Hawke's Bay business of the year winner looking to expand

Duncan and Amanda Wallace from HB Technologies in Napier winners of the HB Business of the Year

The founders of Hawke's Bay's business of the year are celebrating their new title, saying it is a plaudit that should be shared around the whole region.

After Hawke's Bay Technologies was named "business of the year" at the annual PAN PAC Hawke's Bay Business Awards presented by the Hawke's Bay Chamber of Commerce on Friday night, co-founder Duncan Wallace pointed out the importance of local co-operation.

"As Hawke's Bay businesses we just need to make sure we are supporting each other. By using Hawke's Bay businesses that will create jobs and a more vibrant Hawke's Bay. I'm super-passionate about Hawke's Bay.

"We only use local providers because the standard of local suppliers is as good, if not better, than what you get nationally."

Receiving the business of the year award was a "big pat on the back" for the 20-member team at HB Technologies, he said.

"It's all down to our staff. Our staff take ownership of the relationships with our customers as much as we do as business owners. They care about the customer and they also care about their own personal reputation and the business' reputation.

"To we a winner of the Hawke's Bay Business Awards we must be doing something okay. It certainly will get our name to a few more people and it will definitely open up a few more doors over the next 12 months or so."

It was the second time the business had entered the awards and Wallace said that experience, about eight years ago, had played a part in helping the company in this year's awards.

"We've always thought about doing it again, we just waited until we thought we were ready. Out of those awards wee made a conscious effort to engage with their expertise to make sure we were in good shape. It has certainly made a difference to our business."

Duncan and wife Amanda set up the office support company up in 2007, after moving to Hawke's Bay from Wellington, where they had been based for 10 years.

"Amanda is a Hawke's Bay girl and we thought coming back here was good for the kids too."

After starting with just four staff the company now runs a team of 20 people and is eyeing expanding nationally.

"We will just keep aiming to do a really good job for customers and that means we can grow and still deliver a really good service because that's what's important to us. We are now considering expanding our influence outside the region."

Hawke's Bay Chamber of Commerce chief executive Wayne Walford said along with winning the PAN PAC Supreme Award, HB Technologies would receive $3000 worth of Air New Zealand travel and will be taken to Air NZ HQ to meet some of the senior leaders from the Air NZ corporate team.

"It is a chance to explore things that Air NZ are doing well and HB Technologies want to learn more about. It's a mentoring-type scenario an opportunity to be inside one of New Zealand's great businesses and get a chance to talk to these professionals."