Economic Development leader proud of 2011 Award Entries

19 October 2011

Economic Development leader proud of this year’s Business Awards Entries

With fifteen businesses named as finalists for this year’s Electra Business Kapiti Horowhenua Awards, Board Member and Nature Coast Enterprise Chairman, Graham Smellie, looks back over his 18 years of assisting in economic development across Kapiti and Horowhenua with pleasure and pride.

“This year’s list of entries is especially pleasing given the spread between Kapiti and Horowhenua”, he said. “The two districts have a strong history of working together, especially where business development is concerned, and this is a great example,”

Enterprise Horowhenua was formed in 1994 with the intention of creating employment and wealth in the Horowhenua. Graham Smellie was its inaugural chair. At about the same time, Business Kapiti Horowhenua Incorporated developed a model for a business awards programme that, at its heart, would encourage excellence across businesses, up and down the coast. Like Nature Coast Enterprise, Business Kapiti Horowhenua has stood the test of time. The regional relationship continued as Enterprise Horowhenua’s focus expanded to include Kapiti and this is still the case today with Nature Coast Enterprise playing a supporting role in the Business Awards programme including helping the entrants to develop Business Growth Action Plans.

Graham Smellie believes that “there is real potential for BKH, Nature Coast Enterprise, Kapiti Chamber of Commerce along with local and central government support and key regional players such as Electra to develop an all-encompassing business organisation spanning the Kapiti/Horowhenua districts”.

ENDS

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