Cedric Steele, a real estate developer and honourary naval captain who has given countless hours to charitable causes and business boards over the past four decades, has been named this year's recipient of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce Governor's Lifetime Achievement Award.

"It is a great honour and a privilege considering all the great people that have been associated with the chamber over the years," Steele said in an interview Wednesday from his Wharf Street office where he runs his development firm.

"I think of the late Mark Scott [owner of Budget Rentals who died in 1999] who served on 20 different boards and gave himself so selflessly to so many causes. Outside of marrying my wife, joining the chamber was the best thing I ever did because it introduced me to so many wonderful people in our community."

Steele will be honoured at the chamber's annual business awards gala April 19 at the Fairmont Empress, where he will join a gallery of past winners that includes developer Gordon Denford, last year's winner, as well as Thrifty Foods co-founder Alex Campbell, Oak Marine Group founder Bob Wright and construction giant John Chew.

Steele, 67, the son of a South African farmer, arrived in Victoria in 1975 after acquiring Prospect Lake Golf Course, a property he still operates today. His father grew corn in what was the Orange Free State and ran a milling operation and small trading store.

"At age 14 I was driving a truck around the country trading blankets and tobacco for chicken and sheep and I guess that prepared me for the trading I would do later in life," said Steele.

He said some of his first real estate deals in Victoria involved trading suites and apartments in the just-expanded Laurel Point Inn in the late 1970s for office and commercial properties. "It was a tough market then and I somehow convinced [the Laurel Point] to give me $3 million in cash to get these deals going," said Steele.

One of those buildings was Hartwig Court on Wharf Street, where Steele still operates. The company has since turned to property development and management.

Steele owns a half dozen apartment and warehouse buildings around the capital and is currently developing a small commercial building in Langford and pushing forward on a 35-unit condominium building in Esquimalt. He is also considering possible development of excess lands around his Prospect Lake Golf Course property.

Steele is perhaps best known for involvement with the Canadian Navy, which named him an honourary captain in 1997. Three years earlier he was part of the Canadian Forces Liaison Council and charged with bridging a closer relationship between the business community and the navy, a role he's relished.

Steele was most recently the driving force behind the navy's Homecoming Statue on the Inner Harbour, part of the Canadian Navy's 100th anniversary celebrations last year.

"Whatever the navy says I have done for them over the years, they have given me 10 times more," said Steele. "Their motto is duty before self, and each member lives by that. They've taught me to be a better human being. People who serve sometimes have to leave their families for six months and then return and re-engage. We owe much to them."

In early May, another sculpture by Nathan Scott will be added to the Homecoming site, depicting a Second World War sailor reading a newspaper declaring victory in Europe.

Steele also served as honorary consul to the Republic of Latvia from 2002 until last year. His father, Leo Steele, was born in the Baltic country, so a connection was made with the Latvian ambassador to Canada for Steele to help with business connections, visas and other issues involving Latvians on Canada's West Coast.

Steele's long resumé of community involvement also includes president of the chamber, chairman of Glenlyon-Norfolk School and corporate fundraising for Timmy's Telethon, director of the Queen Alexandra Centre for Children's Health and six years on the Victoria Police Board. He also served with Tourism Victoria, the advisory board to the Faculty of Business at the University of Victoria and Revenue Canada's Small Business Advisory Committee.

In 2005, Steele was appointed to the advisory board of the Salvation Army and in 2009 was named a Fellow of Royal Roads Lifetime honour for Cedric Steele

Chamber of Commerce recognizes decades of community involvement

DARRON KLOSTER

Times Colonist

Cedric Steele, a real estate developer and honourary naval captain who has given countless hours to charitable causes and business boards over the past four decades, has been named this year's recipient of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce Governor's Lifetime Achievement Award.

"It is a great honour and a privilege considering all the great people that have been associated with the chamber over the years," Steele said in an interview Wednesday from his Wharf Street office where he runs his development firm.

"I think of the late Mark Scott [owner of Budget Rentals who died in 1999] who served on 20 different boards and gave himself so selflessly to so many causes. Outside of marrying my wife, joining the chamber was the best thing I ever did because it introduced me to so many wonderful people in our community."

Steele will be honoured at the chamber's annual business awards gala April 19 at the Fairmont Empress, where he will join a gallery of past winners that includes developer Gordon Denford, last year's winner, as well as Thrifty Foods co-founder Alex Campbell, Oak Marine Group founder Bob Wright and construction giant John Chew.

