THE annual Business Awards is an opportunity to recognise the standout individuals, businesses and community organisations that have been worthy of a nomination by their employers, customers and members of the community.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 2012 Business Awards was held at the Cootamundra Ex-Services Club on Saturday night and was attended by a large number of people.
This year was a record year for the awards with 74 nominations being received in the nine award categories.
Acting as master of ceremonies for the occasion was Wattle Hire business owner John Stephens who is also a member of the Cootamundra Development Corporation committee, the hosts of the annual Business Awards Dinner.
A number of special guests were in attendance including Cootamundra mayor Doug Phillips his wife Julianne, Member for Hume Alby Schultz, candidate for Hume Angus Taylor, Ashley Watts representing Why Leave Town Gift Cards and Cootamundra’s sister shire Hills Shire Council mayor Larry Bolitho.
This year there were two new categories added to the awards list including the HMA Twomey Patterson Best New Business and the Cootamundra Award for Individual Dedication to Customer Service sponsored by Why Leave Town Gift Cards.
The most popular category was the Individual Dedication to Customer Service with 14 nominations received.
Local man Craig ‘Stewie’ Stewart again donated the shield for the third year in a row to the Cootamundra Employee of the Year, which was won by Kathy Manwaring from the Cootamundra Nursing Home.
Kathy was unable to attend the Business Awards Dinner to accept the award due to prior commitments.
The award will be presented to Kathy today.
Due to the high quality of nominees entered in this year’s awards, the independent judging panel found it hard to determine the winners so they re-created two special awards being Outstanding Achievement Award Judges Choice, which was won by Colina Meadows and an Encouragement Award which was won by Joshua Thompson, an apprentice with Thompson Electrical.
The award winners were Debby White, Cootamundra Can Assist (The Cootamundra Shire Council Community Service Award), Cambell Page (Hills Shire Council Community Contribution Award), Elizabeth Anne Florist and Gifts (The Cootamundra Herald Best Dressed Shop and Window Display), The Pickled Pantry (The Cootamundra Herald Innovation in Service), Tracey Walker, Cootamundra Health Service (ATEL Trainee/Apprentice of the Year), Linda Wiles, Cootamundra Shire Council(The Cootamundra Award for Tourism and Promotion), Rachel Moorby, Harvest Country (The Cootamundra Award for Individual Dedication to Customer Service) and Kevin Deep’s Clothing and Footwear (Giraffe Award).
