The 2017 Shoalhaven Business Awards has now launched.
This morning, at a small event for sponsors and media, Chamber President, Brendan Goddard, officially opened the 2017 Awards. Brendan announced the categories for 2017, as well as a number of exciting new initiatives.
The highlights are:
- The Awards are open from today, Wednesday 17th May until Tuesday 27th June
- Our Awards theme this year is ‘Cultivate’
- 19 awards will be presented at the Awards gala on Friday 25th August
- New category Employee of the Year
- Start Up Superstar will replace Outstanding New Business
- Nine categories are aligned with the Illawarra Business Awards
- Awards Insider podcast series will feature tips and insights for entrants
- New workshop format focused on one-on-one assistance for entrants
- Matt Simms (Simmark) and Pete Russell (Integrity Real Estate) have been appointed as Awards Ambassadors
- Most sponsorship opportunities have already been secured, with a few more still available
The Awards are now open, meaning businesses can start their entry, and they have until Tuesday 27th June to complete and submit their entry via the NSW Business Chamber Awards entry portal.
Our Awards theme this year is ‘Cultivate’, which was a deliberate choice as a subsequent theme to 2016’s ‘Synergise’.
This year we wanted to choose a theme that built on the hard work and collaboration that brought us synergy last year. We wanted to highlight the opportunities within our region and focus on growth and advancement.
Brendan believes we have the talent, drive and passion to ensure we succeed in keeping the Shoalhaven as the best place to live and work, now and in the future. But we need to nurture the opportunities on our horizon, we need to feed and encourage our businesses and our entrepreneurial spirit through strong vision, passion, collaboration, trust, and business relationships.
Brenda shared that there is already a huge degree of interest in the Awards this year, we’ve had businesses approaching us to discuss sponsorships since the start of the year, as well as asking when they can start entering.
Nineteen Awards will be presented at the Awards Gala on Friday 25th August, including a new category for 2017, Employee of the Year. This category will be employer nominated, and is open to any employee in any industry.
Start Up Superstar, a NSW aligned category, will also replace Outstanding New Business, which was a local category.
Always seeking to find new ways to help our entrants write standout submissions, this year we have produced Awards Insider, an interview-based podcast series. Sponsored by TAFE NSW, and hosted by Chance Hanlon and Miranda Packer, Awards Insider features a range of guest experts who have won, judged and supported awards programs from around the country. The podcast has been professionally produced in the HEV Studio and is available for download in the iTunes store.
The UOW Shoalhaven sponsored Award Entry Workshop will also run again this year, although in a slightly different format. With Awards Insider providing all the tips to produce a standout entry, the focus of the workshop is one-on-one help for entrants. Past judges and other experts will answer specific questions and help entrants work on their submissions.
Two Awards Ambassadors have been appointed to further spread the message of why every business needs to enter the Awards. Matt Simms, General Manager of Simmark, and Pete Russell, Managing Director of Integrity Real Estate, are both past winners and continued supporters of the Awards. Their role is to advocate the Awards and share their own messages of Awards success. Both have been interviewed on Awards Insider, episodes one and two respectively.
We’ve been delighted by the overwhelming support of local businesses wanting to sponsor the Awards, and have already filled most sponsorship opportunities. Our major sponsors are Shoalhaven City Council, CMG Audio Visual, Webics, Fire Service Plus and Power FM and 2ST. We do still have a few opportunities left, interested businesses should contact Miranda Packer, Awards Manager on 0418885550 or awards@shoalhavenbusiness.com.au
