Chad Hayter, seen here with a few of The Hayter Groups’ 34 employees, says it was teamwork which lead to the Alvinston company being given the Better Business Bureau of Western Ontario’s Business Integrity Award.

Chad Hayter says it takes a team to make a great company.

The head of The Hayter Group in Alvinston made the comments recently at an employee breakfast which, in part, was a celebration of the company being given the Better Business Bureau of Western Ontario’s Business Integrity Award.

Hayters was one of 400 companies secretly nominated for the award. It was one of 40 who made a presentation to the judges in London.

Hayters is the first company in Lambton County to win the award.

At the company breakfast, Hayter thanked the men and women who helped the company earn the award. “It’s unfortunate that it is my picture that gets taken for a lot of the recognition we’ve received,” says Hayter. “It’s not one person but all the people who make it happen.”

Brooke-Alvinston Mayor Don McGugan was on hand for the breakfast and says the award is fitting. “Integrity; it is just the value we have in rural Ontario and it is reflected in your company,” the mayor said before presenting Hayter with a plaque.

“We know you have three sites now (Alvinston, Chatham and Cambridge) but we want to be able to keep the world headquarters in Alvinston because you contribute immensely to the community.”

Hayters donates $1,000 to a worthy charity every quarter. Part of the Better Business award includes a $2,500 scholarship provided by a Rotary Club in London. Hayter says the company will take application from people known to Hayter employees, choose the best three and then allow the Rotary Club to chose the winning scholar.