As Scotland prepares to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games, entrepreneurs are being encouraged to move quickly to outrun the competition in one of the North-east’s most prestigious business awards.
The Grampian Awards for Business Excellence 2014 is being launched in Aberdeen today (Thursday 6 February) by Gary McEwan, chief executive of Enterprise North East Trust (Enterprise), which runs the awards, and Mike Fergusson from headline sponsors RBS Ahead For Business.
The awards, in their 15th year, aim to encourage enterprise by rewarding entrepreneurial companies and individuals that are capable of leading the future prosperity of Grampian.
The heat is on for businesses eager to stand a sporting chance in the race for business success, in one of the 10 award categories. Registration is open from 12 noon today until February 28, allowing businesses and entrepreneurs to register their interest and receive an application form.
As an additional benefit to the award finalists this year, a special celebration event will be held in April before the last stage of the race to claim gold in the awards ceremony in June.
Chief executive of Enterprise, Mr McEwan, said: “Entrepreneurs are the driving force of our economy; they generate wealth, employment opportunities and very often create significant businesses from nothing. They are the real heroes in business.
“I recently asked Babson College in America what they thought of Scottish Entrepreneurship. They rate our entrepreneurial abilities as world class but went onto suggest how poor we are at recognizing and celebrating the successes we have, whether that is the start of a new venture or a business that creates its first job opportunity or gets its first overseas order.
“These awards are a celebration for new and mature entrepreneurs, to showcase the success of entrepreneurship in the north east and offer our business community the opportunity to celebrate together.”
Mike Fergusson, director of commercial banking, said: “RBS Ahead for Business is delighted to be sponsoring The Grampian Awards for Business Excellence in 2014. The awards encourage entrepreneurship and highlight and recognise some of the most outstanding businesses in the North of Scotland. I am really looking forward to being involved again this year as part of the judging process working alongside Enterprise and other sponsor partners.”
Businesses can enter one or more of the following 10 categories:
• Most Promising New Business - sponsored by Business Gateway
• Business Success Under Three Years (businesses that have been trading for under three years at deadline for applications) - sponsored by RBS Ahead for Business
• Business Success Over Three Years (businesses that have been trading for over three years at deadline for applications) - sponsored by RBS Ahead For Business
• The Grampian Award for Innovation – sponsored by Enerco Group
• The ‘Spirit of Enterprise’ Award – sponsored by partner Aberdeen City Council
• Enterprising Communities Award – sponsored by partner Aberdeenshire Council
• Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year - sponsored by Optima Solutions
• Employer of the Year - sponsored by Empire
• Entrepreneurial Supporter of the Year - sponsored by the Federation of Small Businesses
• Entrepreneur of the Year - sponsored by RBS - Ahead for Business
Registration forms can be completed online from 12 noon today at www.grampianawards.com to receive an application form.
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Application entries must be submitted online by Friday 7 March 2013.
The black tie awards ceremony will be held at the Mercure Aberdeen Ardoe House Hotel on Thursday 26 June 2014.
If you have any queries please call Michelle Barclay on 01224 289745 or email grampianawards@enetrust.com
