Development West Coast wins AUT Excellence Award

Media release – Thursday 8 November

Development West Coast wins AUT Excellence in Business Support Award

Development West Coast is delighted to have won the Not for Profit category at the prestigious AUT Excellence in Business Support Awards.

DWC Chairman John Sturgeon, CEO John Chang, COO Warren Gilbertson and Trustee Robert Buchanan last night accepted the award at a gala dinner at Auckland’s Langham Hotel in front of over 700 business leaders.

Mr Sturgeon says the team at DWC including Trustees, management and staff should be very proud of the achievement.

“This prestigious award is recognition not just for the team at DWC but all West Coasters from Karamea to Haast. The Coast has had a few knocks in the last couple of years and being recognised by the rest of the country for all DWC’s hard work helps us get up off our knees and continue,” he says.

DWC CEO John Chang says being publically acknowledged for DWC’s contribution to the wellbeing of the West Coast economy is wonderful.

“I am sure this award will be appreciated by many on the Coast and DWC has received it on behalf of the region. It was humbling to win in such esteemed company and I know this recognition will give further courage, conviction and determination to all of us to continue trying to stimulate social and economic growth on the Coast,” says Dr Chang.

DWC was part of a strong group of finalists including the Sustainable Business Network, Leadership NZ, Beef & Lamb NZ and the Onehunga High Business School.

Dean of AUT Business School Dr Geoff Perry says all 47 finalists have shown tremendous dedication to business support across New Zealand.

“Every finalist has had to demonstrate their successful leadership and planning, customer and market focus, provision of business support, evaluation, improvement and business results. All entries go through a thorough evaluation process that is overseen by the New Zealand Business Excellence Foundation, as well as evaluators from our own Management Department at AUT Business School, and assessed using the international Baldrige criteria. With this in mind, the winners really have demonstrated they are top of their game,” he says.

ENDS

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