New England / North West

The Outstanding Employee Award recognises an inspirational employee who has demonstrated a passion for their role and a commitment to their workplace and the community.  It is open to businesses to nominate an employee.

Employers are required to highlight their employees’ commitment over the past 12 months to their workplace, the community and to being an outstanding employee. To be eligible to enter this category, the employee must have been employed by their current employer for a minimum of 18 months, at the time of entry. 

Alina Roper, Focus on Function Pty Ltd, Gunnedah 
 
Angela Brazel, Holistic Recovery, East Tamworth

Jessica Edmunds, Focus on Function Pty Ltd, Gunnedah

Lachlan Hynd, CATCH Power, Glen Innes

Nidhi Avasthi, Roberts + Morrow, Tamworth

Taylah Shields, Entourage Technology, Tamworth

The Outstanding Young Business Leader Award recognises an inspirational business leader aged 35 or under at the time of entry who has demonstrated a commitment to their workplace, industry, and the community through leadership.

Entrants are required to demonstrate their commitment over the past 12 months to creating a smarter and more inclusive future and to being an outstanding business leader.  To be eligible to enter this category, the individual must have held a management position within their organisation for a minimum of 18 months at the time of entry.

2024 Finalists:

Chloe Gowland, Happy Smiles Dental, Tamworth

Jenna Harrington, Roberts + Morrow, Tamworth

Lauren Fitzgerald, Mannion Drilling, Gunnedah

Nkala Saunders, TG’s Child Care, Armidale

Scott Blake, Brooklyn Quarry Pty Ltd, Walcha Road

The Outstanding Business Leader Award recognises an inspirational business leader aged 36 years or over at the time of entry who has demonstrated a commitment to their workplace, industry, and the community through leadership, whilst providing mentorship to others.

Entrants are required to demonstrate their commitment over the past 12 months to creating a smarter and more inclusive future and to being an outstanding mentor and business leader.  To be eligible to enter this category, the individual must have held senior management or executive level position within their organisation for a minimum of 18 months at the time of entry.

2024 Finalists:

Cameron Hayton, Walcha Coffee, Walcha

Dimity Smith, GRO Events , Tamworth

Nicole Maree Brown, Face to Face Beauty Salon, Armidale

Louise Elizabeth Whitton, Focus on Function , Gunnedah
 

The Outstanding Business Leader Award recognises an inspirational business leader aged 36 years or over at the time of entry who has demonstrated a commitment to their workplace, industry, and the community through leadership, whilst providing mentorship to others.

Entrants are required to demonstrate their commitment over the past 12 months to creating a smarter and more inclusive future and to being an outstanding mentor and business leader.  To be eligible to enter this category, the individual must have held senior management or executive level position within their organisation for a minimum of 18 months at the time of entry.

2024 Finalists:

Belinda Kotris, Tamworth Family Support Service Ltd, North Tamworth

Jacinta Mannion, Mannion Drilling Pty Ltd, Gunnedah

Jacqueline Powell, Partner Now Property Pty Ltd, Tamworth 

Jye Segboer, Central Hospitality Group, Tamworth

Kim Riley, Quirindi Care Services, Quirindi

Mark Slack-Smith, Slack-Smith Financial, Tamworth

The Excellence in International Business Award recognises a business that exports its products or services internationally, in order to build a positive reputation for Australian products and services and to deliver opportunities for business growth and success.

Entrants are required to demonstrate their achievements over the past 12 months across the key area of export. 

Finalists for this category is listed under Excellence in Innovation

The Employer of Choice Award – Under 20 Employees, recognises a business that has implemented strategies and initiatives to create a stimulating and supportive workplace environment. 

Entrants are required to demonstrate their achievements over the past 12 months across the key areas of employee recruitment, engagement and retention.  Category criteria are based on initiatives that have had a positive impact on both employees and the business.

2024 Finalists:

Face to Face Beauty Salon, Armidale

Focus on Function Pty Ltd, Gunnedah

The Employer of Choice Award – 21 Employees and over, recognises a business that has implemented strategies and initiatives to create a stimulating and supportive workplace environment. 

Entrants are required to demonstrate their achievements over the past 12 months across the key areas of employee recruitment, engagement and retention.  Category criteria are based on initiatives that have had a positive impact on both employees and the business.

2024 Finalists:

Central Hospitality Group, Tamworth

Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network , Tamworth
 
New England Support Services, Armidale
 
Slack-Smith Financial, Tamworth 

Tamworth City Toyota, Tamworth
 
Tamworth Family Support Service Ltd, North Tamworth

The Excellence in Innovation Award recognises a business that has implemented innovative solutions for new and existing needs through the introduction or improvement of a product, technology, or application that impacts the wider community.

Entrants are required to demonstrate their achievements over the past 12 months at the time of entry across the key area of innovation.

2024 Finalists:

Markham Street Dental, Armidale 

SierraTek Global , Narrabri

Texas Star Performance Horses, Tamworth

The Excellence in Sustainability Award recognises a business that has demonstrated its commitment to sustainable business practices and is working to reduce the impact of its operations on the environment. 

Entrants are required to demonstrate their achievements over the past 12 months at time of entry across the key area of environmental sustainability.  Category criteria are based on initiatives and projects executed within the business not related to its core offering.

2024 Finalists:

CATCH Power, Glen Innes

The Organic Tshirt, Glen Innes

The Outstanding Community Organisation Award recognises an organisation that works to improve the social, cultural, or environmental wellbeing of the community.

