The Canadian-Croatian Chamber of Commerce will host the 21st Annual Business Excellence Awards Gala on Friday, May 2, 2025 at the Burlington Convention Centre, 1120 Burloak Drive, Burlington, Ontario, opening with cocktails at 6:00 p.m.
The awards evening is designed to formally recognize leadership, innovation and excellence within the Croatian-Canadian community and significant contributions by Croatian-Canadians to Canadian society as a whole.
We invite all members and friends of the Chamber and the greater Croatian-Canadian communities across Canada to join us.
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This exceptional evening will feature our special guest, the First Lady of Croatian Football, Iva Olivari!
In a sport traditionally dominated by men, Iva has broken barriers and proven her leadership as the Team Manager of the Croatian men’s national football team.
From managing a World Cup finalist team to shaping the future of sports leadership, Iva’s journey is one of resilience, excellence, and inspiration.
Joining us to interview Iva, is Pete Radovich!
Pete is a 45-time Emmy award winner and VP Production and Senior Creative Director, CBS Sports, UEFA Champions League and Super Bowl.
The evening will also feature a curated dinner menu by Chef Petar Budiša from Dalma Catering 
Inspired by Mediterranean cuisine, Dalma Catering has been delivering fresh, classic homestyle meals with a fine dining flair since 1996.
Croatia’s culinary scene is a hidden gem, blending the rustic charm of homestyle cooking with the elegance of fine dining. Deeply inspired by the bountiful ingredients of the Mediterranean, Dalma Catering has been making waves by bringing traditional flavors to life with a modern touch. Through their dedication to fresh, high-quality ingredients and time-honored techniques, they’ve created a unique dining experience that embodies both comfort and sophistication.
Tvrtko Klobucar, Klobucar Fine Art will further enrich the evening with an Art Exhibit created especially for the BEA.
“The style of my work is traditional realism in a contemporary format, but my work can also be seen as cultural symbols in contemporary theme painting. It’s important to note that style cannot be collapsed into one way of seeing my work. It is a combination of cultural history and something entirely new.” – Tvrtko Klobucar
Please join us for an evening of outstanding recognition, fine food, and entertainment!
- Cocktail hour, dinner and open bar
- Presentation of the 21st BEAs
- Presentation of the scholarship and bursary awards
- Entertainment with Ponosni Hrvati and Thomas Sulug as well as anthems by Julijana Hajdinjak and Andrew Sporcic
- Silent auction and raffle – proceeds of which will be used to benefit the Croatian-Canadian Scholarship Fund
- Wine and Beer Tasting with Croatia Unpacked and Baka Beer
Nomination Process
Deadline: March 21, 2025
Nominations will be considered for two consecutive years and do not have to be refiled the second year. Nominations received in 2024 will be automatically entered and considered.
Those nominated but not recognized after two years may be nominated again by filing a nomination package with updated information.
There is no cap on the number of nomination packages eligible for submission.
All nominations must be submitted in writing. Verbal nominations will not be accepted. Nominations may be made by on-line submission, regular mail, e-mail, or hand delivery.
Click HERE for Award Categories and Nomination Forms
Nomination Criteria
Consideration will be given to performance and achievement in any of, but not limited to, the following areas:
• Leadership and entrepreneurship
• Product/service/market innovation
• Any unique business achievements
• Sales and/or employment growth and technological advancement
• Excellence in community relations/promotion
• Customer service and reliability
• High standards of employee relations
Selection Process
The award recipients are determined through a voting panel composed of the Canadian-Croatian Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and the previous year’s award recipients. The selection process is moderated and approved by the Consul General, Consulate General of the Republic of Croatia.
Announcement of Award Recipients
The names of the award recipients will be announced at the 21st Annual Business Excellence Awards Gala on Friday, May 2, 2025 in Burlington, Ontario. The names will also be published on the Chamber’s website as well as by news release.
Nominations are encouraged from all members and friends of the Chamber and the greater Croatian-Canadian communities across Canada.
Chamber membership is not required to nominate or be nominated as an award candidate.
Thank you to our 2024 Sponsors!
As a not-for-profit organization, we depend upon the generosity of businesses and individuals to help make this event a great success and sustain various initiatives of the Chamber including subsidizing educational initiatives and supporting the Croatian-Canadian Scholarship Fund.
