We won Northland’s ‘Best Emerging Business’ award!

At a sell-out awards dinner at Whangarei’s new Toll Stadium, Smart Energy Solutions took out the first award of the evening; the Business Coaching New Zealand ’Best Emerging Business’ category

The judges said… “This business is being well managed right across the board, and is well positioned to capitalise on emerging global trends and technologies. The owners are focused, enthusiastic, energetic and driven – with great vision supported by practical implementation.  In relatively short time Smart Energy Solutions has grown to employ almost 40 Northlanders. The business is making impressive profits that are likely to be sustainable well into the future.”

"We couldn’t be happier" said SES managing director Tony Snushall. "It’s a fabulous reward for a lot of hard work from a very dedicated team both in Northland and Auckland. We’ve insulated hundreds of homes since we started less than two years ago, and we get a kick every day out helping New Zealanders make their homes and businesses healthier, warmer and more economical to run."

Northland Chamber of Commerce Media Release:

Westpac Northland Business Excellence Awards for 2010 took place at Toll Stadium on Saturday night. Entrant numbers were up on last year’s Awards with 50 Northland businesses competing in 8 business categories. 

Waitangi National Trust was the Supreme 2010 Westpac Northland Business of the Year and also took out the Destination Northland Tourism and Hospitality Category.

Tony Collins from the Northland Chamber of Commerce said that the awards were a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the success of many Northland businesses. These enterprises were of varying size and often very different structure and scale.  The one thing they all had in common was their passion for what they were doing and their commitment to succeed.

Other winners were:

• Sport Northland - winner of the New Zealand Refining Company Excellence in Business Category.
• Smart Energy Solutions - winner of the Business Coaching New Zealand Best Emerging Business Category. The Judges also highly commended the Pear Tree Restaurant and Bar and Elevate CA in this category.
• Super Sunny Store - winner of the Scene Magazine Excellence in Retail Category.
• StaffCare Ltd - winner of the Argon Construction Excellence in Professional Services Category. The Judges also highly commended the Buchanans Amcal Pharmacy a in this category.
• Rintoul Civil Ltd - winner of the Golden Bay Cement Excellence in Construction Manufacturing and Trades Category.  The Judges also highly commended Airzone Ltd in this category.
• Small Poppies - winner of the NorthTec Excellence in Technology, Education and Communications Category. 
• Waitangi National Trust - winner of the Destination Northland Excellence in Tourism and Hospitality Category.  The Judges also highly commended Hell Pizza in this category
• Paper Plus Whangarei - winner of the More FM Customers Choice Category.
• Independent Petroleum Laboratory - winner of the ACC Workplace Safety Category.  The Judges also highly commended StaffCare Ltd in this category.
• The Northland Regional Council Sustainable Business category was awarded to Forest Protection Services.
• Channel North took out the Massey University’s Judges Choice Award. 

The Northern Advocate Business Hall of Fame inductee this year was Monty Knight of Okahu Estate Vineyard and Winery in recognition of his contribution to Northland business.

Monty, a high profile Kaitaia retailer and entrepreneur, has diverse interests in the business world and a record of public service for Northland. He is the pioneer of the renaissance of wine making in Northland, following on from the legacy established by Croatian settlers in the early 1900’s.

When Monty Knight first planted vines at Okahu Estate in the Far North of New Zealand in 1984, many people were very sceptical about producing fine wine from the area. These detractors had to eat their words in 1996, when Okahu’s Kaz Shiraz 1994 won Gold and the trophy for other reds at the 1996 Auckland Royal Easter Show. Since then, the winery has gone on to become Northland’s most awarded winery, winning more gold, top of its class and countless silver and bronze awards, not only for wines from their own Estate vineyards, but also contract grown fruit from Hawkes Bay, Gisborne, Te Kauwhata and other Northland vineyards.
A colourful, controversial and entertaining public speaker, Monty travels New Zealand and the world with his wine and wine making stories. He heads the viticultural and wine making team at Okahu Estate and if you’re lucky, you may find him serving you on a visit to their cellar door.

Tony Collins said that events, this year’s venue Toll Stadium provided a great opportunity to show that this facility is about more than just sport and provides an excellent venue for a wide range of activities.  Nat Davis and Pip Barnier of Identity Developments Ltd did an amazing job organising the event and assisting make the evening the success that it was. 

More Info
Tony Collins
Northland Chamber of Commerce
09-4384771
027-4441010