SUMMERSIDE, PEI – March 17, 2013 –  The well-known fish buyer and retailer Arsenault’s Fish Mart of Summerside and Maximeville has just earned the 2013 President’s Award of Excellence from the Acadian and Francophone Chamber of Commerce of PEI.

The company received its award, sponsored by the Province of PEI, March 16 in Summerside during the Chamber’s 2013 Entrepreneurs’ Gala.

Fish mart manager Holli Casey accepted the award on behalf of owner Robert Arsenault. The selection committee chose to honor Arsenault particularly for his great service, his creation of jobs and his vast contribution to the community.

Arsenault started his business in 1993 as a fish buyer. The company continued to grow as he operated it out of his home in Maximeville. In 2009, he made the important decision to buy a fish mart located on Holman’s Wharf in Summerside.

His investment has proven to be sound. Today, during summer months, he employs 24 people full time. During the winter, he keeps two part-time employees. He continues to buy and resell fish from numerous fishers on PEI.

At his fish mart, one can buy live or cooked lobster, mussels, scallops, clams, shrimps, snow crab, haddock, hake, cod, salmon, halibut et smelts. Also sold are fishcakes, bottled bar clams, seafood pies, seafood pizza and the list goes on.

Arsenault and his team are always pleased to serve Islanders and tourists, as well as restaurants, grocery stores and other businesses that would like to buy wholesale.

After the reconstruction of Evangeline Recreation Centre in Abram-Village a couple of years ago, Arsenault decided to do his fair share to ensure that the new rink would remain viable.

He therefore bought the Western Red Wings, a Junior B hockey team from Tyne Valley, and moved them to their new home rink in Abram-Village.

Arsenault is well known for his huge heart and his amazing generosity. He always contributes huge amounts to a variety of community causes, whether it be for the reconstruction of a rink or for benefit dances for local people in need.

The Chamber felt it was high time that Arsenault’s generosity and business sense be finally recognized.

The four other finalists in the 2013 President’s Award of Excellence category were M&J Professional Saws from St-Timothée (owner Johnny Gallant), Créactif of Abram-Village (owner Lucie Bernadette Bellemare), The Bottle Houses of Cape Egmont (owner Réjeanne Arsenault) and Rhéal’s Repairs and Renovations of Mont-Carmel (owner Rhéal Arsenault).

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CUTLINE 1: Sonny Gallant, left, MLA for Evangeline-Miscouche representing the sponsor the Province of PEI, presents the 2013 President’s Award of Excellence from the Acadian Chamber to Holli Casey, manager of Arsenault’s Fish Mart of Summerside and Maximeville, since owner Robert Arsenault could not attend. Martin Marcoux, board member of the CCAFLIPE, helped with the presentation.

CUTLINE 2: Henri Gallant, entrepreneurial board member with the RDÉE, presents a finalist certificate to Lucie Bernadette Bellemare, owner of Créactif enr. of Abram-Village.

CUTLINE 3: Henri Gallant, left, entrepreneurial board member with the RDÉE, presents a finalist certificate to Johnny Gallant, owner of M&J Professional Saws of St-Timothée.

CUTLINE 4: Henri Gallant, entrepreneurial board member with the RDÉE, presents a finalist certificate to Réjeanne Arsenault, owner of The Bottle Houses in Cape Egmont.

CUTLINE 5: Henri Gallant, left, entrepreneurial board member with the RDÉE, presents a finalist certificate to Rhéal Arsenault, owner of Rhéal’s Repairs and Renovations of Mont-Carmel.

For more information:
Raymond J. Arsenault
Co-ordinator
2013 Entrepreneurs’ Gala
(902) 854-3665
raymond@rdeeipe.org