19 September 2025
2025 Datagrid Southland Business Excellence Awards
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Southland’s top businesses were celebrated at a sold-out gala at Ascot Park Hotel on Friday 19th September, bringing together more than 400 business leaders, sponsors, and supporters.
Supreme Award
Datagrid NZ | Supreme Award — Traffic Management Services (TMS)
Judges’ remarks: “TMS stood out as the overall winner for the way it lives excellence end-to-end—clear leadership, robust systems, and a genuine people-first culture. The application was comprehensive and well-evidenced, showing a business focused on performance and growth. Health & Safety judges highlighted how safety is embedded in everyday operations and strengthened through practical innovations that reduce risk across the board. Under Kerrian and Lara Simpson’s leadership, TMS has expanded from four to nearly 30 staff in just four years—without compromising on safety—and has maintained a flawless record of zero notifiable incidents over that period.”
Small Business of the Year Award
Invercargill City Council | Small Business of Year — WM Environmental Judges’ remarks: “WM Environmental impressed us with a courageous reset and disciplined execution—turning a clear strategy into weekly rhythms, commercial rigour, and measurable results. Their end-to-end primary-sector support demonstrate genuine innovation with real impact, underpinned by a people-first wellbeing culture and strong growth potential.”
Category winners
- Findex | Primary Industry Excellence Award — WM Environmental
- Breen | Trade Industries Award — Road Runner Panel and Paint
- Elm Marketing | Consumer Services Award — Hayz at The Anchorage
- 2degrees | Professional Services Award — The Headache Clinic
- ILT | Not for Profit Award — Insert Coin to Play Charitable Trust
- Blue River Dairy | Workplace Wellbeing Award — Finance Now Ltd
- Fi Innovations | Innovation Award — The Headache Clinic
- PowerNet | New & Emerging Award — The Florence Society
- Rio Tinto NZAS | Workplace Safety Award — Traffic Management Services
- Meridian Energy | One to Watch Award — Grant Lightfoot, Kiwi Econet
- Healthy Families | Local Food Champion Award — Haylee-Chanel Simeon
- Air New Zealand Cargo | Individual Excellence in Export Award — Calvin Claridge, South Fish
- Reece McDonald Local Legend Award — Haylee-Chanel Simeon
- Invercargill City Council | Small Business of the Year Award — WM Environmental
- Datagrid NZ | Supreme Award — Traffic Management Services
(Category winners were eligible for the Datagrid Supreme Award.)
Winner spotlights
Traffic Management Services (Supreme Award & Workplace Safety)
TMS is Southland’s largest specialist traffic management provider. In the last four years it has grown from 4 to 27 staff, introduced a planning division, invested in new technology (including automated portable traffic lights to remove workers from high-risk positions), and embedded robust H&S systems—contributing to a record of zero notifiable incidents under current ownership.
WM Environmental (Primary Industry Excellence & Small Business of the Year) WM Environmental delivers end-to-end environmental planning and compliance services to Southland’s primary sector—supporting farmers, processors, and transporters. Recent advances include launching a Pond Drop Test workstream, strengthening technical partnerships, and rolling out a team wellbeing programme, all anchored in a client-first, practical approach.
From the Chamber
Southland Business Chamber CEO Sheree Carey acknowledged the calibre and breadth of entries across the region, noting the judges’ robust deliberations and the community of sponsors who make the biennial celebration possible.