Wanaka Business Awards

Cardrona Alpine Resort takes supreme award at Ignite Wanaka Business Awards

Wanaka ski area Cardrona Alpine Resort was announced the supreme winner of the 2017 Ignite Wanaka Business Awards last night (November 10).

Cardrona – also winners in the Outstanding in Tourism category – won the overall award based on its significant growth, quality product, customer service and strong team culture.

More than 200 locals attended the Awards – sponsored by Milford Asset Management – at Rippon Hall to celebrate Wanaka business success.

Bill Day, convenor of the independent judging panel, says finalists all demonstrated business excellence and offered a snapshot into a growing Wanaka economy.

“Business is thriving here. Most local companies are experiencing 20% growth but some are leveraging opportunities into even greater growth. People are choosing clever ways of doing things differently, which indicates that our business community really punches above its weight,” he says.

“Cardrona’s offering is a class act and the development of staff is a tribute to their culture – despite their large size,” Day adds. “They’re innovative, deliver a great customer experience and have a quality future outlook.”

Winners of the awards categories are:

Outstanding in infrastructure/trades (Supported by Allenby Farms): Optum Plumbing: “They have exciting growth and horizontal development combined with strong focus on quality, team development and safety,” Day says.

Outstanding in professional services (Supported by Westpac): Blend Creative: “This small design agency is winning significant projects with major clients outside of Wanaka and as a result, they have had a big increase in sales.”

Outstanding in tourism (Supported by Lake Wanaka Tourism): Cardrona Alpine Resort.

Outstanding in retail/hospitality (Supported by Rippon Hall): PERRIAM: “This local fashion brand has combined a quality product with extraordinary rapid growth. They’re also innovative, using new wools and integrating into leather. They really are a quintessential Kiwi and Wanaka company.”

Outstanding innovators (Supported by Air New Zealand): Schistrock Media (Wanaka App): “They’re taking their concept to other cities. They’ve refined it here and are rolling it out further afield.”

Outstanding in sustainability (Supported by Queenstown and Wanaka Airport): Eastwood Environmental: “Environmental concern is central to everything they do. They’ve even developed their own environmentally-friendly masking tape.”

Outstanding Individual (supported by Ray White Wanaka): Hamish Acland, owner of Mons Royale.

People’s Choice Award (supported by Ignite Wanaka Chamber of Commerce): Challenge Wanaka.

The Ignite Wanaka Business Awards was first launched in 2016. From now on they will be held every two years – with the next Awards being November 2019.

ENDS

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