Laurel Douglas is Kelowna Business Leader of the Year for 2020

For Laurel Douglas, it's always been about helping entrepreneurs help themselves and grow the economy.

"When I arrived in Kelowna (23 years ago), I wanted to use my background in business to help entrepreneurs access capital, knowledge and markets," said Douglas.

"And to help create the conditions to encourage economic development in our region. (We) are working very hard during this difficult time to support business and community resilience and recovery.""

She's done such an incredible job of it the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce's Business Excellence Awards is recognizing Douglas as Business Leader of the Year for 2020.

"Laurel has enriched our city and our region," said chamber president Jeffrey Robinson.

"She has championed entrepreneurs and provided valuable community leadership in the economic development and post-secondary sectors. She continues to leave a legacy of strategic thinking, impact and collaboration in the positions she has held."

The chamber announces the Business Leader of the Year ahead of its annual Business Excellence Awards as a way to singularly recognize the winner and create hype around the upcoming ceremony where trophies will be handed out in 13 categories.

With COVID preventing large gatherings, and thus the awards' regular banquet, the 33rd annual edition of the event will be held virtually Nov. 26 from 5-6:30 p.m..

Registration and tickets at KelownaChamber.org.

When Douglas first moved to Kelowna in 1997, after working in France, Germany, the UK and Ontario in telecom and financial services, she became the founding executive director of the tech industry support organization now known as Accelerate Okanagan.

She then worked for the National Research Council before a long tenure at the Kelowna-based Women's Enterprise Centre, which supports women entrepreneurs throughout BC with financing, training, mentoring and resources.

Over her 15 years at the centre, it provided direct and leveraged financing of $67 million to hundreds of women-led businesses, which helped create and maintain 3,650 jobs in the province.

Douglas became CEO of the Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust earlier this year.

Since its creation in 2006, the trust has provided funding for almost $64 million in projects worth $250 million that have created 3,650 jobs in the Southern Interior.

"In her new role, we are confident her steady hand and clear-headed planning will create great outcomes for this important regional economic development organization," said Robinson.

Douglas is in good company as a Kelowna Business Leader of the Year.

Past winners include KF Aerospace (formerly Kelowna Flightcraft) founder Barry LaPointe, Jeff Stibbard of JDS Mining & Energy, Tony Stewart from Quails' Gate Winery, Brad Bennett of McIntosh Properties and Pushor Mitchell lawyer Theresa Arsenault.