Editorial: Tough judging is ahead

Hawke's Bay Chamber of Commerce chief executive Wayne Walford is on the judging panel. Photo / Duncan Brown

On Saturday, December 14, we will publish a story on the person chosen as Hawke's Bay Today's Person of the Year.

For two weeks we asked our readers to nominate people they thought deserved to be our Person of the Year.

Well, I am pleased to report that we received a fantastic response, with many worthy people being nominated. The great thing is that those nominated come from all walks of life. I am pleased that so many people took the time to nominate others and I am certain that this will become an annual event.

Our criteria for nominations were the following:

*Someone who has made a significant contribution to the Hawke's Bay community in terms of charity, fundraising or other non-profit organisation.
*Or someone who has achieved remarkable success in their chosen business, career or sport.
*Or a local who has demonstrated courageous or heroic actions.

It is now up to the judging panel consisting of Hawke's Bay Chamber of Commerce chief executive Wayne Walford and Hastings district councillor and Hawke's Bay District Health Board member Jacoby Poulain, and me to choose the winner. We will be meeting today and, judging by the candidates, I think we are going to have a tough job choosing a winner as there are so many worthy entries.

That does not surprise me because there are so many people from Hawke's Bay who have achieved great things, or who do so much that goes unrewarded.

Whoever we choose will thoroughly deserve the title of Hawke's Bay Today Person of the Year.