North Shore Business Awards Celebrates 10 Years

MARCH, 2007 MEDIA INFORMATION

North Shore Business Awards Celebrates 10 Years

A North Shore business will join a very select group when it becomes just the tenth supreme winner of the prestigious Westpac Enterprise North Shore Business Excellence Awards later this year.

For the North Shore awards are celebrating the tenth anniversary in 2007 and organisers are looking to make this year’s event the most successful ever when they announce their search for the latest winners at the official launch at North Harbour Stadium on March 22.

Guests will not only be in the company of previous award winners but also the Ranfurly Shield trophy won by North Harbour rugby team last season, which will be on display at the launch function.

“2007 marks a very special year for businesses on the North Shore,” says Terry Hoskins, Chief Executive of Enterprise North Shore.

“We are not just marking the tenth anniversary of these awards, we are also celebrating the coming of age of business on the North Shore.

“When these awards began in 1998 among our aims were to raise the bar for businesses north of the Harbour Bridge and encourage them in their pursuit of excellence by providing a forum to test themselves against other companies, as well as providing a showcase for their work and their enterprise.

“Looking back over the last nine awards I believe we have achieved those objectives and the North Shore is now considered a hotbed of business ideas and innovation.”

Westpac Banking Corporation has been behind each of the past nine awards and is back to sponsor the tenth anniversary event.

Westpac General Manager for Business Banking, Bruce McLachlan says that as main sponsor, his bank is delighted to have been associated with the North Shore Business Excellence Awards since their inception.

He adds: “We are extremely proud to support the Westpac Enterprise North Shore Business Excellence Awards. Over the years that we have been involved with the awards we have been increasingly impressed with the growing quality and quantity of entries. This enthusiasm for the competition shows a real desire to strive for success among North Shore businesses and can only help strengthen the local economy.” said Bruce McLachlan

The launch function at North Harbour Stadium on March 22 is a good starting point for business interested in entering the 2007 Westpac Enterprise North Shore Business Excellence Awards - register with Enterprise North by phoning 414 1341 or emailing awards@ens.org.nz. Entries for the 2007 Westpac Enterprise North Shore Business Excellence Awards can be accepted up to June 14 and winners will be announced at a gala evening dinner on August 30, featuring New Zealand Idol judge Frankie Stevens as MC.

Mr Hoskins says that businesses taking part in the awards will find it a very worthwhile exercise – even if they are not among the eventual winners – because it enables them to showcase their excellence to a wider audience, where their contributions to the economic development and growth of North Shore City will be recognised. They will also have the opportunity to benchmark their progress against all entrants and build team spirit among staff.

The awards consist of 12 separate categories presenting an excellent opportunity to showcase and celebrate businesses excellence across a variety of sectors, culminating in the selection of the 2007 Westpac Enterprise North Shore Business Excellence Supreme Award Winner. Last year’s supreme winner was airport baggage handling and logistics specialist BCS Group, which found the experience so rewarding it has now become sponsor of one of the categories.

Perry Hutchinson, General Manager for BCS Group says: “Winning this award not only helped tremendously to lift our profile, but also provided an opportunity to stand back and look at ourselves critically”.

The 12 individual categories make it possible for virtually any type of business to enter and become winners. These include:

 BDO Spicers Excellence in Service Delivery award
 ACC ThinkSafe Workplace Safety Award
 Actionmail Excellence in Marketing Award
 Chelsea Sugar Excellence in Exporting Award
 Massey University Excellence in Technology Award
 3M NZ Excellence in Innovation Award
 North Shore Times Contribution to the Community Award
 Smales Farm Excellence in Environmental Management Award
 Benefitz Best New Start-up Business Award
 BCS Group Best Emerging Business Award
 Smith & Davies Employer of Choice Award
 The Spencer on Byron Hotel Excellence in Hospitality and Tourism Award

Businesses can enter up to three categories and the winners of each category will be eligible for the Westpac Supreme Business Excellence Award.

Entry into the 2007 awards is being made as easy as possible to encourage more businesses to take part, says Mr Hoskins, including the free provision of facilitators, who encourage and support entrants.

Businesses can enter online (www.ens.org.nz/awards) and use the easy-to-follow category templates.

Entries must be submitted by 5pm on Thursday 14 June and finalists will be announced by Monday 23 July.

ENDS

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