TAMWORTH’S business awards were described as “bigger than Ben Hur” after a night of entertainment and celebrating achievements.
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Friday’s Quality Business Awards at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre saw a mix of awards presentations and local entertainment, making it a night to remember.
Tamworth Business Chamber president Tim Coates said he had, had “outstanding feedback” on adding the show to the awards, but now the challenge was how to beat Friday night’s effort.
Entertainers included Gabriela McDonald, Lara Northey, Lara Connellan and Mike Vee, with a band led by Tim Godden backing them and the Tamworth City Dance Academy show troupe.
“How do you beat opening with the Time Warp and closing with You’re The Voice with bagpipes?” Mr Coates said. He said the highlight of the awards portion of the night was the presentation of the Noel Park Award, which is the chamber board’s award to recognise an outstanding contribution by a partnership, individual or company to the growth of Tamworth.
Mr Coates said, he heard from someone sitting at the same table as recipients Mark and Loanna Single, that when he was reading out the bio of the winners, Mr Single leaned over and asked what you had to do to get that award.
He soon found out when he and his wife were announced as the winners.
“The looks on their faces and the fact they were physically affected by the award was fantastic,” Mr Coates said.
“They were very humble in their acceptance, as you would expect them to be from the contribution they make on so many fronts.”
Mr Coates did not go home empty-handed, taking out the Business Leader award, presented to him by Tamworth Regional Council mayor Col Murray.
The surprised winner said he wanted to go into a dark corner for a while, but he was already on the stage and he was lost for words.
“You don’t do what you do for the awards, you just do what you do because you want to do it,” Mr Coates said.
“Some people will agree with you and others won’t. It’s nice to receive peer recognition. I didn’t know who the judges were until after the night and one lives in the region and one out of town.”
The winners of Excellence in Sustainability, Excellence in
Innovation, Employer of Choice, Excellence in Business Ethics, Excellence in Small Business, Excellence in Business, Young Entrepreneur, Young Executive and Business Leader continue on as finalists to go on to the NSW Business Chamber Regional Awards in Narrabri on September 26.