Scholarship hailed as big chance for young guns

A new Rotorua award recognising young business leaders is open for nominations.

The Waikato University Management School Emerging Young Leader award is a new category of the Westpac Rotorua Business Excellence Awards.

Rotorua Chamber of Commerce chief executive Roger Gordon said it was an excellent opportunity to recognise the contribution made by some of the city's up-and-coming leaders by offering a scholarship to further their studies.

"The principle of the Westpac Business Excellence Awards is that, for all concerned, it is a journey," he said.

"A voyage down the path of continuous self-evaluation and improvement. We have many very good young people who have chosen a career in business and are currently making a considerable contribution to business vitality."

The inaugural 2011 award is open to people aged 28-40 who hold a senior position in business. The winner will receive a scholarship covering half their first year's fees for a Master of Business Administration degree at Waikato University.

Gordon said a number of Waikato business graduates were already contributing productively to the local business community and he was pleased the university had come on board to sponsor the new emerging young leader category with such an appropriate prize.

"This award helps us contribute to a further stage in [the winner's] development by enabling their participation in an MBA."

Winners will be selected based on their performance within their business, including their contribution to its financial success and business practices and systems and their development of business relationships, innovation and entrepreneurship. Personal leadership acumen and community leadership achievements will make up half their individual score.

Nomination forms are available from the Rotorua Chamber of Commerce and must be returned by Wednesday, August 31.

Finalists in the main business award categories were announced today (see page 5) and the winners will be revealed at the awards dinner on September 30.