B.C. entrepreneur Mandy Farmer was recently awarded the title Business Leader of the Year at the Canadian Queer Chamber of Commerce’s (CQCC). CQCC’s 10th annual Black & White Gala Business Awards were held in Toronto on Nov. 14. The CQCC Business Leadership Awards celebrate trailblazers driving inclusion, innovation, and growth in Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ business community. Farmer is the current president and CEO of Accent Inns, proudly owned and operated by the Farmer family since 1986. She took over the role from her father, Terry Farmer, in 2008. She is also the founder of Hotel Zed and Tofino restaurant, ROAR. She was previously named RBC Women of Influence Entrepreneur of the Year in the excellence category in 2020, won the Tourism Industry Association of Canada’s Business of the Year award in 2018 and was named Hotelier of the Year by Hotelier Magazine in 2017. “This might be one of my proudest moments…ever,” Farmer said in a LinkedIn post. “As a CEO, I fiercely believe in leading with love. I want every employee and guest who walks onto our properties to feel celebrated and welcome exactly as they are.” Her post further said that in practice, inclusion is in both big and small initiatives, from gender-inclusive washrooms, pronouns on email signatures and name tags, pride events at their properties, queer love in marketing, and benefits that support gender-affirming procedures. “This award is given to ‘individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership and advocacy within the 2SLGBTQI+ business community.’ Obviously, nothing happens because of one individual. I’m so grateful for my amazing team who ensures that everything we do is centered around inclusion: our hiring practices, learning materials, marketing, daily operations, policies, guest experience and so much more.”
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