The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce announced today that Lane Merrifield will be named 2017 Business Leader, in conjunction with their Business Excellence Award program.
 
The prestigious Award recognizes and celebrates Lane for his outstanding contributions to the business community in the Central Okanagan. 

Lane is no stranger to the community. The entrepreneur is well-known as the founder of Club Penguin; the largest online virtual world for kids, which was acquired by The Walt Disney Company in 2007 for $350M. 
 
Lane's recent works include co-founding FreshGrade, a learning assessment and portfolio tool that many schools have already adopted, allowing more efficient ways for parental, student and teacher engagement and progress reporting. 
 
The selection committee was particularly impressed by Lane's leadership as he took his passion for convergence of creativity and technology, and led the charge to create the 120,000 sq.ft. Innovation Centre in downtown Kelowna, which opened up earlier this year. 
 
The goal was to build Canada's most innovative, creative, and entrepreneurial technology community, which Lane has been keen on since the founding of Wheelhouse in 2013, an organization that supports early-stage technology companies and entrepreneurs to develop and grow their business. 

The state-of-the-art building houses businesses ranging from two-person start-ups to large technology and innovation firms.  Home of Accelerate Okanagan and Business Development Bank of Canada, it also offers space for early-stage companies, non-profits, community groups, and social enterprises. 

Lane has served on several technology boards, the University of British Columbia's Board of Governors, and was most recently appointed to the Premier's Technology Council. His teams have won dozens of awards including a BAFTA Award and a Webby Award. Lane has received an Honorary Fellows Award, several leadership awards, and was listed as one of The Hollywood Reporters Top 35 Executives under 35. 
 
Lane will receive this latest award on October 12th at the Delta Grand, at the Kelowna Chamber's largest event of the year, The Business Excellence Awards. 
 
Everyone is welcome to attend, but tickets must be purchased in advance. Tickets are on sale now only until Friday, October 6.  Click here to reserve your seats for this popular event!
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For further information contact:
 
Allison Conroy
Communications & Events Manager
Kelowna Chamber of Commerce
Direct line 250 469-7351
 
About Business Excellence Awards

The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce is proud to be involved in recognizing and praising businesses that excel within our community. The Business Excellence Awards are an annual program that celebrates outstanding business success in Kelowna and the surrounding area. Since its inception in 1987, over 200 awards have gone to well-deserving businesses.

Each year the finalists and the award recipients receive valuable publicity before, during and after the event. The employees of these companies also feel a sense of pride in their employer. 

All awards are adjudicated in a process that runs from nominations in May to announcements of finalists in September. More info: http://www.kelownachamber.org/events-programs/business-excellence-awards/

About Kelowna Chamber of Commerce

The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce acts as a single powerful voice for our 1225 members and their 25,000 plus employees to promote local business interests. The Chamber provides a cohesive business network for our members to expand their business contacts, value-added benefits, programs, and services aimed at improving the bottom line of Chamber members' businesses. The Chamber's mission is to foster a positive business environment by providing our members with leadership, advocacy and services of value.