The finalists in the business excellence and local industry awards have been named and the race for top honours will be hotly contested.

Port Macquarie Chamber of Commerce executive officer Stephanie Baker said the awards allowed local businesses to benchmark themselves against their peers.

“These awards are now in their 11th year and continue to provide an opportunity for local business to showcase themselves to the community,” she said.

“It is also an opportunity for business to identify their particular quality to the community.

“Each nomination is assessed by an independent judging panel and is really a great chance to shine.

“I am particularly looking forward to these awards and getting lots of nominations.”

Ms Baker said there was plenty of excitement around the 2017 awards.

The awards categories include local industry awards and business excellence awards, some of which provide opportunities to continue on to a regional and state award level.

There are, 17 local industry and new business awards – categories voted by judges and a public vote; one people’s choice – voted by the public only; and, 12 business excellence awards.

The gala dinner and awards presentation night is on July 29 at Port Macquarie Panthers.

Accommodation

·        Haven Waters Motel & Apartments

·        Macquarie Waters Boutique Apartment Hotel

·        North Coast Holiday Parks Bonny Hills

·        Sails Resort Port Macquarie

Automotive Services

·        CS Mechanical Repairs & Services

·        JAX Tyres Port Macquarie

·        Port Macquarie Taxis

·        Port Macquarie Tilt Tray Towing

·        Spray Paint Perfection

Community and Educational Services

·        Charles Sturt University

·        Early Connections Port Macquarie/Hastings

·        Luminosity Youth Summit  (LYS INC)

·        Port Macquarie Performing Arts

·        Willing & Able Foundation Ltd

Construction

·        Designer Living Kitchens

·        Eastland Truss and Timber

·        Eire Constructions Pty Ltd

·        Fastplast Building Supplies

·        Hopkins Consultants

Creative Services and Communications

·        Allstars Studio

·        FOCUS

·        Lindsay Moller Productions

·        Party Professionals

·        Scaramouche

Financial Services

·        AusBiz Solutions Accountants & Tax Professionals

·        bcu

·        Direction Accounting

·        Smarter Financial & Insurance Solutions

·        St George Bank

Food Industries

·        Bookface Cafe Port Macquarie

·        Drury Lane Eatery

·        Companion Bakery and Salad Bar

·        Seasalt Cafe & Restaurant

·        Seasons Cafe Restaurant

Local Produce

·        Bago Bluff

·        Barbushco Pty Ltd

·        E.L.Freeman

·        Ewetopia Farm

New Business

·        Frankie's Travel

·        HEM Property

·        itravel Port Macquarie

·        John Henry Institute

·        Stirling Green Cafe

Personal Wellbeing

·        Evelina Kemp hair and beauty

·        If We All Had Wings

·        Innovate Body + Mind Studio

·        Phyx You Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation

·        Sports and Spinal Physiotherapy Clinics

Professional Services (5 or less employees)

·        Dragonfly Marketing

·        Fuel 4 Business

·        Lake Studio || architecture + design

·        Short and Swift

·        The Roving Trainer

Professional Services (6 or more employees)

·        Birdon Pty Ltd

·        Fuji Xerox Business Centre Mid North Coast

·        mbc Recruitment

·        Novaskill

·        Oxley Insurance Brokers

Real Estate & Residential Services

·        Harcourts Port Macquarie

·        Laing & Simmons Port Macquarie

·        LJ Hooker Port Macquarie/Wauchope

·        Ocean Club Resort

·        Smarter Property Group

Retail (5 or less employees)

·        Inner Vision Surf n Skate

·        Port Fresh Seafoods

·        Pretty Rad Store

·        Touchwood Flowers

Retail (6 or more employees)

·        Bennetts Steel

·        Book Face

·        Forty Winks Port Macquarie

·        Hastings Co-operative Limited

·        Priceline Pharmacy Port Macquarie

Tourism & Attractions

·        Billabong Zoo Koala and Wildlife Park

·        Cassegrain Wines

·        Settlers Inn Hotel

·        The Westport Club

People’s Choice

·        Billabong Zoo Koala and Wildlife Park

·        Book Face

·        Cassegrain Wines

·        Phyx You Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation

·        Sports and Spinal Physiotherapy Clinics

Business Leader

·    Alistair Flower, Settlers Inn

·    Jamie Bruce, Birdon Pty Ltd

·    Stephen Cook, Smarter Financial & Insurance Solutions

Employer of Choice

·    Bennetts Steel

·    Charles Sturt University

·    Fuji Xerox Business Centre Mid North Coast

·    Majestic Cinemas

·    mbc Recruitment

Excellence in Business

·    Eire Constructions

·    Majestic Cinemas

·    mbc Recruitment

·    TG's Child Care

·    The Westport Club

Excellence in Export

·    Barbushco Bushfoods

·    Birdon Pty Ltd

Excellence in Innovation

·    bcu

·    Fuji Xerox Business Centre Mid North Coast

·    JAX Tyres Port Macquarie

·    Port Macquarie Performing Arts

Excellence in Small Business

·    Cloud Concepts

·    Ocean Club Resort

·    Port Macquarie Performing Arts

·    The Cruise Terminal

Excellence in Social Enterprise

·    The Drug Detection Agency Port Macquarie

·    Willing & Able Foundation Ltd

Excellence in Sustainability

·    Charles Sturt University

·    Eire Constructions

·    Fuji Xerox Business Centre Mid North Coast

·    Whalebone Wharf

Start Up Superstar

·    Seed Catering

·    Spoiler Alert! - Geek Retail & Community Gaming Hub

·    The Drug Detection Agency Port Macquarie

Woman in Business

·    Ashley Sargeson, Touchwood Flowers

·    Judy Johnson, Port Macquarie Sea Planes

·    Louise Beaumont, FOCUS

·    Rebecca Rowsthorne, The Cruise Terminal

·    Stacey Morgan, Port Macquarie Performing Arts

Young Business Executive

·    Andrew Webb, Fuji Xerox Business Centre Mid North Coast

·    Brendan Stead, LJ Hooker Port Macquarie/Wauchope

·    Jacob Deline, mbc recruitment

Young Entrepreneur

·    Ashley Sargeson, Touchwood Flowers

·    Khloe Syllebranque, Me Time Wellness & Massage Therapy

·    Leah Burton, Phyx You Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation

·    Lee Riske, Smarter Financial & Insurance Solutions

·    Lucy Licciardello, Lovely Locks Hairdressing