The Comox Valley was well represented at the third annual Vancouver Island Top 20 Under 40 Business & Community Achievement Awards, with two local businesswomen taking home some new hardware.
Kristen Pronick, co-owner and president of Axis Heating + Cooling, and Angela Zumbo, Accredited Mortgage Professional and owner of The Mortgage Centre – Your Island Mortgage Team, were recognized at the event, held in Courtenay last month. Chosen from 100 nominees for qualities such as achievement, business judgment, leadership and community involvement, both women were pleasantly surprised to receive the honour.
“I was just happy to be in the company of such worthy nominees,” says Pronick. “To actually win was quite a thrill — and a bit nerve-wracking having to make a speech in front of 300 people!”
Pronick nonetheless welcomed the opportunity to thank her parents, who started the second-generation business more than 25 years ago, as well as her husband and co-owner Mikhail, their clients and their staff.
“We have some of the best people in the industry, and I couldn’t do what I do without them,” she admits. “They’re the real stars of Axis.”
Under Pronick’s guidance, Axis Heating + Cooling has maintained a consistent A+ rating with the BBB. Trane, the company’s major heat pump provider, recently designated Axis as one of only 10 “Total Comfort Solution” dealers across Canada in acknowledgement of its superior customer service and installation practices.
No stranger to awards, Pronick was recently named one of the Comox Valley’s Top 40 Under 40, and Axis Heating + Cooling was a top-three finalist for the Comox Valley Small Business of the Year award.
Zumbo has likewise been on the receiving end of numerous accolades. A fellow Top 40 Under 40 honoree, Zumbo and her team at The Mortgage Centre also received the Comox Valley Small Business Association’s 2014 Business of the Year award and its 2013 Innovation Award.
“It’s a wonderful recognition,” says Zumbo. “To be chosen from such a deep pool of amazing entrepreneurial talent in the Comox Valley truly is an honour.”
In the mortgage industry for 10 years, Zumbo started with The Mortgage Centre in 2005 and eventually purchased the business in 2012. She’s since grown her team of mortgage professionals and has exceeded previous sales projections.
Just as important to the G.P. Vanier grad, though, is giving back to her community, which she does generously via organizations like Habitat for Humanity, Ducks Unlimited, YANA and L’Arche Comox Valley. A proud supporter of many local associations, Zumbo is also the president of the Comox Valley Women’s Business Network (WBN).
“Our philosophy has always been to put our clients and the community first,” says Zumbo. “We work together as a team to ensure all our clients receive the same care and attention. Giving back to the community gives us purpose, which has led to the continued growth and success of our team.”
To learn more about Angela or Kristen, visit www.yourislandmortgage.ca or www.axisheating.ca.