31 July 2023
Southland Business Chamber announces finalists for 2023 Business Excellence Awards
This year’s Southland Business Excellence Awards are touted as being the biggest ever, with 550 people expected to attend.
Business of all sizes and industries will be participating.
The Southland Business Chamber received 137 applications across its 13 categories and has announced the finalists for the 2023 Awards.
The regional awards celebrate the achievements and contributions of local businesses to the growth and success of Southland.
Judges of the awards, which will be held on 15 September, have spent four weeks going through the entries and created a list of finalists which will go head-to-head in the final round.
This year, the Chamber received a record number of entries for the Southland Times Consumer Services Award category.
Three new categories have also been added to the awards; Southland Employer of the Year (sponsored by 2degrees), Individual Excellence in Export (sponsored by Air New Zealand Cargo) and Southland Small Business of the Year (sponsored by Invercargill City Council).
Last year, 3D technology trailblazers Fi Innovations cleaned up the Southland Business Excellence Awards, taking home the Supreme Award for the second time. This year, the company will also be sponsoring the Excellence in Innovation award.
The 2021 awards had to be postponed five times because of the Covid-19 pandemic and was held in early 2022.
This year the Chamber have welcome new major sponsors of the awards, Meridian Energy and Woodside Energy.
Judges involved :
Main Categories plus Innovation, New & Emerging, One to Watch, Small Business of the Year
- Frank Gibbons, Air NZ
- Lani Evans MNZM, ONE Foundation
- Amy Allison, MPI
- Shelley Bell, Wilson Bell Consulting
- Ian McKininmonth, DHL (New & Emerging only)
ACC Workplace Safety
- Garth Butson, ACC
Blue River Dairy LP Workplace Wellbeing
- Robert Boekhout, Blue River Dairy
- Stella O’Connor, Active Southland
Air New Zealand Cargo Individual Excellence in Export
- Export Southland Committee
The 2023 Southland Business Excellence Awards finalists are:
Findex (NZ) Ltd | Rural Sector Excellence Award
- H W Richardson Group
- JK’s Engineering
- Wha̅nau Consultancy Services
SIT | Te Pu̅kenga | Excellence in Trades Industries Award
- Flooring Xtra
- H W Richardson Group
- Kiwi Skips
- Transcare
- Windsor Architectural Hardware
PowerNet | New and Emerging Award
- Cosmetic Clinic
- FlourBro
- Hayz at the Anchorage
- Rakiura Distilling Company
- Rent South
The Southland Times | Consumer Services Award
- E Hayes & Son
- Hayz at the Anchorage
- Kiwi Skips
- Morrifield Developments
- The Batch Café
- The Plant Store
ILT | Not for Profit Award
- Awarua Synergy
- Inclusive Activity Murihiku
- Jubliee Budget Advisory Services
- Number 10 Youth One Stop Shop
- South Invercargill Urban Rejuvenation Charitable Trust
Woodside Energy | Professional Services Award
- Digital Stock
- Janice Hughes
- Malloch McClean
- The Headache Clinic
Fi Innovations | Excellence in Innovation Award
- Digital Stock
- HW Richardson Group (Hydrogen Project)
- Mytransport
- The Headache Clinic
- The Plant Store
Air New Zealand Cargo | Individual Excellence in Export Award
- Brent Crawford (South Pacific Meats)
- Bruce Shields (Ocean Shell)
- Murray Brown (Windsor Architectural Hardware)
Meridian Energy One to Watch Award
- Ashlee Whipps (Dear Lily)
- Dan Butterfield (Kiwi Skips)
- James Wards (Your Corps)
- Jim Dowling (Digital Stock)
- Kerryn Douglas (Paycheck)
- Louise Evans (Lemon Creative)
- Rakiura Distilling Company (4 company founders)
2degrees | Southland Employer of the Year
- Macaulay Motors
- Malloch McClean
- The Fat Duck
- The Headache Clinic
Invercargill City Council | Southland Small Business of the Year
- Avenal Park Funeral Home
- Fiordland Trips & Tramps
- Janice Hughes
- Kennedy School of Music
- Morrifield Developments
- Robbies Pickles
- Seriously Good Chocolate Co.
- Talk Visual
- The Fat Duck
Blue River Dairy LP Workplace Wellbeing Award
- Invercargill Airport
- Macaulay Motors
- Mataura Valley Milk
ACC Workplace Safety Award
- Avenal Park Funeral Home
- H W Richardson Group
- Invercargill Airport
- Macaulay Motors
Source: Stuff.co.nz – 31 July 2023