Business awards finalists announced

Media release – 19 April 2012

Business awards finalists announced

Twenty-one businesses, from Franz Josef to Westport, have today been named finalists in this year’s West Coast Leading Light Business Excellence Awards.

Development West Coast CEO John Chang says DWC, sponsors and supporters of the awards wish to congratulate the finalists.

“It is a wonderful achievement to be named a finalist given the high calibre of entries. It was encouraging to see a larger number of entries than last year, with a better spread both geographically and in the variety of businesses entering,” he says.

“Thank you to all the entrants for their time and effort and while some did not make the finals this year we encourage them to enter again next time.”

An independent judging panel has spent the last two weeks assessing all the entries. Leading Light Event Manager Julie Kissell says the judges were very impressed with the calibre of the businesses and quality of their entries.

“The judges said it was extremely difficult deciding on the top three finalists in each category. They commented that some entries were written from the heart, with the finalists all portraying their businesses extremely well,” she says.

Dr Chang says the awards wouldn’t be possible without the continued support of the sponsors. The platinum sponsor is the Greymouth Star. Gold sponsors are Westland Milk Products, ACC, Duncan Cotterill, NZ Institute of Management (Southern), Tourism West Coast, PWC and Solid Energy. Silver sponsors are Buddle Findlay, The Radio Network, Brannigans, ANZ, Polson Higgs, Brightwater and Oceana Gold. Monteiths, Ritchies Transport, Countdown Greymouth, The Beachfront Hotel, Ashley Hotel and Kingsgate Hotel are providing in kind sponsorship.

This year’s finalists are competing in seven award categories. The next step in the awards process will see all category finalists reassessed to determine the winner of each category. Category winners will then be judged to establish the Greymouth Star - Leading Light Super Nova Award winner.

The 2012 awards will also include a special commendation that will be presented to an exceptional West Coast businessperson. All the winners will be announced at a black tie gala dinner, hosted by TV presenter Peter Williams, at Shantytown on May 18.

The 21 finalists in the 2012 West Coast Leading Light Business Excellence Awards are:

PWC - Leading Light Retail Award

Greymouth New World
Y Furniture, Greymouth
Styliz Hair, Greymouth

Solid Energy - Leading Light Community / Charity Organisation Award Greymouth Motorcycle Street Race Inc West Coast Blue Penguin Trust Westport Kindergarten Association

Tourism West Coast - Leading Light Tourism Award Te Waonui Forest Retreat, Franz Josef West Coast Historical & Mechanical Society Inc (Shantytown Heritage Park) West Coast Wildlife Centre, Franz Josef

NZ Institute of Management – Leading Light Service Award Jeff Evans Plumbers Ltd, Hokitika MBC Contracting, Westport WestReef Services Ltd, Westport

Westland Milk Products – Leading Light Construction / Engineering / Manufacturing Award E-Quip Engineering Ltd, Greymouth Gray Brothers Engineering, Greymouth Liddell Contracting Ltd, Greymouth

Duncan Cotterill – Leading Light Primary Producer Award CMP Kokiri Ltd, Greymouth Westland Milk Products, Hokitika Westco Lagan Ltd, Hokitika

ACC – Leading Light Workplace Safety Award

Westco Lagan Ltd, Hokitika
WestReef Services Ltd, Westport
Westland Milk Products, Hokitika
ENDS

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