After 28 years in the ice cream business downtown, Shukry and Connie Regep are serving their last scoops on Sunday.
The couple are closing Sweet Memories Ice Cream and retiring after a decision last month to sell the New England Hotel building to developer Chris Le Fevre. Noted for his heritage projects in the downtown core, Le Fevre plans to convert the 1892 building to condominium units. The hotel building's upper floors have not been used and in a state of disrepair for three decades.
The sweet smell of waffle cones has lured thousands of locals and tourists to the 1300-block of Government Street since 1982, and giving the ice cream business up is proving to be emotional for the Regeps. "We really are thankful to the people of Victoria who have supported us so well over the years," says Shukry, who learned the ice cream trade from his father in Slovakia. "We have served a couple of generations now. Ice cream puts a smile on everyone's face. I guess my mother was right. You can make more people happy -- and make more money -- selling ice cream than steak and lobster."
The Regeps, married 42 years, started in the restaurant business with two places in Sarnia, Ont., and then the former Ivanhoe's next door to their current location.
Sweet Memories at 1312 Government St., will be open at noon "until whenever" on Sunday, says Shukry.
ACCENT CEO MAKES LIST, AREA HOTELS HONOURED
Mandy Farmer, who took over as chief executive of the Accent Inns hotel chain from her father, Terry Farmer, two years ago, has been named one of Profit magazine's Top 100 Female Entrepreneurs in Canada. Farmer was cited for expanding Accent's markets, greening its business practices, retaining staff and turning a profit for the five-hotel chain despite a poor economy. She was also noted for holding the company's vision of giving back to the community. Farmer said she was humbled by the honour and credited staff for supporting the direction of the company ... The Howard Johnson Hotel and Suites on Elk Lake Drive in Saanich has been named Canadian and International Property of the Year by the hotel chain. The hotel earned top scores for revenue generation, quality assurance evaluations and guest satisfaction in rooms and food and beverage. The Howard Johnson Harbourside Hotel in Nanaimo, meanwhile, won Best Practices of the Year Award relating to promoting the Howard Johnson brand ... The 144-room Westerly Hotel in Courtenay, which recently completed a major makeover, has been given a ratings boost by Best Western. It's now a Best Western Plus hotel, a descriptor that brings a 3-diamond rating from organizations like the American Automobile Association.
ROYAL ROADS HIRES NEW COMMUNICATIONS HEAD
Paul Corns, formerly director of communications at the University of Regina, takes on a newly created position at Royal Roads University to lead communications and media relations, issues management, fundraising and support for RRU executives in stakeholder and government relations. The Royal Roads Foundation and office of community relations will be rolled into one while fundraising for the Robert Bateman Centre will continue to be operated by Paul Gilbert, the centre's executive director.
McQUARIE LANDS EXPERIENCED ADVISER
Fran Davis has joined the downtown Victoria office of Macquarie Private Wealth. She's been in the financial services industry for 33 years -- including 25 with Royal Bank and Royal Trust -- and was one of the first licensed advisers to sell mutual funds in Canada. Davis, most recently with Edward Jones, will focus on estate planning with Macquarie, located in the former Blackmont Capital offices in St. Andrews Square. Sally Boivin, an assistant to Davis since 1993, joins her there.
PRIORITY AUTOMATION HIRES SERVICE DIRECTOR
Miles Vasey has joined Priority Automation Inc. as director of service delivery. He was previously with Myra Systems Corp. and KPMG. Priority, based in Victoria and founded by CEO Doug Pelton, produces business intelligence through integrated web portal, dashboard and mobile applications for government agencies and companies such as Telus and Signalsoft. It is also a prime vendor for Cisco Systems. In another move, software developer David Critchley was promoted to director of technology.
BET SMART BOOSTS STAFF FOR COMMERCIALIZATION
Bet Smart Media Inc., a Victoria tech firm that has developed software for real-time sports data aimed at bettors and sports junkies, has brought in two new staff as the company prepares to commercialize its WiseStats product. Jonathon Cochran is a web designer and developer and Brendan Eamer is a software engineer. Bet Smart Media was founded by Jesse Learmonth and Grant Storry two years ago and was a semifinalist in the 2009 New Ventures B.C. competition.
NATIONAL HONOURS FOR PETS WEST
Pets West has earned a distinguished industry award. The popular pet store in Broadmead Village was named Retailer of the Year at the fifth annual International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies in Lake Louise, Alta. The Summit Awards were presented in 12 categories and represented four sectors of the pet industry -- animal control, health, services and welfare. Other winners includes SPCA groups, bylaw services and veterinarians from across Canada.
COWICHAN WOMAN JOINS VANCOUVER FOUNDATION
Ranjana Basu, co-ordinator of Shawnigan Lake-based Cowichan Family Caregivers Support Society, has been appointed to the Vancouver Foundation's health and social development advisory committee. She will work with the committee to set funding priorities, review grant applications and make funding recommendations to the foundation's board of directors. The Vancouver Foundation manages an endowment fund of $665 million.
RICHMOND, VICTORIA SHARE TOURISM AWARD
Tourism Victoria and Tourism Richmond were singled out to share the inaugural Destination Marketing Organization Professional Excellence Award this week at the annual B.C. Tourism Industry Conference. The award recognizes the outstanding performance and operational excellence in providing service and support to visitors and clients and driving business to partners and stockholders.
NEW MANAGER FOR RINALD TAX ADVISORY
Chartered accountant Byron T.D. Smith has joined Rinald Tax Advisory Inc. as tax manager. Fluent in French and Japanese, the University of Victoria grad was formerly manager of tax services with Grant Thornton LLP and has five years of public practice in domestic and cross-border tax services. Rinald is at 841 Yates St. and Smith can be reached at 250-361-1300.
BOULEVARD ENGINEER EARNS PRAISE OF PEERS
Nadine King, a senior engineer with Boulevard Transportation Group Ltd. in Colwood has won the 2010 President's Award from the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia. King was recognized for her community service in revitalizing the Victoria chapter of the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation. She suffers from Crohn's, but has built her career as a transportation engineer since graduating from UBC in 2000.
SUSTAINABILITY EXPERT FOR UVIC
Dan MacKinnon has been hired as sustainability co-ordinator at the University of Victoria. He will focus on climate issues, greenhouse gas reporting and reduction and the preparation of a campus sustainability report due next year. MacKinnon was previously with the Victoria Foundation.
NEW MAYFAIR MANAGER
Ken Hoang, property manager at Metrotown in Burnaby for the last five years, has been named manager of Mayfair Shopping Centre starting Nov. 5. He replaces Lorna Park who is now GM at Hillside Centre.
