That’s what Eric MacKeen talked about Thursday night as he accepted the BDC Business Person of the Year award during the Truro and Colchester Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards gala.
The award recognizes someone who has achieved significant success in their business by showing strong leadership skills and business acumen, contributing to the growth of the business.
“The car business has been in my blood for a long time,” said MacKeen, general manager of Tri-County Ford in Tatamagouche. “But it’s a lot of fun and it’s all about building relationships, and that’s truly what I believe and I think that’s why I was excited to go back to Tatamagouche. We build relationships every day there and we want people to come back.
MacKeen has been with Tri County Ford for the past 26 years. In 1988, he started with Concept Ford in Truro, however, headed back to Tatamagouche and the dealership two years later on an opportunity from Ron and Val Creighton.
“I think everybody that walks in our store, or hopefully everybody that walks through our store, gets the feeling we do everything as a team, and we win this award as a team,” he said.
MacKeen said he loves what he does and thanked his wife, Kim, and daughter, Erica, for their patience.
“They know that I don’t get up early in the morning but I do stay late at night. It’s a lot of work and a lot of times when we’re sitting around the kitchen table my mind’s sometimes not on them, it’s back at the store.”
He said the dealership wouldn’t be as successful or fun as it is without the staff, who continually build relationships with their customers.
Outside of work, MacKeen has been involved in 4-H, raising money through for 4-H through Ford’s Drive One program, as well as organizing fundraisers for Tatamagouche Elementary, North Colchester High and Pugwash District High schools.
He has 20 years of service to the Tatamagouche Fire Department as an active member and associate member, current board member and treasurer of the North Shore Christian Fellowship, and was president of the Tatamagouche BIDC, among many others.
The chamber also presented the Credit Union Community Business Excellence Award to MBW Courier Inc. The award recognizes a business exhibiting visionary leadership, achieving growth through new products/ideas, and being actively involved in the community through fundraising and partnerships.
Grant Rhodenizer accepted the award on behalf of co-owners Barry Mitchell and Phil Walters.
The business will celebrate 20 years next moth.
“We started out with two vehicles, one in Halifax and one in Truro,” said Rhodenizer. “Now we’re up to 120 and we’re serving Halifax and all of Truro, throughout Nova Scotia and Cape Breton, into Fredericton and Saint John. As far as the future, hopefully further.”
With 100 employees currently with MBW, Rhodenizer said that could grow as the company’s clients grow.
“This couldn’t have happened without the support of all our customers and hardworking employees,” Rhodenizer added.
Over the years, MBW has been a gold sponsor of the Colchester East Hants Health Centre Foundation’s annual golf tournament, and supporter of the Colchester Food Bank, Christmas Index, sports teams, Jack Rabbit Run, and more.
Twitter: @TDNRaissa
That’s what Eric MacKeen talked about Thursday night as he accepted the BDC Business Person of the Year award during the Truro and Colchester Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards gala.
The award recognizes someone who has achieved significant success in their business by showing strong leadership skills and business acumen, contributing to the growth of the business.
“The car business has been in my blood for a long time,” said MacKeen, general manager of Tri-County Ford in Tatamagouche. “But it’s a lot of fun and it’s all about building relationships, and that’s truly what I believe and I think that’s why I was excited to go back to Tatamagouche. We build relationships every day there and we want people to come back.
MacKeen has been with Tri County Ford for the past 26 years. In 1988, he started with Concept Ford in Truro, however, headed back to Tatamagouche and the dealership two years later on an opportunity from Ron and Val Creighton.
“I think everybody that walks in our store, or hopefully everybody that walks through our store, gets the feeling we do everything as a team, and we win this award as a team,” he said.
MacKeen said he loves what he does and thanked his wife, Kim, and daughter, Erica, for their patience.
“They know that I don’t get up early in the morning but I do stay late at night. It’s a lot of work and a lot of times when we’re sitting around the kitchen table my mind’s sometimes not on them, it’s back at the store.”
He said the dealership wouldn’t be as successful or fun as it is without the staff, who continually build relationships with their customers.
Outside of work, MacKeen has been involved in 4-H, raising money through for 4-H through Ford’s Drive One program, as well as organizing fundraisers for Tatamagouche Elementary, North Colchester High and Pugwash District High schools.
He has 20 years of service to the Tatamagouche Fire Department as an active member and associate member, current board member and treasurer of the North Shore Christian Fellowship, and was president of the Tatamagouche BIDC, among many others.
The chamber also presented the Credit Union Community Business Excellence Award to MBW Courier Inc. The award recognizes a business exhibiting visionary leadership, achieving growth through new products/ideas, and being actively involved in the community through fundraising and partnerships.
Grant Rhodenizer accepted the award on behalf of co-owners Barry Mitchell and Phil Walters.
The business will celebrate 20 years next moth.
“We started out with two vehicles, one in Halifax and one in Truro,” said Rhodenizer. “Now we’re up to 120 and we’re serving Halifax and all of Truro, throughout Nova Scotia and Cape Breton, into Fredericton and Saint John. As far as the future, hopefully further.”
With 100 employees currently with MBW, Rhodenizer said that could grow as the company’s clients grow.
“This couldn’t have happened without the support of all our customers and hardworking employees,” Rhodenizer added.
Over the years, MBW has been a gold sponsor of the Colchester East Hants Health Centre Foundation’s annual golf tournament, and supporter of the Colchester Food Bank, Christmas Index, sports teams, Jack Rabbit Run, and more.
Twitter: @TDNRaissa
