In honour of the 40th anniversary of the Business Excellence Awards, the Richmond Chamber of Commerce has increased its number of Hall of Fame inductees by four.
“Since 1999, we have recognized one company at each Business Awards, but this year is a very special year for us and we have four 2017 inductees,” said Rob Akimow, chair of Richmond Chamber of Commerce.
This year’s entry into the Hall of Fame was given to Lansdowne Centre, IKEA Richmond, Mar-con Wire Belt and DaMincci Jewellers.
They joined a club of previous Hall of Fame recipients, whose names have been engraved on a special plaque displayed in the Chamber, to celebrate their long-term contribution to the Richmond community.
Lansdowne Centre
Formerly, Lansdowne Park Racetrack, Lansdowne Park Shopping mall opened for business in 1977, drawing customers from across the entire Lower Mainland. It was then home to Woodward’s and quickly became one of their top producing locations.
“Lansdowne Centre has been home to countless Richmond retailers in the heart of downtown Richmond,” said Akimow.
“Forty years ago, Richmond was still a small town with farms everywhere. Many changes have occurred over the 40 years Lansdowne Centre has been in the business and it has had some ups and downs.
“We want to honour them because they are still here, doing pretty well. And they have a good vision and plan moving forwards. They are also a great community partner that has given so much back to the community.
IKEA Richmond
The very first IKEA location in North America was opened in Richmond in 1976. Over their four decades in Richmond, the Swedish company has grown and evolved in the community and are now in their third facility.
“Today, IKEA is a major player in our community and I have no doubt they will continue to have a major impact for many decades to come,” said Matt Pitcairn, Chamber president and CEO.
“We are honoured to call IKEA a longstanding member and look forward to another 40 years of continued success.”
“The IKEA vision is to create a better everyday life for people,” said IKEA Richmond’s store manager Xiao Chen.
“Our vision goes beyond home furnishing. We want to create a better life for all members in the community.”
Mar-con Wire Belt
Michael Chiu established Mar-con Wire Belt, a company which has quietly operated in Richmond for four decades, specializing in the manufacturing of conveyor belts for the food processing industry. All of its parts are manufactured in Richmond.
“He has a small staff team of 25, many of whom have been with him since day one, which is a true testament to Michael’s leadership,” said Akimow.
“Michael is a very giving individual and very well connected in the community. He’s a great community leader and has given a lot back to the community.”
DaMincci Jewellers
DaMincci Jewellers was first established in Europe in 1887. Brothers Harry and Sam Mincci set up their first Richmond location in 1977 at the Delta River Inn. They soon grew the business to seven stores throughout Metro Vancouver.
Over the years, they have developed thousands of loyal customers.
“They’ve been able to be part of many amazing life events of Richmond people, such as weddings and anniversaries. That’s really cool,” said Akimow.
“We are very honoured to receive this award,” said a spokesperson of DaMincci Jewellers.
“We’ve been in Richmond for 40 years, and we will keep it going for another 40 years.”
