Lisa Bridge, Kara Neaylon, Renae Jan and Alicia Griffiths at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
Sami and Kevin Rigby enjoy the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
John and Liz O'Brien with Charles Nott from Clover Car Wash at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
Renae Galea, Hayley Dunst and Alitia Upchurch from the Telstra Tamworth Business Centre and Karly Davidson from Edwards O'Conner Chartered Accountants at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
Taylah Oliver, Sophie O'Neill of Tamworth Remedial Massage and Jessica Campbell of Jess and James Hair and Makeup at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
Pat Foley, Shaun O'Sullivan of Australian Training and Consulting and Noel Park Award winner Carlo Cavallaro at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
Joblink Plus CEO Chris Sheppeard, TRC GM Paul Bennett and mayor Col Murray at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
Choices Flooring Tamworth took out the Excellence in Retail (large) award/ Pictured from left is Dave Russell, Corey Walmsley from Corey's Catering, Joanne Russell and Shane Chillingworth accepting the award at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
Winner of the Noel Park Award, Carlo Cavallaro and his daughter Martinique pictured at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
360's Fitness Club won the award for Excellence in Small Business Growth with owners Dwone Jones and Jay Lynch accepting the award at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
Mary Ryan, Daine Cooper from The Powerhouse with The Leader's Kylie Ticehurst at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
Andromeda Industries Ray McLaren at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
Winners of Excellence in Community Involvement/Service Easters Landscape, Trevor Whitney and Janene at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
Ian Coxhead from Tamworth Fodder Farms with the award for Excellence in Environmental Commitment at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
Bill Page from The Best Western Sanctuary Inn, winner of the Excellence in Accommodation award, and David George of Qantaslink at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
The Old Bell Tower's Lou Haslam wins the award for Excellence in Cafe Culture at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
ATAC's Shaun O'Sullivan accepts the award for Excellence in Employment, Education and Training at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
Ruralfit's Andrew Mahony accepts the award for Excellence in Health and Wellbeing at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
Debbie Woods from Plush Hair Design which won the Excellence in Hair and Beauty award at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
James McDonald from Redimix Concrete with the business award for Excellence in Manufacturing and Construction at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
The Capitol Theatre's Peter Ross receives the award for Excellence in Media and Entertainment at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
Ken Brady from Bob Jane T-Mart in Tamworth with the business award for Motor Transport Sales and Service (small) at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
James Wallace from Nymans Smash Repairs took out the Excellence in Motor Transport Sales/Service (large) at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
Deb Maes from ImagineMORE receives her award for Excellence in Professional Services (small) at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
James Roger from Forsyths won the Excellence in Professional Services award at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
Wayne Koppel from Dynamic Fire, holds his award for Defence Reserves Support at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
John Krsulja from the Dag Sheep Station which was an award winner at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
Xtreme Cycles won the Excellence in Retail (small) award at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
Ian and Liz Coxhead, from Tamworth Farm Fodder won the Excellence in Rural Industry award at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
Strike's Chris Shepard at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
Murat Winter from Baiada accepts the award for Tamworth Business Chamber Regional Business of the Year at the Quality Business Awards held at TRECC on Friday night. Photo: Robert Chappel
MORE than 600 members of the Tamworth business community glammed up for the annual Tamworth Business Chamber’s Quality Business Awards on Friday night.
Emcee Murry Hartin was among those to don the black tie for the occasion, thanks to Joblink Plus chief executive officer Chris Sheppeard.
Mr Hartin forgot his suit, leaving it at home in Sydney, but thanks to Mr Sheppeard, who’s recently lost some weight and needed to buy a new tux for the occasion, there was a spare one available for Mr Hartin to borrow. This year’s awards included a number of new finalists and increased recognition for small businesses.
Chamber president Tim Coates said it was a fantastic night.
“It was great to see so many
people turn out to celebrate the evening, especially because it has been such a trying time for business over the past 12 to 18 months,” Mr Coates said.
He said it was good to see such a diverse range of businesses acknowledged throughout the night.
“It shows just how much our city and region has to offer,” he said.
Other highlights of the night Mr Coates said were the naming of local grocer and IGA owner Carlo Cavallaro as the winner of the Noel Park Award and Travelworld Tamworth’s Chris Watson Young Business Person of the Year.
“It was the first year the Chamber has had the Young Business Person of the Year Award and Chris was a well deserved winner,” Mr Coates said.
“It was good to see Carlo recognised for his contribution too, and for people who might see him but not know him or his story to find out where he has come from.”
Tamworth Business Chamber 2012 Quality Business Award winners
Excellence in Innovation – Baiada
Excellence in Small Business Growth – 360 Fitness Club
Excellence in Export Award – Andromeda
Excellence in Community Involvement/Service – Easter’s Landscape Supplies
Excellence in Environmental Commitment – Tamworth Fodder Farms
Excellence in Accommodation – Best Western Sanctuary Inn
Excellence in Cafe Culture/Convenience Food – The Old Bell Tower
Excellence in Employment, Education and Training – Australian Training and Consulting
Excellence in Health and Wellbeing – Rural Fit
Excellence in Hair and/or Beauty – Plush Hair Design
Excellence in Manufacturing/Construction – Redimix Concrete
Excellence in Motor Transport Sales/Service (large) – Nymans Smash Repairs
Excellence in Motor Transport Sales/Service (small) – Bob Jane T-Mart
Excellence in Professional Services (small) – ImagineMORE
Excellence in Professional Services (large) – Forsyths
Defence Reserves Support Award – Dynamic Fire
Outstanding Pub/Club/Licensed Premises – DAG Sheep Station
Outstanding Restaurant – The Workshop Cafe
Excellence in Retail (small) – Xtreme Cycles
Excellence in Retail (large) – Choices Flooring, Tamworth
Excellence in Rural Industry – Tamworth Fodder Farm
Excellence in Service and Trade – Fiona’s Mini Bus Rentals
Excellence in Media and Entertainment – Capitol Theatre Tamworth
Excellence in Tourism and Sport – Strike
Tamworth Business Chamber Regional Business of the Year – Baiada
Tamworth Business Chamber Small/Medium Business of the Year – Strike
Tamworth Business Chamber Large Business of the Year – Nymans Smash Repairs
Noel Park Award – Carlo Cavallaro
Young Business Person of the Year – Chris Watson