Rotorua Business Awards: A 20-year success

When Rotorua District Council economic development manager Tim Cossar applauded the success of the first Rotorua Business Awards in 1991, he had no idea how prophetic his statement would be.

Attended by about 200 people, the first awards were organised by the council and Cossar, now chief executive of the Tourism Industry Association, was quoted in The Daily Post saying: "As the first event of its kind in Rotorua, it proved to be a great success and has provided the basis for an annual event which is set to grow in popularity."

Twenty years later, the Westpac Rotorua Business Excellence Awards are, indeed, an annual event, now organised by the Rotorua Chamber of Commerce and attended by 600 people.

Cossar said the economic climate was similar in 1991 to the current day.

"But we had a huge amount of support - from people wanting to participate as entrants or judges. It was amazing how it brought everyone together."

He offered congratulations to the chamber for keeping the event going.

"It's fantastic it's still going after 20 years, as popular as it ever was, and that good quality businesses are still entering."

Chamber chief executive Roger Gordon said the awards night on Friday, September 30, would include a salute to the past two decades of winners.

Some personal highlights for him include his initial involvement as an entrant and, later, the arrival of Westpac's Steve Pinder who cornered him at a chamber event and said: "Have I got a deal for you."

That conversation resulted in a seven-year relationship between the awards and Westpac, as the naming sponsor.

"Westpac sponsors quite a number of awards nights around the country and I'm told Rotorua is held up as the standard to aspire to."

Gordon said the number of entries and attendees continued to grow after the chamber took the awards on in 2001, with a range of venues, MCs and special guests.

This year's gala awards dinner will be held at the Rotorua Energy Events Centre and tickets are on sale from www.rotoruachamber.co.nz.