Recognition! It is said that people will die for it and babies cry for it.

How do you properly acknowledge an individual, business or organization that has put all the dedication, effort and time into delivering a truly remarkable product or service?

How do you let someone know that the end product of all their passion and experience has made your life better?

How do you say thank you to a business that has surprised you time and time again with their willingness to go the extra distance?

That's why the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce developed the Business Excellence Awards!

This is your opportunity to say "thank you" and give someone a public pat on the back. Each year we ask for Abbotsford nominees in 11 different categories:

- Home-Based Business Excellence

- Retailer Excellence

- Manufacturing & Production Excellence

- Agriculture & Agri-Business Excellence

- Consumer Services Excellence

- Business Services Excellence

- Young Entrepreneur of the Year

- Non-Profit Organization of the Year

- New Business of the Year

- Established Business of the Year (1-19 employees)

- Established Business of the Year (20+ employees)

There will be a category to fit your favorite individual or business.

Nominating is easy and the nominees do not have to be Chamber members. Simply go to the Abbotsford Chamber website at www.abbotsfordchamber.com and fill out the on-line nomination form - we do all the rest. Deadline for nominations is Friday, September 21, so DO IT NOW!

All nominees go through an interview process by a panel of three independent judges who then select the recipient in each category.

The names of the recipients are kept confidential until the Gala Awards Dinner on Wednesday, November 21, 2012 at Tradex.

Attendance at the Awards Dinner is 600-plus people and the evening includes entertainment as well as featuring individual recognition of each nominee

In addition, each nominee receives a framed certificate of nomination for their business or place of work. And yes, Business in Black will be performing again this year.

Each year the list of nominees include some familiar names, some new names and some that are a complete surprise.

Business Excellence committee chair Rick Rake and his entire committee have been working hard since the beginning of the year with Chamber staff to ensure this is a successful event and truly memorable for all those involved.

Don't let some deserving business, individual or organization be left out - don't find yourself wishing you had taken the time to see that someone gets the attention, praise and recognition they so richly deserve.

Go online now and complete the nomination form or call the Chamber office at 604-859-9651 and we will e-mail one out to you.

Help us make this a memorable year for Abbotsford business.

We are YOUR Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce.