New Chair for Business Awards

New Chair for Business Awards

Business Kapiti Horowhenua has farewelled it’s Chair, Mark Ternent, after six successful years at the helm of the organisation that organises and runs the Electra Kapiti Horowhenua Business Awards. Mr Ternent has been replaced as Chair by Brendan Duffy.

Mr Ternent announced he was standing down as Chair of Business Kapiti Horowhenua ('BKH') at its recent AGM. He will remain on the Board and current Board member Brendan Duffy will step into the role as Chair. Mr Duffy is a previous supreme winner of the Awards with his business Canvasland, and the former Mayor of the Horowhenua District Council.

In Mr Ternent’s time as Chair the Business Awards has undergone a major transformation, with several new Award categories introduced, including the hugely popular Customer Choice Awards, and the running of the Kapiti Horowhenua Business Hall of Fame.

The Board has also worked hard to create more visibility and exposure for the Awards and the businesses that have entered them, including the publication of an eBook that showcases some of the successful businesses to enter the Awards, and an annual ‘Winners and Finalists’ event that brings together many of the region’s best and brightest entrepreneurs to share ideas and celebrate successes.

“I am extremely proud of how popular the Awards have become, and the work we have undertaken as an organisation to not only make the Awards the ‘must attend’ business event of the year, but to also act as both a promotional vehicle and an enabler of business excellence and growth throughout our region,” says Mr Ternent.

“We are also extremely grateful to all the sponsors, at all levels, who have shown incredible loyalty and support for the Awards – their ongoing commitment remains critical to the future success of the programme. I’d especially like to acknowledge Electra, the naming sponsor for the entire history of the Awards, and our two local Councils.”

Fellow Board member Ross Leggett acknowledged Mr Ternent’s passion for the Awards and the enormous amount of hard work he had undertaken on behalf of the Awards, most of it performed on a voluntary basis. “As well as being an outstanding Chair, I would like to acknowledge Mark’s role as Chief Assessor and the expertise he has brought to the table in helping us to create a rigorous and robust assessment and judging process for the Awards. The assessment process we have introduced is based on world class principles and the Board believes it is this process that makes our event New Zealand’s premier regional business awards programme. We are extremely grateful that Mark has agreed to remain on the Board so that we can continue to access his knowledge and experience.”

Mr Duffy says it is a real privilege to be elected to the position of Chair of such a respected and long standing organisation. “Business Kapiti Horowhenua is supported by Electra and both our district councils, and our collective interest is to support business growth and salute success, all factors I’m excited to support. “

“We are looking forward to delivering another successful 2018 Awards, and to working with a large number of entrants again this year.”

Entries in the Excellence and Achievement categories of the Electra Kapiti Horowhenua Business Awards officially opened on 7 April, while entries in the Customer Choice Awards will open later in the year. Finalists will be celebrated and winners announced at a black tie event, to be held in Levin on 12 October.

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