Media release - Friday, 26 August
West Auckland’s best businesses announced
The winners of the 17th annual Westpac Auckland West Business Awards were announced tonight at a prestigious Gala Dinner
held at Trusts Stadium.
Hosted by comedian Dai Henwood, guests were also entertained by singer Taisha, the Waiariki Kapahaka group and Kelston
Girls’ College hip hop dance group Sisterhood Crew, at the most prominent event of the year for the west Auckland
business community.
More than 600 guests gathered to recognise local business and celebrate with the 10 winners across 13 categories.
The Westpac Supreme Business Award 2011 winner is construction company Canam Group Limited, also winners of the Unitec
Excellence in Innovation, Babich Wines Excellence in Export and Douglas Pharmaceuticals Best Large Business awards. The
Rosebank Business Association Young Business Person of the Year is Stephanie Yost - marketing and communications manager
at VisionWest Community Trust, and the Corban Revell Best Small Business Award winner is OHbaby! Limited, a publishing
company that produces OHBaby! magazine, a quarterly parenting and lifestyle magazine and the website www.ohbaby.co.nz.
Mayor Len Brown says the quality of finalists this year highlights the resilience of west Auckland’s business community.
“The Westpac Auckland West Business Awards celebrates business excellence, recognising the people behind the companies.
It is their determination and dedication that drives economic prosperity for the region and contributes to making west
Auckland the fantastic community it is today. Local businesses are adapting to the current economic conditions,
searching out new markets, producing innovative products and developing better ways of doing things. West Auckland
business people are striving for success and achieving it, as demonstrated here tonight,” says Mayor Brown.
“I’m proud to be an Aucklander, and even prouder to be standing here for the first time at these west Auckland business
awards. I believe the whole country could benefit from viewing the fine examples of business expertise shown.
Congratulations to our winners and also to the finalists as it was a hard-fought competition.”
Ian Blair, Westpac’s General Manager Business Banking, says the awards showcase the depth of business in west Auckland.
“This year’s awards have highlighted the diverse range of west Auckland businesses trading and succeeding, from large
manufacturers and construction companies through to boutique industries and online companies. It is this breadth that
makes for an incredibly vibrant and sustainable business community that continues to thrive and evolve. On behalf of
Westpac, I extend my congratulations to all entrants, finalists and winners. Westpac is proud to be a long-standing
partner in these awards around the country and in the west Auckland community,” says Mr Blair.
The Westpac Auckland West Business Awards 2011 winners are:
Airpro Excellence in Marketing Award
Parex Industries Limited
The Trusts Excellence in Training & Development Award
World Moving and Storage Limited
Tasti Products Excellence in Manufacturing Award
Bakeworks Limited
Alloy Yachts Employer of Choice Award
McDonald’s West
Unitec Excellence in Innovation Award
Canam Group Limited
Certificate of Distinction –
Aqualine Products Limited
The Trusts Excellence in Service Delivery Award
McDonald’s West
Certificate of Distinction -
Kelvin Armstrong Auto Repairs Limited
Rubbish Direct Limited
Rosebank Business Association Young Business Person of the Year Award
Stephanie Yost –VisionWest Community Trust
Babich Wines Excellence in Export Award
Canam Group Limited
Unitec Excellence in Not for Profit Award
VisionWest Community Trust
Certificate of Distinction -
McLaren Park & Henderson South Community Initiative Inc
Corban Revell Best Small Business Award
OHbaby! Limited
Certificate of Distinction -
George Walkers Auctions Limited
UHY Haines Norton Best Mid-sized Business Award
Soljans Estate Winery & Cafe
Douglas Pharmaceuticals Best Large Business Award
Canam Group Limited
The ICEHOUSE Best Owner Managed Business Award
Davis Funeral Services Limited
People’s Choice - Most Inspirational Business Story 2011
VisionWest Community Trust
Westpac Supreme Business Award 2011
Canam Group Limited
Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development’s Manager Business Development – West, Sukesh Sukumaran, says the
Westpac Auckland West Business Awards highlights the best in business and promotes economic growth throughout the area.
“These awards play an important role in celebrating and developing business success. With three new categories and an
extended boundary this year we have recognised and honoured more businesses than ever before. Businesses recognise the
value of these awards to their company, and with $65,000 in prizes also on offer, it has generated a large number of
entrants and a pool of extremely strong finalists. We have also awarded certificates of distinction this year to five
businesses who were excellent contenders for awards.”
“With a large pool of entries, judging was an enormous role this year. I’d like to extend our gratitude to our judges
for volunteering their time to this task.”
ATEED facilitates the Westpac Auckland West Business Awards 2011, which now covers the entire west Auckland area
including Hobsonville, Riverhead, Kumeu, Huapai, Waimauku and Woodhill.
Westpac Auckland West Business Award 2011 sponsors include; Westpac, Unitec, The Trusts, Airpro, Tasti Products, The New
Zealand Herald, Corban Revell Lawyers, UHY Haines Norton, Douglas Pharmaceuticals, Alloy Yachts, The Trusts Function
Centre, The ICEHOUSE, Rosebank Business Association and Babich Wines.
ends