THE finalists have been announced for the Lake Macquarie Business Excellence Awards to be presented next Saturday night, July 23.
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Businesses from the Westlakes area are again out-numbered by finalists from Charlestown, Cardiff and Gateshead.
But businesses from Toronto, Wangi Wangi and Morisset are hoping to score a share of the trophies up for grabs in 13 categories.
Leading the charge for the Westlakes brigade will be Michel’s Patisserie, at Toronto.
Franchisees Greg and Annie Stevens and their staff are the defending champions in the Retail Practices category, and are up for the same award again this year.
They’re also finalists in the Workforce Training and Development, and Customer Service categories.
The Toronto store is a regular participant in business awards, and Mr Stevens said entering was well worth the rewards.
“We’re also a finalist in two categories at the Hunter Business Awards, and we found out on Friday we’re a finalist in the National Retailers Association Awards,” Mr Stevens said.
While winning a Lake Macquarie Business Award brought prestige and was good for business, simply entering the awards was a very worthwhile exercise, he said.
Completing an entry requires business owners to prepare a submission that explains their processes and describes what the business does well.
This forced owners to “draw down from the macro to the micro” and to consider how they operate, and consider things that might not have been on their radar.
Mr Stevens said the Westlakes area boasted many good businesses.
But he admitted the submission process for the awards was “not easy”.
He said having a background in the banking industry meant that he was comfortable in writing reports and compiling information to assist the judges.
Ultimately, the awards were about having a winning attitude to business, and recognition, Mr Stevens said.
“Being in these awards brings recognition to customers that they have a quality business in their community, and recognition to staff that they are working for a quality organisation.
“It means a great deal that the efforts of our team are recognised by the wider community and we couldn’t be more proud.”
Among the finalists are.-
- Total Beauty and Health, of Boolaroo (for Excellence in Sustainable Business Practices; Retail Practices; Workplace Health and Safety; Young Business Person of the Year);
- Suzanne Felsinger, of Kip McGrath, Toronto (Entrepreneurship);
- Donate Your Day, of Speers Point (Sustainable Business Practices; Business Systems);
- Kent Conveyancing, of Boolaroo (Business Systems; Workforce Training and Development; Entrepreneurship; Customer Service by the Whole Business; Customer Service by an Individual Employee);
- Peter Pan Preschool, of Wangi Wangi (Customer Service by the Whole Business);
- Richard Popovski of REFCA Group, Toronto (Customer Service by an Individual Employee;
- Hunter Home Modifications, Toronto (not for profit / charity);
- Everything Marine, of Morisset Park (New Business);
- Michel’s Patisserie, of Toronto (Retail Practices; Workforce Training and Development; Customer Service by the Whole Business).
The awards are presented by the Business Growth Centre.
Winners will be announced at Belmont 16s on Saturday, July 23.
