Two awards for Rotorua business organisation

An organisation that’s been promoting Rotorua for over 100 years has won two Vero Excellence in Business Support Awards – the only entrant this year to win two awards. The Rotorua Chamber of Commerce won the BDO Not-For-Profit Award and the BDO Regional North Island Award for promoting the city to the business community. It is the first time the awards have had a regional North Island award.

The Prime Minister Hon John Key was on hand to congratulate the winners on Budget night, 20 May. He was guest of honour at the Vero Excellence in Business Support Awards’ gala dinner at the Auckland Town Hall, joining more than 500 business leaders who celebrated the finalists and winners of the 10 award categories vying for the Vero Supreme Award.

The Vero Excellence in Business Support Awards, now in their sixth year, recognise excellence in the field of business support. Established by Bizzone, they are supported by foundation sponsor Vero, BDO and Management magazine. Previous supreme award winners include MYOB and The National Bank.
Sarah Trotman, Managing Director of Bizzone, says she founded the awards to honour organisations and individuals that make real contributions in providing quality products and services, making life easier for business owners. “The beauty of these awards is that they are world class; they provide a unique opportunity for organisations to benchmark their performance alongside other organisations in their sector; give a mark of quality to their organisation as well as learning from others in the sector.”

”All award winners this year are from organisations and people who have made a difference by introducing excellence in products, services or even ideas to support the business owner,” Vero chief executive Roger Bell says. “Agility at being excellent is vital for any business but especially so in harder times; these awards celebrate their endeavours in enabling other businesses and their excellence in providing that support.”
The awards are independently evaluated by the New Zealand Business Excellence Foundation using an international set of criteria designed to showcase best practice. “The bar is set high,” says Mike Watson, chief executive of the foundation. “The winners are the organisations that are able to demonstrate sustained results over time. Excellent business support assists New Zealand businesses to build capability and capacity and in doing so become more competitive and sustainable.”
“BDO congratulates the awards winners,” says BDO managing partner Craig Lamberton. “Their commitment to business excellence is evidenced through a very rigorous review process, and their success is now appropriately recognised. They are deserving winners, who play a vital role in driving the success of the New Zealand economy.”

In this highly competitive business environment it is more important than ever for businesses to secure the best possible support services to enable them to deliver products and services of excellent quality for their clients,” says Management magazine publisher Toni Myers. “Choosing the right service providers is a critical element in every company’s performance; these awards help companies identify excellent service providers and award those excellent performers the recognition they deserve.”
The Rotorua Chamber of Commerce has the highest membership per head of population in New Zealand of any Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber is also worked hard to ensure it is the first port of call to provide opinion on business matters in the community. By identifying and offering products and services that meet the needs of the local Rotorua business community, the Rotorua Chamber has grown in membership from 275 in October 2004 to 704 in December 2009. There has also been a 246% increase in Chamber events from 13 in 2004 to 45 in 2009.

Its business support has included collaborating with Rotorua City to gain Prime Minister’s accreditation as New Zealand’s First KiaOraMai city. It produces The Essential Guide, a free retail guide distributed to visitors to Rotorua. The Chamber’s Planning and Resource Management Committee published a a 50 year visionary plan for the city - Building Our Community, , which was presented to the council which resulted in the establishment of a Vision Group being set up with the task of developing a district vision.

www.rotoruachamber.co.nz

See www.bizzone.com/awardsfor more information

For more information on winners and photos please see www.excellenceinbusinesssupport.co.nz
Vero Excellence in Business Support Award winners 2010

Vero Supreme Award
Designworks

BDO Business <5M T/O One on One
Kerridge and Partners

BDO Business <5M T/O One to Many
Telecommunication Dispute Resolution

BDO Business $5 - $10M T/O
Designworks

BDO Large Business
UniServices

BDO Not for Profit
Rotorua Chamber of Commerce

BDO Government
EECA (the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority)

BDO Education Provider
Life Care Consultants

BDO Regional North Island
Rotorua Chamber of Commerce

BDO Regional South Island
Enable Networks

BDO Individual
Rod Oram

Please contact Jane Parlane for more information or for interview opportunities with Bizzone managing director Sarah Trotman on Or Jane Parlane on 09 372 7668 or 021 912 631

For further information please contact Lisa McCallum on
Phone: +64 9 361 6760
Mobile: +64 021 5472 99