The winners of the 2009 Westpac Waitakere Business Awards have been announced by Waitakere Enterprise.
“West Auckland has long been known for the passionate, determined, resourceful people who live there. The 2009 Westpac Waitakere Business Awards recognise the businesses and people who have kept up the West’s visionary reputation throughout a particularly challenging year,” Waitakere Enterprise CEO, John Wadsworth, said.
The supreme winner, The Professional Bar and Restaurant School, scooped the awards by winning The Trusts Best Hospitality Business Award, as well as The Trusts Training & Development Award. While most winners were newcomers to the awards, there were a few previous winners cropping up again this year such as WALSH Trust, West Wave Aquatic Centre and Face & Body Beauty Therapy and Hairdressing Clinic.
2009 Winners
From left: Ross Clone (The Trusts- award sponsor), Luella Bartlett and Scott Ramsay. Westpac Supreme Award: The Professional Bar & Restaurant School The convenor of judges, Chad Wilkie, said, “The school prides itself on high levels of standards in excellence. They focus on their clients and the needs of the industry to provide a professional and high quality of graduate. Their business results reflect a commitment to profitable growth and a systematic approach to management.”
Ritchies Transport Young Business Person of the Year Award went to Rob Wakelin, General Manager of the Piha Surf Life Saving Club. Rob will receive business mentoring with John Ritchie (one of Waitakere’s most successful businessmen) as well as a $2000 Unitec study grant. Wakelin has played a significant part in the growth and success of Piha SLSC over the past three years. Successes include: turning around the performance of the Piha SLSC Bar, growing and maintaining support from funding trust sources and growth and retention of club membership.
The judges commented that Wakelin has demonstrated “a range of skills to turnaround this not-for-profit club and skilfully implemented change in an environment that could easily have undermined his efforts.
Babich Wines Export Business Award: New Zealand School of Education This training facility is on a mission to produce successful graduates through exciting educational experiences and wants to be the most preferred skilled graduate provider for New Zealand businesses in the future. Judges commended its “clear strategy for export growth, which has seen overseas student numbers and turnover doubled every year since it opened in 2003.”
Douglas Pharmaceuticals Best Large Business Award: West Wave Aquatic Centre The aquatic centre is one of Australasia's finest integrated ‘Lifestyle Centres’. Purpose built for the 1990 Commonwealth Games, the centre won the Employer of Choice Award last year. In the judges’ view, the success hinged around an “absolute focus on customer satisfaction, expanding the product range, detailed systemisation of all processes and constant upskilling of staff.”
UHY Haines Norton Best Mid-sized Business Award: The Web Company Professionalism and a commitment to superior service standards have given The Web Company exponential growth in the past five years. In 2009, they expanded their team to include a dedicated search engine marketing department.
For a company of its size the judges were impressed with the “systematic approach to every aspect of their business. At the customer level they drive through a strategic, results driven, fully analytical pathway to offer a totally creative product that leads to an enduring trusted relationship.”
Corban Revell Best Small Business Award: Belly Beyond Two friends, Heidi Riley and Louisa Currie, created this online business providing gorgeous gifts and practical essentials for before, during and after childbirth. The judges commented: “This is a great little business that has achieved a lot in a short time. The owners appear to be both technology and marketing savvy, exude passion for their business and have a drive to grow and develop.”
Unitec Innovation in Business Award: Freeviewshop This is New Zealand’s leading retailer of Satellite and Digital Terrestrial products for Freeview HD. The judges commented upon the “systematic design and innovation process that drives an improved range of product offerings, which meet customers needs in a way that the standard offering does not.”
Airpro Marketing Excellence Award: Te Henga The Westie From world renowned, family owned wine producers, Babich Wines, comes Te Henga The Westie – a range of wines that have become the iconic wine brand of West Auckland. The judges liked this standalone strategic marketing initiative by two independent partners, which “created a new brand, targeted a defined price and product niche, developed product and packaging to suit, and built a market leading market share in two years.”
Drake International Employer of Choice Award went to previous Service Business Award winner (2003 & 2005) Face & Body Beauty Therapy and Hairdressing Clinic. At Face & Body, each therapist and hairdresser has undergone extensive and intensive training and also ongoing training as the trends in these industries are constantly changing. The judges were again impressed by this experienced entrant. “A well-run and proven salon business that delivers on its high goals and standards for its staff,” Wilkie said.
Bush & Beach Tourism & Leisure Sector Award: Lincoln Green Hotel & Conference Centre This is a comprehensive venue that offers 70 rooms with standard, superior and premium options, a versatile conference and function centre, Icon Restaurant and Bar and Bar 159. The judges noted that Lincoln Green is a well run facility that has pulled a strong team together from larger hospitality organisations to grow their image and brand. “They are focused on sustainability and are looking to build a strong image for Rugby World Cup 2011,” Wilkie said.
The Trusts Best Hospitality Business Award: Professional Bar & Restaurant School. Established in 1993, it is widely regarded as New Zealand's leading hospitality management institute. The judges’ feedback is that Professional Bar & Restaurant School is “a most impressive business providing professional training with a hospitality industry commitment”.
The Trusts Training & Development Award: The Professional Bar & Restaurant School. The judges commented that the school is “committed to providing the best environment for learning and training in order to exceed the industry demand for professionally trained staff. The team is enthusiastic and excited about the opportunities for growth”.
Unitec Community & Volunteer Sector Best Practice Award: WALSH Trust WALSH Trust has been a leader in the provision of community based mental health support services in West Auckland since 1988. It won the 2008 Waitakere Business Awards Training Development Award, as well as Employer of Choice in 2007.
The judges said that WALSH Trust has achieved growth through “consistently focusing on its core business, good governance and strategic planning. In the unfashionable industry of mental health, the WALSH Trust delivers its service professionally and effectively but continues to humanise the service at a delivery level.”
This year the Awards were bigger and better than ever, having doubled in size in the past three years.
It was also the first event for new naming rights sponsor, Westpac. Westpac New Zealand’s General Manager Business Banking, Ian Blair, said, “Westpac is serious about getting alongside our business customers and really supporting local business. Tonight’s awards are the first step towards recognising the talent we have here in the West.”
