(The ABEX Awards/Facebook)

By Ian Gustafson

Award Winner

Richard Ahenakew to be recognized at 2020 ABEX awards

Sep 14, 2020 | 2:25 PM

Prince Albert’s Richard Ahenakew’s work is being acknowledged at the 2020 ABEX Awards.

According to a media release, Ahenakew won the Roger Phillips Chamber Builder Award which is given to someone who has a track record of giving their time, leadership, and intelligence to the chamber network in Saskatchewan.

“Because of the people that are involved in the chamber it was extremely humbling,” Ahenakew told paNOW. “There’s so many great leaders in the chamber, so many people that have such an incredible impact over the years that I felt at first like maybe somebody was pulling a joke on me.”

The award was made to honour ABEX founder and former Saskatchewan Chamber Board member Roger Phillips.

Since 1984, the ABEX Awards have celebrated businesses but due to the COVID-19 pandemic they will be changing to celebrating businesses and individuals who are “Saskatchewan’s everyday heroes.”

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Ahenakew said he was on the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, sat on the board for many years serving as the first vice chair, second vice chair and chair of the chamber. He also served on the National chamber as a representative for Saskatchewan. In total, he served on the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce for 12 years.

“I was on various committees throughout the years, was with so many exceptional people. I learned a lot about business, I learned a lot about the world in many of the chamber groups I was with,” Ahenakew said. “I had the distinction of being the first First Nations person that’s elected chair of a provincial chamber in Canada.”

The awards this year will be taking place on Nov. 14 virtually and will be the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce’s 100^th anniversary. Organizers encourage recipients to hold watch parties at their own homes with a roaring twenties theme with SHA health guidelines in mind.

“It’s a huge anniversary for them but also it’s gonna be a virtual event so I’m looking forward to seeing how that works out. It is a new world. COVID has changed the way we do some things, but it still doesn’t make the honour any less important to me,” he said.

Ahenakew said he was told he would be the award recipient because of the work he has done as a First Nations chair and the exposure he helped the board develop. The honour also recognizes bringing in more First Nations interest and focus on the board.

“I think it’s important that people know that the chamber boards they’re volunteer boards and that you can meet great people,” he said. “You can learn a lot from the board and the work they do is definitely important in being the voice of business in not only the community but the province and the country.”

Leading up to the Nov. 14 award show, organizers will highlight award winners on the ABEX Awards social media pages.

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Ian.gustafson@jpbg.ca