Rotorua Business Awards finalists revealed

Finalists have been announced for the Westpac Rotorua Business Excellence Awards 2011.

The first stage of judging in the annual business awards has been completed and 14 businesses are in the running for the six business awards, with six organisations and seven individuals up for the Awards of Distinction.

Rotorua Chamber of Commerce chief executive Roger Gordon said the finalists covered a wide cross-section.

"The total number of individual organisations represented as finalists in this year's awards has continued the high calibre of previous years. The selection of the category winners and the ultimate winner, the Westpac Business of the Year, will be a very difficult choice."

Some organisations are finalists in multiple categories and Mr Gordon said the next round of judging would begin.

Business award finalists will now be preparing for presentations to the full judging panel on September 17 and 18.

Individual award winners and the supreme Westpac Business of the Year title will be decided that weekend and announced at the gala awards night on Friday, September 30, along with the Red Stag Business Person of the Year and the winner of the new Waikato University Emerging Young Leader Award.

Westpac Rotorua Business Excellence Awards finalists:

Hamurana Lodge

Pure Cruise

Princes Gate

Rotorua TOP 10 Holiday Park

Patchell Stainless Ltd

Tyler Accounting & Taxation Services (TACTS) Ltd

Salon St Bruno

Waiariki Institute of Technology

Aislin Hair Studio

Grumpy's Limo

Pam Jones Property Management

Fusion Flowers Ltd

Pollards Menswear

Oppies Takeaways

The Redwoods, Whakarewarewa Forest

The organisations are finalists in one or more of the following sponsored categories:

Newstalk ZB Community Organisation

Destination Rotorua Economic Development Emerging Business

The Daily Post/ThermalAir Attractions and Hospitality

Lockwood Manufacturing and Trade

Pukeroa Oruawhata Holdings Retail

Unison Service Provider

Westpac Rotorua Awards of Distinction finalists 2011:

NZCU Rotorua Employee of the Year

Andrew McKay, Kaitao Middle School

Wendy Milne-Goad, Redwood Gifts

Linda Neilson, Waiariki Institute of Technology

Charlie Brown, Hamurana Lodge

Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust Social Responsibility

Waiariki Institute of Technology

Kaitao Middle School

McDowell Real Estate

Waiariki Institute of Technology Apprentice of the Year

Grant Forlong, Bydand Holdings

Andrew Richards, Bright Contractors

Richard Manks, Rydges Hotel

TrustPower Customer Service Award

The Redwoods Gift & Information Centre

Westend New World

Kuirau Lodge