Changing from hauling garbage and recyclables, Empringham Disposal Corporation hauled an award for top young business in the city.
The company, which operates throughout Central Alberta, received the 2016 Young Entrepreneur Award at the Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce’s 35th annual Business Awards Gala at the Red Deer College Arts Centre Wednesday night.
The award was the first given to a young entrepreneur, something Rick More, manager of Membership & Community Relations for the Red Deer and District Chamber of Commerce, said was a long time coming.
“Young entrepreneurs are our future and are going to carry the baton for Red Deer,” he said. “The baby boomers are slowly either going to be selling or closing their businesses. I think it’s important for Red Deer because we are demographically a young city.”
Company founder Rio Empringham was pleased to be recognized among some of the top businesses in the city. He has been in the business for four-and-a-half years.
“It was pretty exciting to be nominated and then to become a finalist and win was pretty crazy,” he said. “It was definitely nice to get the recognition after putting a lot of time and hard work into the business. It was a great feeling.”
Empringham Disposal Corporation, Bower Ponds Recreation and Steel Pony Farm were named the finalists for this year’s Young Entrepreneur Award and, although Empringham took home the award, he said nobody should be disappointed.
“Those are some great businesses. Some people got trophies and some people didn’t, but everyone there was definitely a winner,” said Empringham.
More said recognizing the younger generation, when it comes to business, is something Red Deer needs to do for the development of the city.
“We really have to start targeting the millenniums and the new entrepreneurs. It was a great chance to recognize those coming up and the people who are going to be our future business owners,” said More.
There were more than 300 businesses who attended the gala Wednesday night, and Empringham said he was honoured to represent his business.
Empringham Disposal Corporation started in 2012 with one truck and four bins.
Today, the company has about 200 bins and four trucks.
Jo(e) Social Media was named Business of the Year in the 1-10 employees category, Red Deer Rebels were named Business of the Year in the 11 to 20 employees category and Paul Davis Red Deer was recognized in the 21-plus employees category.
jonathan.guignard@www.reddeeradvocate.com