CONESTOGA COLLEGE
Conestoga alumni recognized with Cambridge business excellence awards

Ayr Welding was named Business of the Year (50 employees and over), and Young Entrepreneur of the Year went to Cole and Kortnie Wigboldus of Doggie Stay n' Play.

Cole Wigboldus is a graduate of the Business-Marketing program, class of 2020.

Conestoga alumni Chris deVos worked at his parents' company Ayr Welding while he was in high school before attending Conestoga's Welding Engineering Technician program and graduating in 1998. In 2009, deVos, his sister and two others took over Ayr Welding.

"For nearly 60 years, Ayr Welding has continued to build a strong reputation for outstanding craftsmanship and exceptional customer service. Starting as a small family-owned business in 1967, it has continually diversified its services while staying true to its founding values and now operates from three locations," the award description said.

"Its continued success can be attributed to its competent and knowledgeable staff, who thrive in the company's positive work environment. Ayr Welding is an organization that treats each employee with kindness and compassion."

Cole Wigboldus and his wife are honoured by the recognition at the start of their business journey.

"Receiving the Young Entrepreneur of the Year award is a meaningful achievement to my wife and myself. It is an honour to be recognized for our hard work, innovation and impact at an early stage in our business journey," he said.

"Thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way my team, clients, community and especially my wife. This is only the beginning, and I'm excited for what the future holds."

Creativity, vision and a love for animals have been key for the couple and their business, the award description said. "They have transformed a standard business idea into something unique by introducing a kennel free' environment in their dog daycare and boarding operation."

The pair are focused on building strong relationships with pet owners, promoting responsible pet ownership. "This vision inspires the daycare to be a leader in the pet care industry."

The awards were presented in front of a sold-out crowd of business leaders and officials from the City of Cambridge and Township of North Dumfries at Tapestry Hall on May 22. The event started in 2000 recognizes the contributions and achievements of the local business community, featuring 11 award categories including nine requiring nominations.