Yellowknife (Dec 03/03) - Carey McKiel said he is thankful.

McKiel, a born and bred Yellowknifer, displays a classic, understated cool humility in accepting the Businessperson of the Year Award, offered by chamber president Jerry Jaud.

Carey McKiel is the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce choice for Businessperson of the Year.

Elite Commercial Flooring has gotten McKiel to the place where he is today, but the commercial aspect of his business is becoming a little more residential, and the new showroom at the office just off Deh Cho Boulevard attests to that fact.

McKiel said he is honoured by the award. He is a proud Yellowknifer, he said. As his business has grown, McKiel has done all he can to become more involved as a contributing member of the community.

His interests include contributing to the Stanton Hospital Foundation, the Salvation Army, as well as being one of the major sponsors for the Run for the Cure and School Challenge.

"I was born and raised here. That's what it's all about.

The community's been good to me, so we give back.

Yellowknife accounts for 50 per cent of our revenue," he said when asked why he gets involved.

Heading downstairs to the garage, McKiel heads towards his blue Audi.

"She's my pride and joy," he said.

We speak of mutual connections: The Senger family and their connection to the flooring industry in Western Canada. Seven-time former world arm wrestling champion and college flooring instructor Tony Senger may be coming to Yellowknife at McKiel's behest to teach some courses.

"You're always as busy as you want to be in this business... but it's difficult finding qualified guys," he explains.

While the new showroom displays a lot of potential for future growth on the residential side of the business, it is the commercial side that got McKiel to where he is today.

"A lot of our business comes from Nunavut. Those projects are mainly schools, nursing stations, RCMP buildings and government offices," he says.

McKiel summed up his talk with a sincere thank you.

"I'd like to thank the business people for my nomination and thank Yellowknife. We'll be here for a lot of years."