BNI Georgian Triangle Celebrates 30 Years of Growth and Community

October 29, 2026

BNI Georgian Triangle Celebrates 30 Years of Connection, Community and Referral Business

On Thursday, October 22, Kim and Stephan Lafreniere had the pleasure of attending the BNI Georgian Triangle Annual Gala at Living Waters, Atoka House in Collingwood.

It was an evening dedicated to celebrating the people, relationships and spirit of collaboration that have made Georgian Triangle a strong part of the local business community.

This year’s celebration was particularly meaningful. On September 24, 2026, BNI Georgian Triangle marked its 30th anniversary. An impressive milestone representing three decades of business owners and professionals building relationships, exchanging referrals and supporting one another’s success.

Stephan, as the BNI Director Consultant for Georgian Triangle, was especially pleased to recognize one of the chapter’s members personally.

Recognizing a Notable Networker

One of the highlights of the gala was having the opportunity to present Paul Kiss with the Members’ Choice Notable Networker Award.

What makes a Members’ Choice recognition particularly meaningful is that it comes from the people you network alongside. It reflects the relationships and connections that are at the heart of the BNI experience.

Congratulations to Paul on the recognition.

Paul Kiss (left) received the Notable Networker award for 2026 as voted by the BNI Georgian Triangle membership. The award was presented by Stephan Lafreniere, BNI Director Consultant for the Chapter.

Another highlight of the evening was Sean McMurray who earned four awards. The other award winners included: Ann Tata, Michael Horne, Ben Frisch, Patti Todd, Richard Baker, Sam Hirst, Brett Lovelace, Alex Titterington, and Emma Baker.

Sean McMurray (left) received four awards for outstanding contributions over the last year. The awards were presented by Garion Allen, President of BNI Georgian Triangle. Stephan Lafreniere (right) also recognized Sean’s amazing contributions.

Celebrating 30 Years of Georgian Triangle

The anniversary celebration was recognized by BNI founder Dr. Ivan Misner. Dr. Misner shared a special video message congratulating Georgian Triangle on reaching its 30th anniversary.

Reaching 30 years is worth celebrating. Businesses change, communities grow and people come and go. The principle behind successful networking remains remarkably consistent: strong business relationships are built over time through trust, contribution and genuine connection.

Connecting Georgian Triangle and Bradford

Stephan’s involvement with BNI extends to both sides of that relationship. In addition to serving as Director Consultant for Georgian Triangle, Stephan is a member of BNI Business Elite in Bradford, Ontario, where he represents the company he co-founded, ProcurelyIQ.

For ProcurelyIQ, networking isn’t simply about finding the next opportunity. It gives them the chance to meet business owners, understand the challenges they are facing and build relationships with professionals who bring different experiences and perspectives to the table.

That made the Georgian Triangle Gala more than an anniversary celebration. It was a chance to recognize what can happen when a business community continues investing in its relationships year after year.

Congratulations to everyone at BNI Georgian Triangle on 30 years, and a special thank you to Georgian Life Photo Booth who provided the photo’s shared here (https://collingwoodphotobooth.ca/).

You can learn more about BNI Georgian Triangle and BNI Business Elite by clicking on the chapter names.

Here’s to the relationships already built and the many more still to come.

BNI Georgian Triangle 2025-2026 Executive Leadership Team. Left to Right: Stephan Lafreniere (Director Consultant), Garion Allen (President), Brianne Woresley (Vice-President), and Ben Frisch (Secretary Treasurer). All photos courtesy of Georgian Life Photo Booth.

ProcurelyIQ turns fragmented procurement, inventory, and assortment data into clear, actionable intelligence; much like a prism focusing scattered light into purposeful direction. We help small to mid-size retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers cut through complexity to optimize assortments, strengthen inventory health, and build profitable, data‑driven procurement strategies. Visit us at www.ProcurelyIQ.com to learn more.