Thirty-three of Waterford’s top businesses will be honored this Friday evening, February 23rd, in Faithlegg House Hotel at the fourth annual Waterford Business Awards.
Of the 33 finalists, there will be 11 category winners across Arts, Culture & Heritage, Best Small Business, Community & Social Enterprise, Food & Agri; Research, Innovation & Technology, Manufacturing & Industry, Emerging New Business, Retail, Services, Customer Service Excellence and Tourism, Leisure & Hospitality.
The winners of those categories will then go head to head in the hope of claiming the Overall Waterford Business of the Year, sponsored by Waterford City & County Council, which will be announced and presented by Mayor of the City & County of Waterford, Cllr Pat Nugent.
This year there will also be a Judge’s Special Recognition Award, which will be presented by Waterford Chamber President Paul Nolan on behalf of sponsors Dawn Meats, for the person’s tremendous contribution to the cultural and economic climate of Waterford and for inspiring others through their exceptional commitment, motivation, and vision.
Speaking about the awards, Waterford Chamber President Paul Nolan said, “The awards night has steadily become one of the highlights of the Chamber calendar and I’m told tickets for the event were gone in days. We look forward to a great night of celebration and while everyone can’t go home a winner, all 33 businesses should be exceptionally proud of what they have achieved. The judges certainly don’t have an easy job and we thank them for their sterling effort in this regard.”
Waterford Chamber and WLR have worked in partnership of this event over the past four years and Managing Director Des Whelan said: “It is very important that we recognize enterprise and hard work in business in Waterford. By striving to achieve the best, businesses grow, create jobs and help make Waterford and the Region an exceptional place in which to live and work…it is only fitting that pay tribute to that.”
The shortlisted businesses were nominated by the public and also through self-nomination for the eleven categories. An independent judging panel, chaired by Frank O’Regan and including David Breen, David M. Breen & Co; Liam Moran, Faithlegg House Hotel; Lena Murphy, WLR; John Noonan, Flahavans; Louise Grubb, Q1 Scientific; Tina Darrer, Dooley’s Hotel, TV Honan, Spraoi; Noel Kelly, NYPRO and Richie Walsh, Waterford Local Enterprise Office, decided upon the finalist shortlist after a rigorous judging analysis of each application.
Find out more about each of the categories and nominees here.
