Shortlisted companies unveiled for Examiner Business Award 2009

Oct 14 2009 by Henryk Zientek, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

HERE are the winners!

Today we reveal the companies shortlisted as finalists in the 2009 Examiner Business Awards.

Now the countdown begins to the awards evening next month when representatives of the nominated companies join leading figures from the town’s business community at the Galpharm Stadium to salute the winners.

Our five-strong judging panel deliberated long and hard before drawing up the shortlist from scores of high quality entries submitted over the past few weeks.

The cream of the crop have been nominated in 11 categories – New Business of the Year, Revell Ward LLP SME of the Year, Business Link Yorkshire Business of the Year, Kirklees NHS Community Award, HSBC Commercial Banking International Business/Trader of the Year, Regeneration Award, PROHMS Ltd Employer of the Year, Creative Enterprise Award, Kirklees Council Green Award, Fantastic Media Young Business Person of the Year, Chadwick Lawrence Business Person of the Year.

The judging panel was made up of Jeremy Garside, managing partner of law firm and award sponsor Chadwick Lawrence; Prof John Thompson, professor of entrepreneurship at Huddersfield University’s Business School; Ken Gillespie, director of regeneration at Kirklees Council; Andrew Palmer, assistant regional director for the CBI in Yorkshire; and Examiner business correspondent Henryk Zientek.

The finalists are drawn from a wide range of sectors, including marketing, manufacturing, business consultancy, IT, food, finance and construction.

Judges reported a 30% increase in entries on last year’s competition – as Huddersfield firms demonstrated how they are battling the recession through hard work, investment and innovation.

Past winners were among those bidding for repeat success along with organisations making their first foray into the fight to win one of the area’s premier business awards.

While nine of the categories have shortlists – there are no shortlists for the Regeneration Award and the Business Person of the Year. The judges have chosen a winner in each case and they will be revealed at the awards night.

Judging panel chairman Henryk Zientek said: “The judges were all impressed by the number of entries and the quality of submissions.