Steele, 67, the son of a South African farmer, arrived in Victoria in 1975 after acquiring Prospect Lake Golf Course, a property he still operates today. His father grew corn in what was the Orange Free State and ran a milling operation and small trading store.

"At age 14 I was driving a truck around the country trading blankets and tobacco for chicken and sheep and I guess that prepared me for the trading I would do later in life," said Steele.

He said some of his first real estate deals in Victoria involved trading suites and apartments in the just-expanded Laurel Point Inn in the late 1970s for office and commercial properties. "It was a tough market then and I somehow convinced [the Laurel Point] to give me $3 million in cash to get these deals going," said Steele.

One of those buildings was Hartwig Court on Wharf Street, where Steele still operates. The company has since turned to property development and management.

Steele owns a half dozen apartment and warehouse buildings around the capital and is currently developing a small commercial building in Langford and pushing forward on a 35-unit condominium building in Esquimalt. He is also considering possible development of excess lands around his Prospect Lake Golf Course property.

Steele is perhaps best known for involvement with the Canadian Navy, which named him an honourary captain in 1997. Three years earlier he was part of the Canadian Forces Liaison Council and charged with bridging a closer relationship between the business community and the navy, a role he's relished.

Steele was most recently the driving force behind the navy's Homecoming Statue on the Inner Harbour, part of the Canadian Navy's 100th anniversary celebrations last year.

"Whatever the navy says I have done for them over the years, they have given me 10 times more," said Steele. "Their motto is duty before self, and each member lives by that. They've taught me to be a better human being. People who serve sometimes have to leave their families for six months and then return and re-engage. We owe much to them."

In early May, another sculpture by Nathan Scott will be added to the Homecoming site, depicting a Second World War sailor reading a newspaper declaring victory in Europe.

Steele also served as honorary consul to the Republic of Latvia from 2002 until last year. His father, Leo Steele, was born in the Baltic country, so a connection was made with the Latvian ambassador to Canada for Steele to help with business connections, visas and other issues involving Latvians on Canada's West Coast.

Steele's long resumé of community involvement also includes president of the chamber, chairman of Glenlyon-Norfolk School and corporate fundraising for Timmy's Telethon, director of the Queen Alexandra Centre for Children's Health and six years on the Victoria Police Board. He also served with Tourism Victoria, the advisory board to the Faculty of Business at the University of Victoria and Revenue Canada's Small Business Advisory Committee.

In 2005, Steele was appointed to the advisory board of the Salvation Army and in 2009 was named a Fellow of Royal Roads University.

dkloster@timescolonist.com

Jocelyne Monette, who launched the region’s only pet crematorium and funeral home last year, is one of 26 finalists for the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards.

The Greater Victoria Pet Memorial Centre at 485 John St. will be up against Pacific Rim College for the Innovation Award when the chamber celebrates local businesses at its annual gala at the Victoria Conference Centre on April 19.

The event — a perennial sellout — will also honour real estate developer and honourary naval captain Cedric Steele, the 2011 recipient of the Governor’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

More than 150 nominations were received for the Business Excellence Awards. Those were whittled down to 26 finalist in 13 categories:

Business Leadership:

The Truffles Group

Victoria Foundation

New Business:

RaceRocks 3D

Capital City Boxing Inc.

Innovation:

Greater Victoria Pet Memorial Center

Pacific Rim College

Outstanding Customer Service:

Shelley Prpich Autobrokers

Directis Consulting

Business of the Year (1-10 employees):

MD Esthetics Laser Centre

Enabled Financial Solutions Ltd.

Business of the Year (11-25 employees):

Sportball

WildPlay Ltd.

Business of the Year (26-75 employees):

Pizzeria Prima Strada

Root Cellar Village Green Grocers Ltd.

Business of the Year (76+ employees):

Cridge Centre for the Family

Island Savings

Sustainable Business Practices

Swans Suite Hotel & Brewpub

Transmission & Auto Care of Victoria

Employer of the Year:

Megson Fitzpatrick Insurance Services

Tourism Victoria

Business Person of the Year:

Mike Miller, Abstract Developments Inc.

Allan Neale, Norgaard Neale Camden

Young Entrepreneur of the Year:

Jeff Zamluk, Swell Source

Todd Howard, Pacific Rim College

Employee of the Year:

Justin Green, Maximum Express Courier, Freight & Logistics

Barry Sadler, Three Point Motors