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• Position: Bob Firth, recipient of the 1991 Entrepreneur of the Year Award - Northern Ontario Business Awards - Company Profile

"Creative" and "tenacious" are the words our judges used to describe Bob Firth, the winner of the 1991 Entrepreneur of the Year Award sponsored by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.

Firth is the owner and operator of Bar-B-Que Bob's and Turtle Beach Wear in Kenora.

The Manitoba native first became an entrepreneur 14 years ago when he purchased a restaurant in Falcon Lake, Man. He moved to Kenora in November of 1987 to take over the Kenora Husky Car/Truck Stop on Hwy. 17.

In the few short years since his arrival in the Tri-Municipal area of Kenora, Keewatin and Jaffray Melick, Firth has bought, started up and expanded three businesses and contributed much of his energy and talents to the community.

Under his management, Kenora Husky Car/Truck Stop's sales increased to $2.4 million in 1988 and $3 million in 1989. The number of its employees increased from 30 to 65 during the same time period.

Meanwhile, sales at the Husky restaurant increased from $430,000 in 1987 to $670,000 in 1989.

Husky Oil recognized this success by giving Firth its Image Award in 1988. In the following year Firth became a member of the Image Council, the highest award given by Husky Oil Marketing Company.

Despite this success and recognition, Firth sold the car/truck stop last November in order to concentrate his efforts on expanding his two other business ventures - Bar-B-Que Bob's and Turtle Beach Wear.

Firth opened Bar-B-Que Bob's chicken and ribs barbecue house in October 1989. He had renovated the existing restaurant that fall to increase its seating capacity from 46 to 125 seats and he built two volleyball courts on the lot the following summer.

The innovation and investment both paid off. Not only has Bar-B-Que Bob's become known as "home of the Big Bob Burger," but its sales have increased from $185,000 in 1988 when the restaurant was known as The Log Cabin, to $401,874 last year. The restaurant has hired 24 new employees for a total of 30, and sales are expected to reach $461,000 this year.

In addition, the restaurant has become the host site for a summer volleyball league and a series of weekend tournaments for youths, men and women.

Turtle Beach Wear began in 1988...