Carter Automotive Family was inducted into the Burnaby Business Excellence Awards' Hall of Fame at a luncheon on Thursday at the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown.
"I'm absolutely overwhelmed," said Marnie Carter, a director of the company and wife of founder Howard Carter, at the awards ceremony.
The company was founded in 1963 in Kerrisdale and moved to Burnaby in 1968.
Howard passed away in 1988, and soon after, the company became a partnership between two families: the Carters (including son James, now a director) and the Mitchells.
Bill Mitchell, president of the company, said it has done well despite the economy in recent years, which primarily affected the market in the United States.
"We're confident about our future," he said, adding the company is completing a $5-million upgrade of its Burnaby locations.
Today the company includes two dealerships in Burnaby, one in Vancouver and one in North Vancouver, as well as a commercial leasing company. It also provides mobile glass repair and vehicle insurance services.
The Burnaby Board of Trade, in conjunction with the City of Burnaby, honoured the company with the award.
The Hall of Fame award is reserved for Burnaby-based businesses that have demonstrated success, business excellence and community involvement for at least 25 years. Carter Automotive Family is the eighth inductee into the Hall of Fame.
The finalists in each of the eight categories for the 12th annual Burnaby Business Excellence Awards were also announced at the luncheon.
The nominees for the Burnaby Community Spirit Award, sponsored by the City of Burnaby, are ABC Recycling, HighGate Save On Foods, and G&F Financial Group and Investors Financial Group.
The nominees for the Business Innovation Award, sponsored by the British Columbia Institute of Technology are Ballard Power Systems, EcoMedia Direct and Titan Integrated Technology.
The nominees for the Entrepreneurial Spirit Award are EcoMedia Direct, General Fusion, Pacific Mattress Recycling, and Training Innovations.
The nominees for the Environmental Sustainability Award, sponsored by Encorp Pacific, are Escents Aromatherapy, HollyNorth Production Supplies and Left Coast Naturals.
The nominees for Not-For-Profit Organization of the Year, sponsored by ABC Recycling, are Burnaby Arts Council, Burnaby Family Life, The Burnaby Hospice Society and The Dixon Transition Society.
The nominees for Business Person of the Year, sponsored by BC Business Magazine, are Chris Dikeakos of Chris Dikeakos Architects, Jacqui MacNeill of Escents Aromatherapy and Bailey Jung of Silver Bullett Shredding.
The nominees for Small Business of the Year, sponsored by North Shore Credit Union, are Shervin Communications, Chris Dikeakos Architects, Silver Bullett Shredding, TQ Construction, and Wolfgang Commercial Painters.
The nominees for Business of the Year, sponsored by The Burnaby NOW, are Gateway Casinos and Entertainment, IBM Canada and North Shore Credit Union.
The awards will be presented at the 12th annual Burnaby Business Excellence Awards gala on Nov. 2.
