Finalists announced for the Kilkenny Business Awards 2017

Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce, in association with the main sponsor, State Street, has announced the finalists in the Kilkenny Business Awards 2017.

Tickets are now available via Kilkenny Chamber’s website for the black-tie gala event which will be hosted by RTÉ broadcaster, Mary Kennedy.

The response to the county-wide call for nominations from local businesses has been extremely positive having received a record number of 434 nominations. The adjudication panel have examined over 150 applications and 50 local enterprises have now been shortlisted to go forward for the interview round on Wednesday, October 25, facilitated by the Pembroke Kilkenny and Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel. Reflecting the vitality of commerce in the county and the growing popularity of the awards, Kilkenny Chamber has reported that 40 per cent of applications are new entrants to the process and the strongest categories are Customer Service Excellence, Service Provider of the Year and Small Business of the Year.

During the interview round, finalists make a presentation before a panel of three Kilkenny business peers, where a points system is used to determine the winners. As part of its continued support for local businesses, Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce teamed up with Barnstorm Theatre Company to offer finalists a unique ‘presentation skills’ workshop run by John O’Brien, an arts and business consultant. Using the art of storytelling and thespian skills, participants will learn to deliver a memorable and impactful business presentation.

Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce CEO, John Hurley commented, “I am delighted that so many diverse local businesses have engaged with the Kilkenny Business Awards this year. The standard of application was particularly high and an exceptional group of finalists have been shortlisted to go through to the all-important presentation round. Kilkenny Chamber wishes the finalists the best of luck and would like to extend its gratitude to the volunteer businesspeople whose difficult job it is to determine the overall award winners. I am looking forward to meeting the finalists and finding out who the winners will be at the awards’ ceremony in November.”

Finalists in the Kilkenny Business Awards 2017 for Customer Service Excellence are Zuni, Madigan's Pharmacy, McCullagh Lupton, Quinn Ltd. In the Investment in Skills, Training and Development of Staff the finalists are Castlecomer Discovery Park, Cipher Tech and the Newpark Hotel. In the  category of Agri Business the nominees are Brett Brothers, O'Shea Farms and Kverneland. In the running for Service Provider of the Year is New Work Junction, Store-All Logistics and Tiny Tots Paradise Creche. Nominees for Excellence in Communications are McSweeny Media, Boz Locaor, Beat 102 and 103.

The finalists in the Information, Communications and Technology category are Veri, Clipher Tech and The Clubman while in the running for Exporter of the Year are The Taxback Group, Oakpark and Ziegler Logistics Ltd.
 
Nominees in the Craft Producer of the Year are Artists by Night, Breatnach Designs and Sullivan's brewery while in the running for Employer of the Year are Kilford Arms, Club House Hotel and Lyrath Estate Hotel.

In the Innovation in Business category the finalists are TransferMate, Goatsbridge Trout and R & D Plumbing while Newpark Hotel, Zuni and Lyrath Estate Hotel are all nominated for Excellence in Hospitality.

In the Emerging New Business category Veri, Cakeface Patisserie and Dive and Marine Contractors have all been selected while Revise.ie, Newpark Hotel and Beat 102 103 are all up for Employee of the Year.

Optimize Recruitment, McCullagh Luptpon Quinn Ltd and Apple Tree Farm Montessori are all vying for the title of Small Business of the Year. 

This year there is a new category of Corporate Social Responsibility and the finalists are the Carlow Kilkenny Home Care Team,The Taxback Group and Modus Energy while DNG Ella Dunphy, Callanan Couriers and Kilford Arms are all up for Family Business of the Year.

In the running for Food & Drink Producer of the Year are Cakeface Patisserie, Costellos Brewing Co and Murphys IceCream while Castlecomer Discovery Park, Breatnach Designs and the Kilkenny Civic Trust have all been selected in the Culture, Heritage & Tourism category. 

The companies selected for an Environmental Award this year are R&D Plumbing and Modus Energy while Michael Lyng Motors, Blanchfields Centra Mooncoin and Kilkenny Design are all up for Retailer of the Year.

The 20 category winners and the overall Business of The Year award will be announced at the Kilkenny Business Awards ceremony on November 25th in Lyrath Estate Hotel along with the ‘Lifetime Achievement’ and ‘President’s’ award.

Tickets for this year’s black-tie Kilkenny Business Award ceremony are now available from €65 plus VAT online at www.kilkennychamber.ie or by calling 056 7752767.