Altona Chamber celebrates business excellence

Last night marked the return of business excellence celebrations in Altona as the Altona & District Chamber of Commerce hosted its first Awards Gala since 2019. 

Presented with the Business Excellence Award with eleven (11) employees or more was Buffalo Creek Mills, an oat milling company located just north of Altona in the Municipality of Rhineland. In fact, this is the second time the company has been recognized with a Chamber Award. It was presented the Business Excellence Award with ten (10) employees or less back in 2019. 

"It's amazing," said CEO Ryan Meade. "It shows our growth here at Buffalo Creek."

"We've been growing very rapidly," added Meade, noting staff at the oat milling plant has about doubled in recent years. "We've gotten much bigger to the food ingredient space versus more of a feed space we've been in before. It's an exciting time."

Tyson Fehr, Ryan Meade and Meaghan Fehr

Several years of double-digit growth has pushed the plant to maximum capacity in its current building, located on Highway 30 north of Altona in the Municipality of Rhineland. "We're always looking to grow more, always looking to get more sales and sweat the asset a little more than we've got. The plant is coming along really well. We've expanded quite a bit over the past few years and now, we're starting to recognize the benefit of having that added capacity," said Meade. 

The plant pushes out everything from feed oats and groats, food oats and groats, to flaked and steel cut oats. 

"We're lucky here to have a pasteurization process, so that basically takes us to a ready-to-eat stage. So, it's much easier for us to sell now into ingredient players who are using it in a ready-to-eat product without having to pasteurize it themselves. That market is growing, just generally, but our ability satisfy that market has grown with some of our recent expansions over the past couple of years," explained Meade. 

The company's next move will need to be a newer and bigger building.

Currently, Buffalo Creek Mills has about 45 full time equivalent employees spread across all aspects of the plant. 

As well, Buffalo Creek Mills supports local organizations of all types. This includes some sports teams that it has supported both financially and promotionally on social media. Also, the Kiddie Sunshine Center has been the recipient of a three-year commitment from Buffalo Creek Mills, and YFC Altona has had significant benefits as well.

Listen to the full interview with CEO Ryan Meade.

Susie Fisher, owner of Altona Yoga

Meantime, Altona Yoga was presented with the Business Excellence Award with ten (10) employees or less award at last night's event. 

"I was so surprised. We were not anticipating this," said owner, Susie Fisher. "We are so honoured."

In 2015, Fisher started teaching one yoga class a week through Altona's recreation department. It quickly grew to seven or eight classes a week, plus a program in Emerson. This popularity led Fisher to decide to open the business, offering her more control and autonomy. In January 2020, space on Main Street was rented and transformed into a yoga studio, however, two short months later the pandemic forced it to close. 

"The first year or two of business have been very different from what I could ever have anticipated," noted Fisher, adding the business moved rather seamlessly to online classes before being allowed to re-open with public health orders in place. "Over the last year, we've been able to be open fully and it's been wonderful to see this space sort of celebrated by the community."

Today, anywhere from 60-120 people walk through the studio doors for practice each week. Altona Yoga offers numerous classes every week for beginners to more advanced practitioners, kids, and folks with limited mobility. The business has even partnered with South Central Cancer Resource to offer discounted classes for those undergoing cancer treatment. As well, Fisher has four contract employees working at the studio, in addition to herself. 

When asked about her goals for the future of the business, Fisher admitted she's more so focused on ensuring the studio is a safe and accessible community for all. The thing she is most proud of, however, is the bursary program established this past year. Between donations and fund-raising event at Christmas, the business managed to raise $3,000.

"This bursary fund is accessible to folks anonymously. They can register for classes on our web site using the bursary, so that folks can come here who maybe have some financial strains. I truly believe that everyone should have access to well-being," said Fisher. 

The business also aims to raise awareness and fundraise for local initiatives including, but not limited, to Furever Friends Cat Rescue, Curtis Klassen Memorial Fund, Pembina Valley Pride, Genesis House, and Ginew Wellness Centre at Roseau River Anishinaabe First Nation, and others.

Susie Fisher accepts her award from Kal Smith, president of the Altona and District Chamber of Commerce

Hear the full interview with Susie Fisher.

The Entrepreneur of the Year Award was presented to Marlen Bergen, the owner of several local businesses. The list includes KOMB Ag Services, ALT Marketing, Altona/Steinbach Memorials and Top Line Equine Feeds. He was recognized for his staffing and employee quality growth, quality control, marketing strategies, expansions/innovative ideas, overall contribution and impact on the community. 

According to Bergen, entrepreneurship is “risk and drive with not a fear of learning from the challenges that stand in the way of seeing what the future holds. Also, not allowing opportunities to go by without exploring the unknown.”

"What does it take? To be honest, it's tough, especially the last few years - mentally, financially at times - to go through what we did," said Bergen. "I want to thank the local businesses that have fought a tough fight the last few years. I thank all the customers. Mostly, my wife Christine. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her, that's for sure. Every day, coming home for supper anywhere between seven o'clock to midnight, there's always a meal on the table. That's worth a lot. And all the crazy ideas that I have, which is a few and they won't quit, and the support that she gives me throughout that.

I'm not here to show off what my businesses are. This is what's true, this is what's real to my life and my businesses."

Bergen went on to thank his staff who, he said didn't know what the next would bring sometimes. 

 

Marlen Bergen (right) accepts his award from sponsor, Brian Lowes on behalf of West Park Buick Chevrolet GMC

And finally, Regional Connections was presented with the Non-Profit of the Year Award.

Over the past 12 months, their Altona office has welcomed 238 newcomers to Canada as well as supported many returning clients from previous years. Regional Connections, along with Altona and area program partners, work towards supporting the success of local residents for a welcoming, integrated, and thriving local community. 

Their services started with an itinerant, part-time Settlement Worker operating out of a municipal office. Since 2007, they have relocated 3 times and expanded offices and staffing several times in order to better support local newcomers and work effectively in the community. They currently have 6 fulltime staff and 3-4 part time instructors supporting hundreds of newcomers each year through their Altona office.

"It's very meaningful and important for our wonderful staff, many of whom are here this evening, to receive this award. We reallly appreciate working here in the Town of Altona and Municipality of Rhineland, it really is a collaborative effort," said Reynolds. 

"There's too many partners to mention that we work together with but the (Border Land) school division has been great over the years, the library, Altona and Area Family Resource Centre, the rec department, Build a Village, SEED, Southern Health-Sante Sud, the Town of Altona, Municipality of Rhineland and, more recently, The Community Exchange," added Reynolds. "By working together, we can really do an excellent job of welcoming newcomers to the community and building a community for all of us to live together in."

Steve Reynolds accepts the award from Loren Braul on behalf of sponsor, Gilmore Braul Hiebert Law Office