Gold Coast Business News sets sail alongside Tall Ships with award

The July winners of the Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards ranged from Tall Ships, to your very own Gold Coast Business News magazine

AFTER profiling a broad range of businesses in its monthly editions, Gold Coast Business News has been recognised as the star 'Emerging Business' on the Coast - taking out the category in the July Business Excellence Awards.

Managing director Camilla Westerlund says the award reflects the popularity of the magazine and the commitment put in by the team to deliver a quality product every month. "We are honoured to receive this award in recognition of what has become a runaway success story in itself," says Ms Westerlund.

"Gold Coast Business News has been in operation for just two years, and our readership continues to grow as we keep the City's business community up to speed with what's happening in the world of commerce. We congratulate the other winners, and will continue to bring our readers a diverse and exciting blend of content each month".

Other award winners included the Marina Mirage-based Tall Ships Sailing Cruises, skippered by Coast tourism industry stalwarts Bruce and Margaret Nicholls, who took out the coveted Tourism Hospitality and Recreation Award.

Also making waves were STAR Human Resource Management (Family Business), Icecraft International (Manufacturing and Construction) and the winner of the Mayor's Innovation Award, Mini Pos. Corporate gift wholesaler, Execugifts, took out the Retail, Wholesale and Distribution category, accounting juggernaut First Class Accounts won the Trades, Professions and Services gong, while 2 Clix hit all the right buttons to score the Information, Technology and Multimedia award.

"We are half way through the year and the standard right across the board has been tremendous," says Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards president, Ian Cousins.
"That's what our awards are all about - the promotion of the best business practices, employee culture and growth."

Meanwhile, Australian motor racing legend Dick Johnson was one of eight winners for the month of June.

Mr Johnson drove away with the Tourism Hospitality and Recreation Award - presented at the Griffith University Gold Coast campus.

The DJR outfit is Australia's oldest touring car team, having won six championship titles - five of them with Johnson himself at the wheel - and has taken three victories in Australia's 'Great Race', the Bathurst 1000. The other June winners were Superior Plastech (Emerging Business), Termicide Pest Control (Family Business), 2005 category winner CNE Construction (Manufacturing and Construction) and OSR Business Solutions (Mayor's Innovation Award).

Leading gift hamper company, Basket Basket took out the Retail, Wholesale and Distribution Award while Hallmark Business Sales and Gotalk Pty Ltd were successful in the Trades, Professions and Services and Information Technology and Multimedia categories respectively. The 2006 Gold Coast Business of the Year will be announced at the 11th annual Gala at the Royal Pines Resort on Saturday December 2. Annual awards for Community and Environmental Management will also be presented along with the inaugural Bob Scott Encouragement Award.