It was an evening of surprises for a Tauranga business owner, who received top honours at the inaugural Bay of Plenty Times MTA Tauranga awards.
The awards, which celebrated and recognised individuals in the automotive industry, were celebrated on Saturday night at Classic Flyers museum by a crowd of about 250 guests.
There were 12 awards up for grabs, including best service station, sponsored by Classic Hits, which went to Shell Bethlehem.
The big winner of the evening was Mike Stanwell, owner of Smith & Boyle Automotive Body Repairs. He was awarded the Supreme Business Award, sponsored by Bay of Plenty Times.
Mr Stanwell, who has owned Smith & Boyle for eight years, said the win came as a surprise.