CAFE Names Accent Inns Vancouver Island’s 2011 Family Enterprise of the Year
November 30th, 2010
Terry and Mandy, a true father and daughter team
We are proud to announce that Accent Inns was named Vancouver Islands 2011 Family Enterprise of the year by the local chapter of CAFÉ, Nov 3rd, 2010. The Canadian Association of Family Enterprise (CAFE) is a not-for-profit national organization established in 1983, dedicated to promoting the well-being and understanding of families in business. CAFE is a member-driven, national network passionately committed to the success of families in business and their pivotal contribution to the economy. The Vancouver Island Chapter was established in 1995 by a number of well-established local family businesses and currently has over 50 member companies.
A family owned business is defined as a business organization that has one of the following characteristics:
a) Has been owned and operated by different generations of a family.
b) Where the potential exists for ownership to be passed on to a younger generation.
c) More than one family member has active employment in an organization owned by a family.
Accent Inns certainly meets all of the above! Next year our Hotel chain will be celebrating 25 years of hospitality all starting right here in Victoria B.C. Our founder Terry Farmer (who also worked for his father) handed over the leadership to his daughter Mandy. Mandy Farmer is a third generation Victorian, and the third generation to run her family business. She is the president and CEO of the Accent Inn hotel chain and overseas the operation of six properties in BC ; Victoria, Vancouver Airport, Burnaby, Kelowna, Kamloops all of which proudly have achieved a 4 Green Key Rating.
“One of the key success stories for Accent Inns has been the overflow of “family values” not only to our customers but also our staff.” Mandy Farmer.
Following in her father’s footsteps Mandy has seen the company grow to an average of 200 employees with approx. 50% working for the company for 10 years or longer.
“We are a family business throughout. I’ve known so many of our staff for many years that it feels like working with family in all our day to day tasks.” Mandy Farmer
In addition to the environment, Mandy (like her father) is passionate about community and sits on a number of boards including Tourism Victoria, Power to BE Adventure Therapy and CAFE. She also works with Go2 Human Resources speaking to high school students about careers in tourism. She was recently named one of Business in Vancouver’s Top 40 Under 40, a YWCA Woman of Distinction and ranked #12 in Profit Magazines Top100 Canadian Women Entrepreneurs.