Vet Services Hawke's Bay claimed the top prize at the business awards. Pictured is part of the team at the awards. Photo / Supplied
Vet Services Hawke's Bay claimed the top prize at the business awards. Pictured is part of the team at the awards. Photo / Supplied
A long-running and respected veterinary service has claimed the Supreme Award at the annual Pan Pac Hawke’s Bay Business Awards.
Vet Services Hawke’s Bay, established more than 70 years ago in Central Hawke’s Bay, wowedthe judges at the 2022 instalment of the business awards held on Friday night in Hastings.
The company now operates five clinics - in Waipukurau, Hastings, Napier, Dannevirke and Masterton - and has more than 100 staff including a team of veterinarians.
A large gathering of business leaders celebrated business excellence across the region during the awards dinner at Toitoi Hawke’s Bay Arts and Events Centre.
Over 200 businesses were nominated for the prestigious awards which were whittled down to 15 finalists across five categories.
“Perhaps it is the two-year new graduate programme developed to attract and retain talent, or the bespoke-designed premises in Waipukurau,” the judges’ comments read.
“It could be the thoughtfully designed work practices to keep staff safe [while] working alone outside of hours, or the way they demonstrate their care for the community with a significant targeted contribution to community groups and scholarships to study veterinary sciences.”
The judges also remarked their innovation as a company and “engagement with the product supply chain to forecast future demand and influence production” were both outstanding.
“Ultimately, all of the above factors aligned together led the judges to determine Vet Services Hawke’s Bay as the Supreme Award winner for the Pan Pac Hawke’s Bay Business Awards 2022.”
The company also won the Excellence in Innovation Award earlier in the night.
Former Napier mayor Barbara Arnott received the Leader of the Year Award. Photo / Paul Taylor
A Leader of the Year Award was presented during the ceremony to former Napier mayor Barbara Arnott, for her long history of community-focused work in Hawke’s Bay.
The business awards are presented annually by the Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce and celebrate resilience, community connections, innovation, tourism, leadership, emerging business, and sustainability.