Judgment day has come and gone.
Now it’s all about the names in the envelopes!
As in previous years, picking the finalists and winners of the Examiner Business Awards proved a difficult but rewarding task.
There were inspirational stories aplenty among the scores of entries — with companies demonstrating the determination and business acumen to forge ahead through recent difficult times.
What emerges from such a strong field of candidates for top honours is that there is no
shortage of the entrepreneurial spirit for which Huddersfield is justly famous.
The judges this year faced a massive task — sifting through many dozens of entries to find the winners in 10 categories recognising businesses of all types and sizes as well as the businessmen and woman who have proved outstanding in their field.
The judging panel comprised Steven Bonfield, partner at law firm and awards sponsor Chadwick Lawrence; Prof Bob Cryan, vice-chancellor of Huddersfield University; Adrian Lythgo, chief executive of Kirklees Council; and Sandra Babbings, director of occupational health specialist PROHMS.
The panel was chaired by Examiner business correspondent Henryk Zientek.
The finalists for the 2014 awards have been drawn from sectors including retailing, manufacturing, branding and design, recruitment, food manufacture and training.
A number of previous winners were among those bidding to win awards this time — while there was no shortage of newcomers eager to lay claim to these well-established awards.
Judging panel chairman Henryk Zientek said: “The Examiner Business Awards continues to attract some of the best businesses in town.
“Again, we have seen a healthy crop of entries and it has been difficult choosing our finalists — let alone the winners.
“The standard of entries has been consistently high.
“The judges were delighted to learn about the hard work and dedication that has gone into making these businesses so successful — and the evident commitment to quality, customer care and employee welfare demonstrated by so many of the companies vying for our glittering
prizes.
“We all look forward to recognising the achievements of all the finalists — and, of course, the winners — at the awards dinner tomorrow.”
