KEY POINTS:
Pumpkin Patch boss Greg Muir has been named executive of the year in the Deloitte/Management magazine annual top 200 Company Awards.
The judges said the children's clothing company chief executive had re-energised Pumpkin Patch, which started as a mail order firm, driving its successful expansion into Australia, the UK and the US.
"Such international diversity has insulated Pumpkin Patch against any softening in local markets and has underpinned the company's consistent growth in operating revenues."
The judges also noted "it was unusual for one person to be so closely associated with the dramatic increase in a company's fortunes, but his strategic and often hands-on business approach has galvanised change in the business and had a dramatically positive effect on its people, performance and prospects".
Company of the year was awarded to Fletcher Building, which has been a finalist in the category four times and won it in 2003.
"Through that time Fletcher Building's performance has been so consistently good that it's been impossible to judge the Top 200 Awards without it featuring prominently somewhere," the judges said.
Gary Paykel, of Fisher & Paykel Healthcare and Fisher & Paykel Appliances, won the chairperson of the year award.
Paykel headed companies that were major export players, creative and innovative, with good people policies, and "a very strong grasp of where they want to be", the judges said.
The winners are ....
Executive of the Year: Greg Muir, Pumpkin Patch.
Company of the Year: Fletcher Building.
Chairperson of the Year: Gary Paykel, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, Fisher & Paykel Appliances.
Ethical Most Improved Performance Award: Meridian Energy.
Best Growth Strategy: Fisher & Paykel Healthcare.
