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17 | Friday, M a rc h 3 1 , 2 0 1 7 | Bot Construction touted as local business icon: OABE by Nathan Howes Oakville Beaver Staff Bot Construction Group can now be added to the list of local companies that can call themselves icons in the eyes of the Oakville Chamber of Commerce. Bot was added to names like Ford Tim Hortons, Shred-it and The Weather Network, in taking home the Business Icon Award at the 22nd Oakville Awards for Business Excellence (OABE) Wednesday. Along with 10 other recipients, Bot Construction was recognized at the OABE, co-hosted by the Chamber and Rotary Club of Oakville West (RCOW). A sold-out crowd of 600 people attended the celebration at the Oakville Conference and Banquet Centre. Bot Construction Group president Roy M. Bot said it's "hard to believe" Bot was honoured with the award. "We're in a fantastic group of other companies. It's unbelievable. We're a family- owned and -mn business, so here we are, up with corporations that are publiclyoperated and worldwide. It's a great feeling," said Bot. The company founded by Silvio Bot in 1957 in Oakville, began as a small local concrete forming company Over the decades, Bot Constmction has grown to become one of Ontario's largest privately-owned and operated civil engineering and construction companies. Its work includes highways, bridges and public infrastructure projects. "Just thinking about our past, growing up in Oakville and throughout our business involvement and evolution, we've done so much here in Oakville. Oakville is part of our life. It is our life," said Bot. "We grew up here, we were born here, we went to school here. I remember many jobs we've done for the Town of Oakville over the years." Bot attributes the company's growth and success to its "great team" of about 400 employees, C O W S T U L C T ID W CROUP Silvio Bot founded Bot Construction in 1957. | www.botconstruction.ca | Oakville Chamber of Commerce many local and are employed in construction season. "We keep them for the long haul. They understand we're a good company that looks after them, as well. We give everybody opportunity and we treat them like our extended family," said Bot. The YMCA of Oakville garnered the Charity or Notfor-Profit Excellence accolade, designated to a charity or not-for-profit organization, also highly-regarded in the community, that raises funds or provides services to improve the lives of people in Oakville. For more than 50 years, the Oakville Y has helped improved the quality of health and life for local residents. President and CEO Kyle Barber said, "We are humbled by the other recipients who have won this in the past Oakville Community Foundation and the Oakville Hospital Foundation -- so we feel we're in really, really good company," said Barber. In 2016, the YMCA of Oakville provided more than $726,000 in membership assistance, including the YMCA Strong Kids campaign, to support more than 2,200 individuals and their families. It currently has more than 3,800 children in its child-care and before-and-after school programs. "This town has a lot of needs and those needs are growing," said Barber. Awards were handed out in nine other categories, including RBC Royal Bank Small Business of the Year, Bell Mid-size Business of the Year, Large Business of the Year, Professional Services Provider of the Year, The Morris Mercanti Restaurateur of the Year, Franchisee of the Year, KPMG Entrepreneur of the Year, Genworth Community Builder of the Year and Oakville Hydro Conservation Leadership Award. Funds raised from the gala will go to the RCOW's youth programs and 30 scholarships. OABE recipients Large Business o f the Year: Promation (Promation Engineering Ltd. & Promation Nuclear Ltd.) Entrepreneur o f the Year: Jas Brar of Entripy Custom Clothing OAKVILLE BEAVER | w w w .in s id e H A L T O N .c o m Professional Services Provider o f the Year: TinoGaetani & Carusi, Chartered Professional Accountants Franchisee o f the Year: QSR Group Inc. (Tim Hortons and Wendy's Franchisee locations) The M orris Mercanti Restaurateur o f the Year: The Crepe Kitchen Genworth Community Builder o f the Year: Ristorante Julia Oakville Conservation Award: Manufacturing Hydro Leadership Fourmark Oakville's Charity or Notfor-Profit Excellence Award: YMCA of Oakville RBC Sm all Business of the Year: The Millionaire's Daughter Oakville's Business Icon Award: Bot Construction Group For more information, visit www.oabe.ca. 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