THE local business equivalent of the Oscars took place on Friday night at the Mellon Country Inn. Prominent local estate agent, Danny McLernon, acted as master of ceremonies at the second annual David Prentice Business Awards held at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry's President's Dinner.
He told guests, "I'm sure many of you have been looking forward to this part of the night. The awards are about celebrating the success of local businesses and employers, recognising their hard work and paying tribute to their many achievements. Omagh has much to be proud of and the awards recognise not just the companies that contribute to the vibrancy of the district, but the talented and brilliant people employed within them across a range of business sectors. The awards are also about setting future aspirations to reach new standards in excellence."
There were eight categories which were; Customer Service, Business Start, Business Growth Award, Best Tourist Amenity, Technological Excellence, Excellence in Business Practice, Young Entrepreneur, and Business Person of the Year
The criteria for the Customer Service award were; first impressions, acknowledgement and greeting, customer care, general interaction with the customer and meeting or exceeding customer expectations. This year's winner was car dealership, TC Autos.
The Business Start Award, sponsored by Omagh Enterprise Company, recognised those businesses which started trading within the past two years and which have displayed a strategic approach to business, have successfully implemented a business strategy and have shown good prospects for the future. The winner in this category was Woodview Landscapes.
The Business Growth Award, sponsored by Invest NI, recognised those businesses that have grown significantly over the past two years.
Applicants were asked to demonstrate that their business had grown in a number of key areas including sales, employees, customers, products, profitability and market share as well as evidence that strategies were in place to sustain this growth in the future. The winner in this category was PT McWilliams – a highly successful family owned civil engineering business located on the outskirts of Seskinore.
The Best Tourist Amenity Award, sponsored by the Northern Bank, was for those tourist businesses making a significant contribution to the tourist industry in the Omagh District.
Winner in this category in 2007 was the Ulster American Folk Park.
The Ulster American Folk Park was established in 1976. When it first opened the Ulster American Folk Park focused initially on the story of the Mellon family and the community in which they lived. This included the school, the forge, the weavers shop and other local industries.
The Technological Excellence award, sponsored by the Ulster Herald, recognised those businesses that have introduced new technologies to their business.
An IT strategy was key to this award and the judges were looking for applicants that could demonstrate a well thought out strategy, which has led to improved quality, customer care, and efficiency within the business. The winner was the BES Ltd, Broadcast & Electronic Solutions Ltd was established in 1999 by former UTV broadcast engineer, Michael Bradley.
The Excellence in Business Practice Award was sponsored by HSBC. The award was about excellence in business practice is about customer focus and business development, not just about size or sales. Applications for the Excellence in Business Practice Award were invited from businesses that could demonstrate excellence in one or more of the following areas:- Customer Service, Business Development and Management Processes.
The winner in this category was Emmett Murray of Murray Dental Practice. Emmett took over the family dental practice from his father in July 1995. At this stage the business was well established and well regarded in dental circles. Emmett on taking over the business was keen to maintain the business's success whilst at the same time introducing new practices and processes to reflect developments in dental care and business practice.
The Young Entrepreneur Award, sponsored by Omagh District Council, identifies and celebrates entrepreneurs, under the age of 30, who are really going places. Applications were invited from business people who have already started to build a business (or businesses), and who could demonstrate they have the ambition, energy, skill and vision to really scale the heights. Rosa McCanney of McCanney Opticians was the winner of the 2007 Young Entrepreneur Award.
The Business Person of the Year Award, sponsored by the First Trust Bank, was determined through a nomination process. This year's winner was a former President of Omagh Chamber of Commerce, Patrick Bogues. In addition to running a successful business, Patrick has been an active member of the Hospital Campaign for the Rural West and has produced numerous papers challenging the Department's decision regarding the location of the local hospital.
