Craig Osborne and the team at RMB Lawyers and Care South chief executive Debra Tozer were among the big winners at Friday night's 2014 Momentum Energy Illawarra Business Awards.
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The event, run by the Illawarra Business Chamber, is held annually to recognise outstanding business success in the region.
Chamber chief executive Debra Murphy said the gala event was a fantastic way for the whole region to stop and recognise many of the hardworking people in the Illawarra economy.
There were 15 awards presented on Friday with entries from the region's five local government areas and this year's Oscar-stye event was a change of format to allow businesses a chance to celebrate.
Ms Murphy said new award categories also meant that 12 of the 15 Illawarra category winners now progressed through as finalists in the NSW Business Chamber's Awards in November and that would provide the region regional winners with state-wide recognition and promotion.
"We applaud all the winners and finalists who have achieved excellence and success in their fields."
RMB Lawyers won the Momentum Energy Excellence in Business Award with the IRT Group being highly commended.
Peoplecare Business Leader was Debra Tozer, of CareSouth, and the Commonwealth Bank Excellence in Small Business winner was Fibre Optics Design and Construct.
Boab Boats was highly commended in that category.
The title of IMB Young Business Executive was awarded to Toby Dawson, of the Cancer Council NSW with Eleanor Hayman, of Illawarra Flame Tree Coaching and Development being highly commended.
BlueScope Young Entrepreneur was Paul Sassall, of Nowra Farmers Market, and the winner of the Greencap NAA Excellence in Workplace Health and Safety was Greenacres Disability Services
The Illawarra Mercury Excellence in Business Ethics Award went to G.J. Gardner Homes Shoalhaven and the TAFE Illawarra Excellence in Sustainability winner was Warrigal with highly commended recognition going to Wollongong Golf Club.
The Shellharbour City Council Local Chamber of Commerce Award went to Corrimal Chamber of Commerce and the Illawarra Credit Union Outstanding New Illawarra Business was Andrew Webb Family and Business Accounting.
The IRT Foundation Excellence in Age-Friendly Business Award was presented to Highlands Drive Safe and the Westpac Excellence in Customer Service category had joint winners in the Cram Foundation and Pillar Administration.
Wollongong City Council Excellence in Innovation Winner was F1moto.com.au and highly commended was Droppoint Australia.
The recipient of the University of Wollongong Excellence in Export Award was Cherub Rubs and the Randstad Employer of Choice winner was Greenacres Disability Services, which picked up two awards on the night.
CareSouth chief’s skills praised
Caresouth chief executive Debra Tozer is Illawarra’s new business leader of the year after being awarded the title on Friday night at the 2014 Momentum Energy Illawarra Business Awards.
Illawarra Mercury general manager Corinne Whiteman and Big Fat Smile chief executive Bill Feld judged the Business Leader Award category and were both impressed by her leadership qualities.
They recognised her for the way she led a vital and growing social enterprise that brought positive futures to children, families and communities.
They said her leadership had delivered social and economic benefits to the region and brought hope to the most vulnerable.
‘‘Deb is a passionate, inspirational and visionary leader of people, resources and social change,’’ Ms Whiteman said.
Mr Feld said she was always positive and looking for opportunities.
Other major awards at the event, run by the Illawarra Business Chamber, went to RMB Lawyers which took out the Excellence in Business Award; Fibre Optics Design and Construct won the Excellence in Small Business Award; the Cancer Council’s Toby Dawson was named young business executive; and Paul Sassall, of Nowra Farmers Market, was recognised as best young entrepreneur.
In accepting the business excellence award, RMB Lawyers managing partner Craig Osborne reflected on how Illawarra’s oldest law firm had just introduced a new fixed fee model on all its services and moved into new high-tech headquarters in Wollongong.
In his 15 years as managing partner, RMB had become the largest regional law firm in NSW.
Illawarra Business Awards winners
- BlueScope Young Entrepreneur - Paul Sassall, of Nowra Farmers Market.
- Greencap NAA Excellence in Work Health and Safety - Greenacres Disability Services.
- Illawarra Mercury Excellence in Business Ethics - G.J. Gardner Homes Shoalhaven.
- TAFE Illawarra Excellence in Sustainability - winner Warrigal and highly commended Wollongong Golf Club.
- Shellharbour City Council Local Chamber of Commerce - Corrimal Chamber of Commerce.
- Illawarra Credit Union Outstanding New Illawarra Business - Andrew Webb Family and Business Accounting.
- IRT Foundation Excellence in Age-Friendly Business - Highlands Drive Safe.
- Westpac Excellence in Customer Service joint winners - Cram Foundation and Pillar Administration.
- Wollongong City Council Excellence in Innovation - winner F1moto.com.au and highly commended Droppoint Australia.
- University of Wollongong Excellence in Export - Cherub Rubs.
- Randstad Employer of Choice - Greenacres Disability Services.
- IMB Young Business Executive - winner Toby Dawson, of Cancer Council NSW, and highly commended Eleanor Hayman, of Illawarra Flame Tree Coaching and Development.
- Peoplecare Business Leader - Debra Tozer, of CareSouth.
- Commonwealth Bank Excellence in Small Business - winner Fibre Optics Design and Construct and highly commended Boab Boats.
- Momentum Energy Excellence in Business - winner RMB Lawyers and highly commended IRT Group.