Epic.
That’s the word.
That’s the kind of language you use when hundreds of Ontario’s hardest working and most successful young professionals (YPs) get together under the same roof for the #NotableAwards.
And yes, there was dancing, and DJs, and food, and drink, and more dancing (much more).
But first, there was the much anticipated awards ceremony.
After guests took their seats inside the beautiful venue, 99 Sudbury, Notable CEO Julian Brass took to the stage to welcome everyone to the 2014 Ontario Notable Awards and deliver an impassioned speech about Notable’s humble beginnings and the importance of remaining committed, driven, and connected.
CTV’s Melissa Grelo (she would later win for Best in Entertainment) then stepped to the podium to announce the night’s first winners – but not before taking a selfie with the crowd.
But even then, the feeling of how special a night this was still couldn’t be completely captured.
Of course, events like this don’t happen without the perfect partnerships. Fresh off the heels of our successful summer-long Fusion Notable Icon Series, it was no surprise that Ford of Canada made the Notable Awards Powered by Fusion one of the best events Toronto has seen all year.
A big thanks must be given to Porter Airlines as well, for all their help in making this night as memorable as it turned out to be.
Bottles of Robert Mondavi Private Selection Wines filled guests’ tables while Joey Restaurants offered delicious highlights from their private dining menu throughout the ceremony. While Phase 3 AV made sure everything that was being seen and heard all night long was being done so loud and clear.
Toronto Raptor Greivis Vásquez was there to present. Fashionista Stacey McKenzie was sitting at her front row table. Socialite Ainsley Kerr and jewellery designer Shay Lowe, both finalists, eagerly awaited their categories.
Needless to say, the room was filled with who’s who of the province’s most notable young professionals and a full list of the night’s winners can be found here.
In fact, the only absence noticed and felt by everyone in attendance was that of Erick Bauer, Co-founder of the FFL Foundation and winner of both Best Not For Profit and the Fusion Go Further Award. Perhaps, as Erick himself pointed out, due to the disease he deals with on a daily basis – the cystic fibrosis that lead to the creation of Friends For Life – it was almost fitting that he was unable to attend.
A poignant moment to be sure, the speech Erick emailed in was a reminder of just how lucky we all are every single day we get to live and work and strive as young professionals.
After the ceremony and some group pictures with all the winners, the party was just getting started – literally.
Shifting into another room at the versatile 99 Sudbury, more delicious food was waiting from the likes of Fonda Lola, ThreeWorks Snacks, Bangkok Garden, Gusto 101/Trattoria Nervosa, Blowfish, as well as some Notable branded cupcakes and cookies from Branded Bites.
But to be sure, they all went down a little more smoothly thanks to all the Finlandia, Herradura, Gentleman Jack, and bottles of Steam Whistle stocked behind the bar.
Which lead to, you guessed it, the aforementioned dancing.
Hundreds more young professionals joined the party and helped to turn it into something truly epic. Between Hubb Music, Loud Luxury, and Shaun Frank spinning inspiring beats, Best DJ Winner, Miss Tara even took over the decks to spin a surprise guest set that kept the crowd moving and mingling.
Jack Black handed out Lip Balm, Supreme Cream, and Beard Lube as gifts for guests heading off into the night.
Us? We weren’t thinking about Friday morning until it was, well, Friday morning.
Luckily, hundreds of other young professionals felt the same way and the Ontario Notable Awards refused to stop moving until…actually, they haven’t even stopped yet.
They’re just on hold until next year.
Click here to see the full photo gallery.
A HUGE congrats to all the finalists listed below. Without young professionals like you, Notable wouldn’t be what it is today:
BEST IN DIGITAL/MEDIA AGENCY
Mindshare
Havas Media
Dentsu Bos
BEST IN FINANCE
Shannon Lee Simmons
Lauren Schreiber
Jade Lai
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Adrian Niman
Kristen Wood
Marcus Daniels
Hanif Harji
Eric Brass
BEST RESTAURANT/LOUNGE
Janet Zuccarini
Zark Fatah
Alan Bekerman
Sean Young and Ian Ross
BEST BARTENDER
Jake Valianes
Joshua Leblanc
Robin Goodfellow
BEST CHEF
Rupert Martin
Trevor Wilkinson
Kris Schlotzhauer
BEST IN EVENT PLANNING
Courtney Beckett
Lindsay Klein
Massoud Abbasi
James Blackburn & Cam Healy
BEST IN HOSPITALITY MANAGMENT
Allison Vidug
Boaz Rachamim
Steve Georgiev
BEST CELEBRITY
Cody Hackman
Lyriq Bent
Sarah Patricia Helen Fisher
BEST IN ENTERTAINMENT
Rick Campanelli
Melissa Grelo
Gurdeep Ahluwalia
Abby Tobias
BEST DJ
Daniel Buckman
Perry Gilman
Shez Mehra
Tara Mobayen
BEST IN ARTS AND CULTURE
Jacqueline Poirier
Deborah Lau-Yu
Jaslyn Eteli
BEST IN FASHION
David Dixon
Christopher Bates
Eyal Alan Edelstein
Shay Lowe
BEST IN PERSONAL BRAND
Marta Tryshak
Stacey McKenzie
Gloria Roheim McRae
Ainsley Kerr
BEST IN PUBLIC RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS
Natasha Koifman
Christine Faulhaber
Debra Goldblatt-Sadowski
Julia Che
BEST BLOG
Jake Rosenburg & Stephanie Mark
Jen McNeely
Jessica Desjardins
Casie Stewart
Catriona Smart
BEST IN JOURNALISM
Mackay Taggart
Teri Pecoskie
Mia Gordon
Sabrina Maddeaux
BEST IN SOCIAL MEDIA
Brittany Barkwell
Milka Mili
Shannon Hunter
BEST ONLINE BUSINESS
Chris Porteous
Lisa Cantkier
Michael Nussbacher
Mike Wagman
BEST IN ARCHITECTURE AND REAL ESTATE
Ali Budd
Tyrone Bowers
Anish Taneja
BEST ADVERTISING OR MARKETING PROFESSIONAL
Corby Fine
Paul Crowe
Elisa Salvatore
Todd Allen
Shayne Stephens
Sonya Singh
BEST IN SALES
Kate Carter Hickey
Lexi Mitz
Michael Andrews
Tamanna Ghazvini
BEST IN SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Kim Smiley
Najeeb Khan
Adam Pesce
BEST NOT FOR PROFIT
Dana Florence
Erick Bauer
Angie Camara
Hershel Stuart Recht
Melody Khodaverdian
Jessica Grossman
BEST IN EDUCATION
Sunny Verma
Greg Witz
Craig Hunter
BEST IN HEALTHCARE
Dr. Alexander Yu
Dr. Sunny Malhotra
Sarthak Sinha
Seema Marwaha
BEST IN SPORTS AND FITNESS
Eva Redpath
Jonathan Hood
Sonia Jhas
Daniel Bochner
FUSION GO FURTHER AWARD
Erick Bauer
#NOTABLE
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