Entrants are required to demonstrate their commitment over the past 12 months to being an outstanding community organisation.  This category is open to social enterprises and not-for-profit organisations that have been trading for a period of over 24 months at time of entry.

2024 Finalists:

Attract Connect Stay, Glen Innes
 
BackTrack Youth Works, Armidale
 
GLENRAC Inc, Glen Innes 

Joblink Plus, Tamworth 

Tamworth Family Support Service, North Tamworth

The Outstanding Visitor Experience award recognises a business that understands the importance of visitor engagement for a region’s economy* and reputation. The business needs to articulate how they promote the Region as well as offering an exceptional visitor experience.

Entrants are required to demonstrate how their business showcases the Region/community and how their offering is unique within their industry.

This category will be awarded at regional only and will not proceed to the State Awards.

2024 Finalists:

Bens Falls Escapes, Emmaville
 
Gawura Aboriginal and Fine Arts Gallery, Glen Innes
 
Reg Lindsay Memory Barn, Yannergee 

Quirindi Silo Art and Light & Sound Show, Quirindi

The Outstanding New Business Award recognises a start-up business that has effectively driven growth and is able to demonstrate the potential to achieve future success.

Entrants are required to demonstrate their commitment over the past 12 months to being an outstanding start-up.  This category is open to new businesses trading for a period of less than 24 months at time of entry. 

2024 Finalists:

Allied Partnerships Australia, Gunnedah

Connecting with Bricks Inc, Tamworth

GRO Rural, Tamworth

Melibee, Uralla

New England Times, Armidale

Renee Neale, Gunnedah

This Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award recognises businesses that address the needs of a diverse community, including seniors, people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds, and people with disability. An inclusive business facilitates the needs of all its employees and customers. 

Entrants are required to demonstrate their commitment over the past 12 monthsat the time of entry to address the needs of a diverse community. This category is open to businesses that have been trading for a continuous period of two or more years. 

2024 Finalists:

_{^{Central Hospitality Group, Tamworth}}

_{^{Goodstart Early Learning Gunnedah, Gunnedah}}

_{^{Gunnedah Workshop Enterprise , Gunnedah}}

_{^{Holistic Recovery, East Tamworth}}

_{^{Quirindi Care Services, Quirindi}}

The Excellence in Micro Business Award recognises a business that has effectively driven growth and is able to demonstrate the specific strategies implemented to achieve business success and/or resilience. 

Entrants are required to demonstrate their achievements over the past 12 months at the time of entry across the key area of business excellence.  This category is open to businesses with less than 5 employees at the time of entry, who have been trading for a period of over 24 months at time of entry.

2024 Finalists:

GRO Events Group, Tamworth

^{James O’Hanlon, Armidale}

^{Merry Little Elderberry, Tingha}

^{Small Moments Speech & Play, Gunnedah}

^{Ultra Fleet Pty Ltd, Gunnedah}

^{Wood We Create, Walcha}

The Excellence in Small Business Award recognises a business that has effectively driven growth and is able to demonstrate the specific strategies implemented to achieve business success and/or resilience.

Entrants are required to demonstrate their achievements over the past 12 months at the time of entry across the key area of business excellence.  This category is open to businesses with 5 to 20 employees at the time of entry, who have been trading for a period of over 24 months at the time of entry.

2024 Finalists:

Camp Grounds, Tamworth

^{Face to Face Beauty Salon, Armidale}

^{Focus on Function, Gunnedah}

^{Onward Consulting, Armidale}

^{Pinnacle People Solutions, Armidale}

^{Stewart Surveys Pty Ltd, Gunnedah}

The Excellence in Large Business Award recognises a business that has effectively driven growth and is able to demonstrate the specific strategies implemented to achieve business success and/or resilience.

Entrants are required to demonstrate their achievements over the past 12 months across the key area of business excellence.  This category is open to businesses with 21 or more employees at the time of entry, who have been trading for a period of over 24 months at time of entry.

2024 Finalists:

^{CATCH Power, Glen Innes}

^{Central Hospitality Group, Tamworth}

^{New England Support Services, Armidale}

^{Powerhouse Hotel Tamworth by Rydges, Tamworth}

^{Railway Hotel Gunnedah NSW, Gunnedah}

^{Tallowwood Health, North Tamworth}

The Outstanding Local Chamber Award recognises innovative projects undertaken in the past 12 months by a Local Chamber that aims to improve economic, environmental or social impacts.

To be eligible to enter this category, Local Chambers must be a part of the Business NSW Chamber Local Chamber Alliance program. 

2024 Finalists:

^{Glen Innes Business Chamber, Glen Innes}  

^{Gunnedah and District Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Gunnedah}

^{Tamworth Business Chamber, Tamworth}

^{Uralla Shire Business Chamber, Uralla}

Business of the Year is open to all winners of the following categories: 

• Excellence in International Business

• Employer of Choice Under 20 Employees

• Employer of Choice Over 20 Employees

• Excellence in Innovation  

• Excellence in Sustainability

• Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion

• Excellence in Micro Business  

• Excellence in Small Business   

• Excellence in Large Business 

This award is awarded to a Business that has been judged to be an outstanding business, that has provided an entry that demonstrates achievements and excellence over and above all other entrants.  This award will be judged by a panel of three judges that have not judged any other entries in the awards.