“Do what you love and what you believe in,” said Pardy, who is the owner of Beleaf Salon and Spa, which has locations in both Wolfville and Kentville.
When announcing the award, the AVCC noted the company’s passion and pride in service delivery and focus on the environment and client satisfaction as part of the reasons Beleaf was chosen as the winner among the 10 nominees in the category.
“This was 10 years in the making,” Pardy said. “My mentor recently passed away, Horst Rechelbacher. He founded Aveda in 1978 and this award – this was for him.”
The night also honoured Ray Parsons, who passed away in July, for his lifetime achievement in business with a posthumous award.
Parsons, who was born in Glovertown, NL, relocated with his family to Halifax during the depression years.
“It’s difficult to determine Ray’s life work, as his interests were so varied and he did so many things,” said Judy Rafuse, executive director of the AVCC, adding that he was a true entrepreneur from a very young age. As a young boy, he spent his free time growing vegetables and raising chickens, which he sold at the market.
“This entrepreneurial spirit would never fade throughout his life.”
After a brief stint as a farmer in Pictou County at the age of 16, he completed a science degree at Acadia and went on to Carleton to study meteorology. Known locally as “the weather man” for his radio broadcasts for more than 25 years, Parsons also was a savvy businessman.
“He developed a passion for real estate and a real appreciation for the value of the land,” Rafuse said. “His success grew out of a very simple philosophy: buy land, because they’re not making any more of it.”
Over five decades, he served as the president of many businesses and was a “builder and leader, a teacher to many and an opportunity spotter with his eyes and ears wide open.”
He was known for mentoring others in the community and frequently donated money or property to organizations in need. He’ll be remembered for his “wisdom, fairness and consideration,” Rafuse said.
Members of the Parsons family were on hand to accept the award, including his beloved wife.
“We’re touched that you recognized his life’s work and we’re honoured to receive it,” said his daughter, Sue MacArthur.
“I know I speak for all of my brothers and sisters when I say how proud we are to call Raymond John Parsons our father.”
And the winners are:
Outstanding new business of the year: Kings Arms Pub by Lew Murphy
Outstanding micro business of the year: The Middleton Valley Rose Flowershop
Outstanding small business of the year: Beleaf Salon and Spa
Outstanding large business of the year: Scotian Gold Co-Op
Outstanding innovator of the year: Frostbyte Interactive
Outstanding exporter of the year: Spa Springs Mineral Water Company Ltd.
Did you know?
A total of 39 businesses were nominated in six categories. Nominees are judged by an independent panel based on questionnaires they fill out.
