Rotorua Business Awards: Judges hail high calibre of entrants

Judging of the hotly contested Rotorua Business Awards is now complete. Photo / NZME

The "impressive calibre of businesses adapting, innovating and operating in Rotorua" has been one of the chief takeaways for judges of the Tompkins Wake Rotorua Business Awards 2021.

With the judging of the hotly contested awards now complete, the countdown is on for the awards night, now set down for December 16 at the Energy Events Centre.

With 54 finalists across 12 categories, the event, run by the Rotorua Chamber of Commerce, promises to be one to remember.

But getting to this point hasn't been an easy feat.

Following the intensive financial audit of every entrant - carried out by Alex Pearce of Pearce & Co Chartered Accountants Rotorua - the weeks-long judging process was forced to go virtual due to the Covid-19 Delta lockdown.

Quest Rotorua Central Franchise director and professional services judge, Glenn Tasker, said having to conduct interviews with finalists virtually had been more challenging, though the "right result was reached in the end".

"The judging process had to be different this year; we weren't able to have a look around each business and talk to staff as we had in previous years.

"We have all become accustomed to video meetings, but it did mean this year's judging didn't have the same flow or structure.

"That said, the same amount of effort went into evaluating each finalist and, after a good amount of debate, we unanimously agreed on the supreme winner."

Tasker said judges this year had a special interest in how businesses adapted in the face of Covid-19.

"There are many businesses in Rotorua who are performing well and have found ways to adapt, however, we, as judges, also needed to make sure we struck the right balance as Covid has created opportunities for some businesses while killing opportunities for others.

"We were highly impressed by the calibre of entrants across the business community – there are some exceptionally good businesses operating in this city and, while it makes our job hard, it's encouraging to see in the face of what has been a very difficult year for many."

Tasker said the 2021 awards had been so hotly contested that in some categories, the difference between places was half a point.

"The business awards are so much more than just the final awards event; it's a process that takes months, with hundreds of hours going into judging the entrants. There is always a lot of healthy debate among the judges.

"We are all so passionate and take our role extremely seriously as it underpins the integrity of the awards."

Working alongside smart, capable people who want to make a difference in the community is one of the aspects of judging the Business Awards that make it so rewarding, Tasker says.

Tompkins Wake partner Andrew Orme said he was thrilled the firm was able to sponsor the Rotorua Business Awards 2021.

"It's been a tough year but the creativity, resilience and adaptability we have seen within our business community is something to commend.

"We look forward to coming together to celebrate all the finalists and acknowledge the unwavering determination of everyone in the Rotorua business community."

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