Organizers with the Mountain View and Neighbours Women in Business Awards have announced this year’s nominees, with more than 60 women recognized across Mountain View, Kneehill and Clearwater counties.

Of those, three nominees are based in Clearwater County.

The annual awards gala celebrates women who operate businesses or serve their communities throughout the three rural counties and the towns and villages within.

Clearwater County nominees

The three Clearwater County nominees include:

• Jillian Skeels, nominated for Rising Star – Young Woman (Student, Clearwater County)

• Gennifer Mehlhaff, nominated for Woman in Agriculture (Crazy Creek Ranch, Clearwater County)

• Shantel Cooke, nominated for Woman in Business – For Profit (Tanglewood Soaparie & Apothecary, Clearwater County)

• Gennifer Mehlhaff, also nominated for Woman of Influence (Alberta Health Services, Clearwater County)

While Mehlhaff is the only nominee from Clearwater Country recognized in more than one category, there were four other women from other counties who are nominated more than once. That includes, Sandra (Sam) Docherty (Mountain View County), Dr. Debbie Thompson (Olds), Monique Firth-Wilson (Mountain View County), Peggy Good (Mountain View County).

In all, there were seven nominees for Rising Star, nine for Woman in Agriculture, 17 in Woman in Business (for profit), 10 in Woman in Business (not-for-profit), four for Woman in Energy, and 14 for Woman of Influence.

The Rising Star category — new for 2026 — recognizes young women aged 17 and under who demonstrate entrepreneurship, innovation or community spirit. Seven young women were nominated across the region.

The Woman in Agriculture category features nine nominees, while the Woman in Business (for-profit) category drew the largest number of nominations with 22 women recognized. A total of nine nominees are included in the Woman in Business (not-for-profit) category, four in Woman in Energy and 14 in Woman of Influence.

A strong group of business and community leaders from Sundre are also among this year’s nominees.

Sundre nominees

• Amanda Shaw, Woman in Business (For Profit), My Hide Away

• Breanne Wangler, Woman of Influence, Breanne Julia Yoga

• Jacee Lynn Trozzo, Woman in Business (For Profit), Jaycee Lynn Creative

• Jennifer Fisher, Woman in Business (For Profit), Westland Insurance Group Sundre

• Lindsay Fancie, Woman in Business (For Profit), GTI Sundre

• Tracey McCrimmon, Woman in Energy, Sundre Petroleum Operators Group

Debora Rice-Salomons, sponsorship coordinator for the awards, previously said the event aligns with International Women’s Day on March 8 and aims to highlight innovation, leadership and community impact across the region.

The awards ceremony will be held at the Pomeroy Inn in Olds on March 6, with doors opening at 11 a.m. and presentations beginning at 1 p.m.

Last year’s event saw strong West Country representation, and organizers say they are once again encouraged by the level of engagement from Clearwater County and across the region.

Winners will be announced at the March 6 gala.

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The entire list of nominees:

The 2026 nominees for the Mountain View and Neighbours Women in Business Awards are:

Rising Star – Young Woman: Analeigh Sinesipo Swati (Swati Canadian International Corp, Kneehill County); Jillian Skeels (Student, Clearwater County); Noa Cottrell (For the Love of Pets, Acme/Kneehill County); Raelynn Sande (Student, Mountain View County); Sara Neufeld (Water Valley Community Association, Mountain View County); Sarah Scott (Student, Olds); Teagen Beattie (Town of Carstairs – Carstairs Recreation, Carstairs).

Woman in Agriculture: Amber Overguard (Amber Overguard Farm – Two Rivers Farm, Mountain View County); Brenda Pereversoff (Water Valley Forest Nursery, Mountain View County); Christina Kaye (Olds College of Agriculture & Technology, Mountain View County); Donna Aarsby (The Honest Box Canning Barn, Mountain View County); Dr. Debbie Thompson (Olds College of Agriculture & Technology, Olds); Gennifer Mehlhaff (Crazy Creek Ranch, Clearwater County); Kelly Worthington (Whispering Wind Farms, Mountain View County); Peggy Good (Good Family Farm, Mountain View County).

Woman in Business (For Profit): Amanda Shaw (My Hide Away, Sundre); Christal Grier (Take Flight Osteopathic Wellness, Olds); Colleen Hurst (Lymph In Motion Therapeutic Massage, Olds); Courtney Bell (Home Town Storage, The Crossing, Mountain View County); Darci Schapansky (Freewheel Class 5 Driving, Didsbury); Dawn Lashmar (CIR Realty, Mountain View County); Dr. Chelsea Paget (The Grove Health Collective, Carstairs); Jacee Lynn Trozzo (Jaycee Lynn Creative, Sundre); Jennifer Fisher (Westland Insurance Group Sundre, Sundre); Joanne Toller (The Cause Specialists, Mountain View County); Katrina Kerr (The Lady Bug Studio, Olds); Kristin McCauley (Farmhouse Local Foods, Mountain View County); Laurie Fisher (The Yarn Merchant, Didsbury); Lindsay Fancie (GTI Sundre, Sundre); Monique Firth-Wilson (The Luv of Hair Beauty, Mountain View County); Niki Brown (Dunrite Printing Services, Olds); Paige Albrecht (Paige Leather & Paige Albrecht Fine Art, Kneehill County); Patricia McKean (Mortgage Architects, Mountain View County); Rebecca Garrett (First Response Realty Ltd. with REAL Broker, Carstairs); Shantel Cooke (Tanglewood Soaparie & Apothecary, Clearwater County); Shawna Kontzie (Travel the World with Shawna K, Mountain View County); Sherri Wold Berg (Busy Bee Bakeshoppe, Kneehill County).

Woman in Business (Not-For-Profit): Amanda Kinniburgh (Kneehill Housing, Kneehill County); Carlie Bradley (Carstairs Playschool, Carstairs); Jean Carveth (The Attic on 2nd Cremona, Mountain View County); Karen Mengersen (Olds and Area Special Olympics, Mountain View County); Lucinda Watkins (Community Lending Shelf, Olds); Michelle Manning (Water Valley Community Association, Mountain View County); Sandra (Sam) Docherty (Big Prairie Hall, Mountain View County); Sarah Cormier (Quinn’s Legacy, Carstairs); Tami Brown (West Country Family Service Association, Mountain View County).

Woman in Energy: Joan Kennedy (AltaGas Ltd., Mountain View County); Karlee Overguard (Cavvy Energy, Mountain View County); Monica Rosevear (Cavvy Energy, Mountain View County); Tracey McCrimmon (Sundre Petroleum Operators Group, Sundre).

Woman of Influence: Angela Aalbers (Mountain View County – Reeve & Div. 5 Councillor, Mountain View County); Breanne Wangler (Breanne Julia Yoga, Sundre); Clare Janitz (Uptowne Olds Business Association, Olds); Danielle Gerle (Carstairs Playschool Society, Mountain View County); Dr. Debbie Thompson (Olds College of Agriculture & Technology, Olds); Dr. Real Nompumelelo Kunene (Rise to Greater Heights Network, Trochu); Gennifer Mehlhaff (Alberta Health Services, Clearwater County); Jeannette Austin (Excello, Three Hills); Megan Plant (Highway 21 Thunder Volleyball Club, Three Hills); Monique Firth-Wilson (The Luv of Hair Beauty, Mountain View County); Peggy Good (Rosebud Health Foundation, Mountain View County); Rita Thompson (Kiwanis Club of Olds, Olds); Sandra (Sam) Docherty (Community Volunteer / Assuage Massage Therapy, Mountain View County); Sandra Blyth (Invest Olds/Town of Olds, Olds).