Craig Willet, owner of Bailey Western Star Trucks Inc., is this year’s recipient of the Board of Governors Award for the Campbell River Chamber’s Business Awards of Distinction.
The award will be presented at the Business Awards gala on Saturday.
The award honours a business person who displays a significant commitment to the success of both their business and the community as a whole, demonstrates business leadership and vision, and serves as a positive role model or mentor for other business people in the community.
Chamber staff said in speaking with long-standing employees, some nearing 30 years with the local business, they spoke highly in recognition of Willet’s hard work, commitment to high quality, and dedication to maintaining the strong family values that made Bailey Western Star Trucks a Campbell River success story.
Willet started in the business on the ground floor, working his way up from shipping and receiving to parts and then other key areas of the business. In addition to staying focused on the business, he worked hard to obtain his business degree from the University of Victoria and continues to be a lifelong learner, seeking out opportunities to gain new skills and knowledge to bring back and share with his team. His staff say that he is a great person and easy to work for, a fair and generous person.
Willet’s generosity extends far into the sports and wellness organizations in our community, where his philanthropic nature touches many lives including youth in soccer, hockey, skiing and racing. His personal commitment to the Campbell River Hospice House has played a significant role in the development of their new home.
Owned and managed in Campbell River, Bailey Western Star Trucks has been a thriving local business since 1977. Covering Courtenay to Port Hardy, the Willet family business is a full service Western Star and Freightliner Truck dealer.
Willet lives the job working six days a week but still finds time to enjoy the occasional fishing expedition and time out on the water.
His wife Tina is a constant in his life and together they balance the importance of family life and family values with the challenges and rewards of a long standing successful family business for almost 40 years here in Campbell River.