RECIPIENTS OF INAUGURAL SPIRIT OF WINNIPEG AWARDS ANNOUNCED AT GALA DINNER

Innovation and entrepreneurship help define our city, and tonight four local companies and organizations were honoured by The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce and BDO with the first-ever Spirit of Winnipeg Awards, supported by Marketplace Magazine.

"The goal of innovation is positive change - making something better," says Chamber President and CEO Dave Angus. "There's great innovation happening in Winnipeg, and it comes in many different forms. It's not just about inventions, but about better approaches and practices that contribute to the vibrancy of our businesses and our city. "

The award recipients, selected by an eight-member judging panel from among 49 applicants, are:

NOT-FOR-PROFIT - Red River College generates an estimated $1 billion in economic activity annually. It has built a national reputation for its applied research on projects such as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and curtain wall prototype testing, and has demonstrated an institution-wide commitment to sustainable practices.

SMALL BUSINESS (revenue of less than $10 million) – Tell Us About Us is a business built on listening to what others say. Tell Us began by providing feedback to six local restaurants, and now serves more than 30,000 locations, including many prominent restaurant, retail and resort brands. From a three-man operation, the firm now has more than 60 employees and provides expert services and software in three languages, drawing attention to Winnipeg from across North America.

MEDIUM BUSINESS (revenue of $10-$75 million) – Acrylon Plastics makes everything from fuel tanks and window frames to playground components and dashboards. One of the first plastics companies to attain ISO registration in North America, Acrylon today exports close to 50 per cent of its product sales to the U.S. Products previously manufactured in Italy, Brazil, Belgium and Poland are now made here.

LARGE BUSINESS (revenue of more than $75 million) – New Flyer is known for breaking new ground with the first low-floor bus, the first diesel-electric bus and, most recently, the world's first zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell fleet. Innovations like these have made New Flyer the "go-to" manufacturer for 235 transit authorities across North America – including 20 of the 25 largest transit authorities.

The Chamber, whose mission is to foster an environment in which Winnipeg business can prosper, and BDO, the sixth largest national accounting and advisory firm in Canada, congratulate the recipients and all of the applicants for the 2010 Spirit of Winnipeg Awards.