Rotorua Business Awards 2021: Finalists announced

Rotorua Chamber of Commerce chief executive Bryce Heard. Photo / NZME

The finalists in this year's Tompkins Wake Rotorua Business Awards have been announced - and Rotorua Chamber of Commerce CEO Bryce Heard said the awards were shaping up to be the "biggest and best to date".

"We had an unprecedented level of entries this year, most of them were of a very high standard. To keep to manageable numbers the judges were forced to make some hard decisions," he said.

"Making the finals with so much high-standard competition is a real cause for celebration. To those entrants who have made the finalists, well done."

Heard thanked and congratulated all those who had entered the awards and said the Chamber of Commerce was grateful to sponsors, entrants, judges and organisers, who were all "essential ingredients" in making a special event.

The Rotorua Business Awards are delivered annually by the Rotorua Business Chamber.

For more than 20 years, as well as offering recognition, the awards provide the opportunity to benchmark success and gain expert advice on how businesses can continue to prosper.

All winners bar the People's Choice will be picked by judges after they interview the nominees.

There are six excellence categories and six business categories. The supreme winner will be chosen from the winners of the excellence categories.

Tickets to the awards go on sale on Wednesday.

The event is on October 9 and will be headlined by singer Annie Crummer.

Crummer, who was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to music in the 2017 Queen's Birthday Honours, was most recently a musical mentor for prisoners in the Māori TV series Songs from the Inside in 2014 and performed in Australian production We Will Rock You in 2019.

She is currently working on her third album, Project Annie C.

Excellence categories

Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology: Creative Arts & Design Award

• Fineline Design Agency
• Lakes Performing Arts Centre
• Redwoods Treewalk
• Portico Gallery Rotorua

Scion: Innovation & Technology Award

• Local Gecko Productions
• The Appearance Clinic
• Te Arawa Fisheries Group
• Ka Pai Kai Rotorua
• Salt + Tonic

Deloitte: Hospitality and Retail Award

• Rotorua TOP 10 Holiday Park
• Four Square Ngongotaha
• Prince's Gate Hotel
• Pullman Rotorua
• McLeods Booksellers

The Shine Collective: Manaakitanga Tourism Award

• Secret Spot Hot Tubs Rotorua
• Rotorua Rafting
• Waimangu Volcanic Valley
• Rotorua Canopy Tours
• Whakarewarewa - The Living Maori Village

Pukeroa Oruawhata Holdings: Primary Manufacturing and Building Award

• Top Gear Rotorua Limited
• BOP Plumbing & Gas
• Evolve Construction

Holland Beckett: Professional Services Award

• Futureproof Concepts Limited
• Ranolf Pharmacy
• QualGroup
• Chemwash Rotorua
• New Zealand Home Loans - Rotorua
• The Shine Collective

Business categories

Rotorua Economic Development: Kaitiakitanga Environmental Sustainability & Climate Change Award

• Rotorua Rafting
• Waimangu Volcanic Valley
• Rotorua Canopy Tours
• Whakarewarewa Thermal Village Tours Limited

ACC: Workplace Safety Award

• Hayes International
• Pedersen Group
• InfraCore Limited
• Redwoods Treewalk
• Chemwash Rotorua

EMA: Employer of the Year Award

• Matai Resturant Rotorua
• InfraCore Limited
• New Zealand Home Loans - Rotorua
• Peppers on the Point, Lake Rotorua

Ministry of Social Development: Not for Profit & Social Enterprise Award

• Multicultural Rotorua
• Rotoiti 15 Trust
• Rotorua Pacific Islands Development Charitable Trust
• Rotorua Community Hospice
• Ka Pai Kai Rotorua

BNZ: Bilingual Business Award

• WERA Aotearoa Charitable Trust
• Rotoiti 15 Trust
• Kura Kārearea

NZME: People's Choice Award

• McLeods Booksellers
• Indian Star Restaurant
• S.F-Ink Kanohi me Tinana
• Ka Pai Kai Rotorua Charitable Trust
• Profiles Gym