Chamber honours Wheat Kings owner
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/03/2011 (5550 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
When Kelly McCrimmon first donned a Brandon Wheat Kings jersey as a player in 1979, he says he never could have predicted the organization would figure front and centre in his future.
Following his junior hockey career, McCrimmon returned to Brandon with a university degree in business in tow, intent on spending his days farming.
Fate had another plan, however, and less than a decade after he first suited up to play with the Wheat Kings, McCrimmon returned to the organization. In 1992, he signed on as a minority owner and in 2000, he became sole owner. Today, he is the club’s governor, general manger and head coach.
More than 20 years have passed since McCrimmon returned to Brandon and since, he has been instrumental in growing the franchise annually — capped off by playing host to the 2010 MasterCard Memorial Cup.
McCrimmon’s influence on the bench and his business savvy has caught the attention of the Brandon Chamber of Commerce. On Thursday evening, during the Chamber’s 128th annual dinner, McCrimmon received the 2011 President’s Award for Business Person of the Year.
"It’s a great honour, and I think a lot of times with awards, they take on even more meaning when you look at the people who have won previously," McCrimmon told the Sun. "It’s always been a great source of pride for me to do business in Brandon."
The prestigious award, which has been handed out annually since 1982, was received by Westman Communications Group president and CEO Dave Baxter last year.
Current chamber president PJ Crane summed up the award criteria as a person who "exemplifies outstanding business practices and achievements, and who demonstrates leadership, vision and economic growth within our city."
And economic growth is something with which McCrimmon has grown quite familiar.
An economic generator model done by Brandon First predicted the city would get an injection of $12.5 million of total gross economic activity thanks the Memorial Cup, but many say the economic impact is far greater than what can be measured and will pay dividends in Brandon and Westman for years to come.
The tournament also netted an $800,000 profit for the Canadian Hockey League.
"That was easily the most memorable event of 2010 for our organization," McCrimmon said. "The event not only had tremendous economic impact within the city, but also the national exposure that the city and the Brandon Wheat King organization received I think was tremendous."
Coming off the high of the 2010 season, McCrimmon’s business sense remains front and centre.
"The bottom line is we have to continue to grow our fan base," he said. "If we go back 10 years we averaged 3,500 fans … now we’re averaging 4,200 to 4,300 per game. We want to get to that tipping point where the building is full and to get there, then you have increased demand on your tickets. That’s what we all shoot for, and that’s where we need to be in the next five years."
Under his tenure, the Wheat Kings made the playoffs 18 of 19 years and have won more games than any other team in the Canadian Hockey League, posting more than 40 wins in 13 of the last 19 seasons.
This record also got the attention of the Western Hockey League and the CHL.
The WHL named McCrimmon executive of the year in 1995 (as did the CHL) and again in 2010.
Previous winners:
The President’s Award for the Business Person of the Year is presented to an individual for recognition of outstanding service to business and community endeavours.
2011 Kelly McCrimmon
2010 Dave Baxter
2009 Ron Ball
2008 Paul Crane
2007 Neil and Darryl Andrews
2006 John Burgess
2005 Jack Jacobson
2004 Michael Leech
2003 Michael Faeron and Ken Robinson
2002 Wayne McLeod
2001 Don Main
2000 Marlene Kirton
1999 Gord Peters
1998 Bob Mazer
1997 Stuart Craig
1996 Don Kille and Ron Kille
1995 Merv Dillabough
1994 Bob Cornell
1993 Ray West
1992 Clair Murray
1991 Lefty Hendrickson
1990 Jim Figol
1989 Don Pottinger
1988 Bev McMaster
1987 Don Penny
1986 Ron Helwer
1985 Murray Gottschlich
1984 Gerry Collyer
1983 Ed Mazer
1982 Geoff Sutherland