Businesses from across the Eastern Bay of Plenty celebrated successes and achievements at the 2018 Horizon Energy Business Group Business Excellence Awards in September, with Murupara Four Square taking out the Supreme Award before a crowd of 450.
Gerard Casey, chief executive of the Eastern Bay of Plenty Chamber of Commerce, which organised the awards, said a lot of time and effort had gone into the entries.
“These awards give businesses a chance to showcase their achievement and celebrate success. This year I ‘ve seen a wide range of businesses that are excelling in their businesses.”
There was a new online entry form, and well as a new interview panel format conducted by the three Judges – head judge Anne Pankhurst, Andrew Buchanan Smart, and Phil Becker.
Entries ranged across the Eastern Bay, including Ruatahuna, Murupara, Edgecumbe, Matata, Taneatua, Whakatane, Ohope and Opotiki.
Horizon Energy Groups chief executive Ajay Anand said the bi-annual awards continued to produce outstanding entries that capture that captures the resilient and innovative spirit of the Eastern Bay of Plenty.
“I’m certain the judges had their work cut out in selecting an ultimate winner.”
Pankhurst said the awards delivered real value to the participating organisations and gave them a great chance to look closely at their business practices.
“Entering the Awards process allows a business to receive feedback from the independent judges and to use the entry process as a business plan. Entering the awards and going through the process makes every business a winner.”
The judges were impressed with Murupara Four Square, situated in a village of 1600 people. They noted the turnaround this business had made to become one of the highest performing financially in the Four Square group of 180 stores.
The Four Square is the hub of Murupara and employs locals, which in turn returns those wages back into the local community, supports whanau through challenging times such as tangi, and has installed a generator that the community can access if the power goes down.
Judges declared the company a worthy winner of the top award. The Four Square also won the Focus Accountants Excellence in Medium Business award.
See below for a full list of winners:
Horizon Energy Business Group Business Excellence Awards 2018
| Horizon Energy Group Supreme Award | WINNER: Murupara Four Square |
| Nova Energy Excellence in Large Business | WINNER: Disabilities Resource Centre Trust |
| Highly Commended:
Pohutukawa Preschool Willets Funeral Services Manawa Honey |
|
| Focus Accountants Excellence in Medium Business Award | WINNER: Murupara Four Square |
| Toi Ohomai Excellence in Small Business Award | Joint WINNERS: O’Hagan Home Loans / Insurance & Engel Fires Ltd |
| Highly Commended:
Engineering Design Consultants Motu trails |
|
| Julians Berry Farm Excellence in Emerging | WINNER: DISTiNCT (winner) |
| Highly Commended:
Drift Store Waiataha Contracting The Lightning |
|
| Bay of Connections Sustainability Award | WINNER: Trident High School (Winner). |
| New World Whakatane Emerging Young Leader of the Year Award | WINNER: Amanda Kirk, WSP Opus (Winner). |
| Highly Commended:
Charelle Stevenson |
|
| LinkUp Toi-EDA – Connecting Rangatahi, Education and the World of Work Award | WINNER: Work Ready Pathways – Opotiki College |
| Highly Commended: YTWO Te Pou Oranga o Whakatohea and Opotiki College | |
| Disabilities Resource Centre – Excellence in Service, Creativity, Positive Attitude Award | WINNER: Dianne Maxwell (Winner) |
| Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi – Business Entrepreneurship Award | WINNER: Manawa Honey (Winner) |
| Toi-EDA – Excellence in Economic Development Award – | Whakatohea Maori Trust Board (Winner) |
| Sun FM Leadership Award – | Joint WINNERS: Robbie Petersen and Richard Claydon, Waiotahi Contractors |
