Taking to the stage to accept an award recognizing his 50-year career was an emotional moment for Robert Merkley, who says he still has a lot left to give.
“When I first heard about this recognition, my first reaction was, ‘Does this mean I’m done?’” Merkley, the president and CEO of Merkley Supply, said to laughs from the crowd at the Best Ottawa Business Awards (BOBs) Friday evening at The Westin Ottawa.
“But I was quickly assured that I still have at least another 20 years left in me.”
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Merkley was the recipient of the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by OBJ and the Ottawa Board of Trade, for his decades at the helm of one of the region’s best-known masonry suppliers.
For Merkley, who turned 70 earlier this year, it’s the culmination of a career that has seen him successfully carry on the family business.
“Reflecting on my journey, it’s not just about the business or me. It’s about the people and the community that have shaped both my life and Merkley Supply,” he said. “As I stand here tonight, I am deeply grateful to be part of this wonderful city and to be surrounded by so many amazing individuals who share that commitment to make Ottawa a better place to live, work and grow.”
The BOBs shone a spotlight on more than 25 local companies and business leaders for their work and achievements over the past year.
“Every year I say, what gets recognized gets repeated,” said Sueling Ching, president and CEO of the Ottawa Board of Trade. “By celebrating our successes, it raises all the boats. It inspires many of the people who are attempting to grow. It demonstrates how business leadership and community leadership are really one and how we’re all connecting. And, to be honest, it’s a sense of celebration and fun, which is really important.”
The last few years for businesses have been marked by the pandemic, which has bred innovation, resiliency and problem-solving within the community, according to OBJ publisher Michael Curran.
As circumstances change, those traits continue to be prevalent among local businesses.
“We’re in that post-pandemic economy and that’s not to say that there aren’t economic challenges left over from COVID,” said Curran. “But I think we’re just at a point in history in business in our city where we just need to re-look at everything from scratch. I think a lot of that is tech innovation. We’re in a state of continuous change and it’s not like it was in the 1950s or 1960s, where it’s a dependable operating environment. Things are always shifting, so it’s that ability to adapt, to change.”
Other big winners of the night included Mark Laroche, president and CEO of the Ottawa International Airport Authority, who was recognized as Newsmaker of the Year for managing the airport through the pandemic and bringing it back to life. Under his leadership, the airport has introduced additional flights, a revamped terminal, a new hotel, and a spur connecting the airport to the city’s LRT system.
Hydro Ottawa’s Geoff Simpson was recognized as CFO of the Year, an award established in 2018 to celebrate the critical role of finance leaders in successful organizations.
This year, in response to Hydro Ottawa’s growth and business diversification, Simpson led a financial restructuring to reduce borrowing costs, increase financial capacity, and support future growth. He has also played a key role in helping Hydro Ottawa understand how climate change might impact the utility going forward.
Simpson told the audience that he was grateful for the recognition, even if it did make him “squirm.”
“Do you guys know Paul Rudd? Remember when he won People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive? I don’t think even he thought he was eligible for that. So that was my first thought when I won this award,” he joked.
“It’s not about my qualifications, or my skillset or my history – because I’m actually not that humble,” he added to laughs. “But it was more about being really happy that Hydro Ottawa could be recognized for something like this. We are of course a monopolistic utility here in Ottawa, but we’re so much more than that.”
Andrew Waitman of Assent received the award for CEO of the Year.
In June, Assent announced it had officially achieved the coveted “centaur” status, hitting US$100 million in annual recurring revenues. Now, he’s plotting how to lead Assent to US$200 million in ARR and beyond.
“It’s an incredible honour, truly – the Academy Awards of Ottawa,” he said. “This is a great event and has been a great event for so long to celebrate the success that this community has had in the leaders that inspire the next generation of leaders.”
Here are the other award winners of the evening:
- Best Business: Calian Group
- Best New Business: Rain Technologies
- Best Leader in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: BioTalent Canada
- Best Non-Profit: Roger Neilson Children’s Hospice
- Best Customer Experience: Brookstreet Hotel
- Best Performance in Export: Giatec Scientific
- Best Performance in HR: Giatec Scientific
- Best Performance in Sales: Branch Audiovisual
- Best Performance in Marketing: CanadaWheels
- Best Performance in Social Entrepreneurship: Tease Tea
- KNBA Best Innovation: Ross Video
- KNBA Tech Business of the Year: Fidus Systems
- Best Performance in Environmental Sustainability: CFT Group
- Best Co-op: Warner Brothers Discovery
- Deal of the Year (Retail): Carlingwood Shopping Centre
- Deal of the Year (Tourism): Air Canada & Ottawa International Airport Authority
- Deal of the Year (Finance): Telesat
- Deal of the Year (Real Estate): Live Nation Canada
