Press Release
Friday, May 26, 2006 - For immediate release
Seeking top businesses
Manukau companies taking pride in what they do are sought to enter the prestigious Westpac Manukau Business Excellence
Awards.
The event is held each year to recognize the best Manukau businesses, across a wide range of endeavours. Entrants and
winners range from businesses with just a few employees, through to successful multinationals.
With 10 categories in total, from employer of choice, exporting and tourism through to small business, manufacturing,
innovation, customer service, workplace safety, and community contribution, there is a chance for any business to
succeed.
Winemaker Villa Maria Estate was named the Westpac Manukau Business of the Year in 2005. The company’s Managing
Director, George Fistonich, is a believer in the benefits of being involved in business award programmes.
“The process of entering the awards makes you look hard at what you are doing right and wrong in your business, and
sharpen up your act. It gets everybody involved, and draws a line in the sand,” he says.
As a winner Mr Fistonich says the company received valuable publicity, a major benefit of which is giving customers the
confidence of doing business with you.
Bruce McLachlan - General Manager for Business Banking with Westpac concurs. “We are extremely proud to be supporting
the Westpac Manukau Business Excellence Awards for the tenth year running. The awards are a unique opportunity for
businesses to benchmark against other companies, receive a perspective on their success from top business thinkers and
raise their profile amongst peers and customers alike.”
“The enthusiasm demonstrated by Manukau businesses in previous years has illustrated a very real desire to strive for
success, something that can only help strengthen the local economy,” he continues
Sir Barry Curtis, Mayor of Manukau, believes that many of Manukau’s 21,000 businesses are truly the best in the country.
“We want to see these top ranking businesses, as well as emerging companies, taking part this year and getting the
recognition that they deserve,” he says.
Regardless of the size and type of business, all are judged on the fundamentals of management, such as business
processes, leadership, human resources, customer focus and results achieved.
Once entries are received, they are checked for competencies and submitted to a judging panel for scrutiny. Three
finalists are then announced in each category, with winners trophies presented at the Westpac Manukau Business
Excellence Awards Gala Dinner, a much celebrated and anticipated annual black-tie event.
Entries close on 3 July 2006. Finalists are announced on 28 July, and the Awards Gala Dinner will be held at the Telstra
Clear Pacific Events Centre on Friday 8 September.
Sponsors include Westpac, Manukau City Council, Brookfields Lawyers, the Employers Association (Northern) Inc, Realize Innovation Limited, Westfield Manukau City, Kiwi Discovery Limited, ACC and the
Manukau Community Foundation.
Business managers and owners interested in entering should visit www.bizawards.co.nz or contact Enterprising Manukau on
09 262 2244. Extensive assistance is available to those who require help with their entry preparations.
ENDS