurants in Penticton and the Naramata bench.

Ms. Swaisland has extensive education and experience in the wine industry. Her experience includes being a certified sommelier, an olfactory specialist, a Canadian Wine Scholar, and a certified vineyard manager. She has held several positions with well known vineyards that include assistant and auditor. She was also the campaign manager for Canada and the United States for the International Wine and Spirit Competition. Previously she was front of house manager for the upscale Chop Steak House and The Boathouse Restaurants.

Savannah Swaisland approached ANTCO to assist her with the expansion of her business by purchasing trolley buses.

Savannah Swaisland of Grape Savvy Wine Tours

Savannah Swaisland  |  Grape Savvy Wine Tours

Optimus Oilfield Services Ltd.

Jordan and Cody Shuman  |  Optimus Oilfield Services Ltd.

Youth Business of the Year 2023 Winner

Optimus Oilfield Services Ltd.

Optimus Oilfield Services Ltd. is owned 50 / 50 by husband and wife, Jordan and Cody Shuman. Jordan is a member of the Duncan’s First Nation and Cody is a member of the Kettle First Nation, they currently reside in Cecil Lake, BC. They are both young indigenous entrepreneurs whose goal is to build a sustainable and prosperous business which provides the means to be able to train and mentor other indigenous individuals who are interested in pursing a career in Pipefitting and Steam fitting.

Optimus Oilfield Services provides Picker truck and Pipefitting services to Fort St. John BC businesses and the surrounding areas such as: Watts Projects Inc. and Strait Pipeline and Facility. They primarily contract through construction companies therefore providing B2B services. They also have a flat deck trailer which is used for hauling pipe and equipment to worksites, and a skid steer which is used to load and unload.

Cody is a Red Seal Certified Pipefitter / Steamfitter with over 10-years’ experience and is the primary operator of the business. Jordan has a diploma in Business Management and is currently completing a Bachelor of Commerce at Thompson Rivers University. Jordan provides all of the management and administrative support for the company. Their strengths and weaknesses complement one another and they have been operating this successful business for over 7 years.

Jordan and Cody Shuman approached ANTCO to assist them with their business expansion by purchasing a supervisor truck and a picker truck.