Award not just 'beginner's luck'

Evergreen Landcare's Sally Cunningham, (from left) Cam Branch, Hamish Cunningham, Ben Cunningham and Libby Cunningham celebrate winning the Westpac Rotorua Business of the Year Award. PHOTO/BEN FRASER

With a bit of beginner's luck and a whole lot of hard work Evergreen Landcare has taken out the top prize at the 2014 Westpac Rotorua Business Excellence Awards.

The family-run business took out the supreme award in front of a crowd of more than 500 people at the Rotorua Energy Events Centre on Friday night.

It earlier picked up the Manufacturing and Trade award.

Managing director Hamish Cunningham said he was surprised by the win, especially as it was the first time the company had entered any type of awards.

"It was a huge surprise, but we're thrilled to bits," he said.

"We feel very privileged and proud.

"I think the win is a reflection of everyone in the company and all the hard work we all put into it."

Hamish said the company entered just before entries closed, and admitted there may have been a touch of beginner's luck involved.

"We thought about it, [entering] then we didn't know, then we thought 'why not' and it all went from there."

The business was formerly known as Evergreen Soil Conservation, established in 1969. Hamish and wife Sally bought the business in 2003, renaming it to Evergreen Landcare sometime later. Sally works as the accounts manager. Their son Ben joined the family business late in 2010 and since then has played a major part in its development.

Hamish said since the rebrand the company had expanded and now had more than 40 employees, some based in Auckland and Christchurch.

He said, in simple terms, the company worked on land restoration and improvement.

As for the business's secret to success, Hamish said teamwork among staff and developing enduring relationships with clients was key.

Ben said he was "stoked" with the win.

"It was a good night, a bit of surprise, but it was good to see all our hard work recognised."

The night's other big award, the Business Person of the Year, went to Deryck Shaw of APR Consultants.

Mr Shaw went to the awards to support St Chad's, who were finalists, and had no idea he was in the running for an award.

"It was a surprise really. I was there to support some of the finalists and when the judges were reading out the achievements of the person who won [Business Person of the Year] I thought 'that sounds a bit like me' - then they read my name out. It was a big surprise, I was quite humbled."

Mr Shaw said he couldn't have won without the never wavering support of his family.