The Drogheda Business Excellence Awards is an initiative by the Drogheda Chamber to support business, promote high standards in business and to provide a unique platform for promoting and creating a positive public profile for your business. The Drogheda Chamber invite all business people, not just Chamber members, in the Greater Drogheda Area, including South Louth and East Meath, to take part in this exciting venture. Drogheda Chamber will be circulating 2,500 brochures to businesses in the coming weeks and are encouraging anyone with a business in the Greater Drogheda Area to nominate themselves for one of the 9 Award Categories. Brochures and application forms can also be got by calling the Chamber, downloading from www.droghedachamber.com/awards, and will be available in public places such as the Bank of Ireland, Drogheda Borough Council and the Fitzwilliam Business Centre.
In introducing the categories for 2006, Karen Devine of the Chamber Events Committee advised that “following last years Awards, the Council of the Chamber took time to meet with the judges, members, entrants and winners from 2005 and those who did not enter last year to get their valuable feedback. We have made alterations to the categories for 2006 that reflect this feedback and to ensure that categories are relevant to business.”
President Eugene Kierans admitted that “Drogheda, South Louth and East Meath is a vital and dynamic place to do business and by staging the Drogheda Business Excellence Awards, Drogheda Chamber seeks to provide a platform for businesses big and small, old and new to present their successes and triumphs and to be recognised by their peers in local industry.”
The Chamber is delighted to introduce Bank of Ireland Business Banking and North East Printers as Premier Sponsors of this year’s event. Speaking at the launch on Monday last, Yvonne Halpenny, Business Development Manager of Drogheda Chamber said “without the support of our Premier Sponsors it would not be possible to stage such a prestigious event.” She added “all 10 Award Categories have also been sponsored by local businesses and we are grateful for the commitment and support of organisations in the Greater Drogheda area”.
Following the launch, applications are now being received for the Drogheda Business Excellence Awards 2006 and the closing date for receipt of applications is 29th September 2006. On completion of the judging process, short listed companies will be announced at the end of October. Chaired by Padraig Warren, the Judging panel includes Ronan Dennedy of the Louth County Enterprise Board, Rosemary Sexton of Enterprise Ireland, Maureen Ward of Louth Leader and Joe English of Plato. Chair of the Chamber Events Committee Terry Judge said “We are delighted to again have a superb panel of independent judges, all of whom are exceptionally well placed to assess the businesses applying for Awards, and give the Drogheda Business Excellence Awards a strong and ethical credibility. “
The categories for the 2006 Drogheda Business Excellence Award are:
i. The Best Newcomer Award sponsored by Murphy Environmental
ii. The Best Small Business Award sponsored by La Spa Therapie
iii. Best Innovation Award sponsored by Callan Computers
iv. Best Medium to Large Business Award sponsored by VHI Healthcare (New Category)
v. Best Business to Business Award sponsored by Irish Cement
vi. Customer Excellence Award in Retail and Services sponsored by Fuschia
vii. Customer Excellence Award in Tourism and Hospitality sponsored by Flogas
viii. Customer Excellence in Professional and Financial Services (New Category) sponsored by Boyne Valley Country Club
ix. Community Commitment Award sponsored by Drogheda Concentrates (New Category)
x. Lifetime Achievement Award sponsored by Gunne Group
The Community Commitment Award is a new Award aimed at organisations in the voluntary sector and it seeks to recognise the professional manner in which these organisations are run and the enormous contribution that they make to lives in the South Louth/East Meath area. If an organisation wishes to be nominated for the Community Commitment Award they should contact the Chamber to secure an application form. Watch out for more news about this Award over the coming weeks.
Collette Farrell of Calipo Film and Theatre Company, winner of the Best Innovation Award in 2005 said “Winning this Award had brought Calipo Film and Theatre Company widespread recognition from the business community in County Louth. People now realise that the arts is a business too and receiving recognition for what we do from such an expert panel in the business community has been of immense importance”.
The Business Excellence Awards 2006 will be hosted by the Drogheda Chamber at a glittering black tie ceremony on November 11th at the Boyne Valley hotel with Guest Presenter RTE’s Bryan Dobson.
The evening commences with a drinks reception sponsored by Donal Kinsella followed by dinner and the awards ceremony.
For more information, application forms or an official Awards Brochure please contact the Chamber office on (041) 9833544 or email enquiries@droghedachamber.com and keep watching local press for Awards News 2006.
