Noseworthy wins Bill Thake economic development award

Robert Noseworthy of Westerra Homes recieves the 2016 Bill Thake Memorial Economic Development Leadership Award on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016. Noseworthy was recognized during an economic development summit in Kemptville, Ont. Presenting the award are Leeds-Grenville Warden David Gordon and Marlene Thake. (Newswatch Group/Bill Kingston)

KEMPTVILLE – A home builder from North Grenville is this year’s economic development leadership award recipient.

Robert Noseworthy was presented with the Bill Thake Memorial Economic Development Leadership Award Friday during the Leeds-Grenville Economic Development Summit.

Noseworthy is the president and owner of Westerra Homes and Developments. The North Grenville ambassador is also the chairman of the Kemptville District Hospital Foundation and is also involved in many boards and committees.

When he was first nominated, Noseworthy was at a loss for words. “I’m really speechless right now. Anybody who knows me knows that I don’t stay speechless in front of a microphone,” he joked.

“A special thank you to Mrs. Thake. If you shared your husband for over 50 years and remainder married with him, you are a saint,” he said.

Computer business and bar owner Joe Moulton of Edwardsburgh-Cardinal was also a nominee.

Noseworthy said he wanted to share the award with Moulton. “I don’t know him personally but what I heard about what he’s done in Spencerville and the various areas. It’s really special to me because that’s a true entrepreneur. That’s somebody that gets up every morning and has more enthusiastic than everybody else around them and has to drive that business…each an every day.”

Bill Thake’s widow, Marlene Thake, presented the awards along with County Warden David Gordon.