Entries Open For 2024 Wānaka Business Excellence Awards

Wānaka’s most anticipated business event returns this year, to celebrate collective success and individual achievement within the local business community.

Entries are now open for the fourth biennial 2024 Wānaka Business Excellence Awards, organised by the Wānaka Business Chamber in partnership with longstanding title sponsor Milford Asset Management. Businesses of any size are encouraged to enter – and applications are already flooding in. 

This year’s awards see a brand new independent judging panel, revamped categories, clearer questions and criteria and a much more simplified entry and judging process. The Chamber board and management listened to feedback from previous awards and implemented a range of changes to improve the overall experience. 

As a result, there are now five main industry categories and five specialist categories, designed to accurately reflect the evolving landscape of Wānaka’s dynamic business community. 

Industry categories:

• Excellence in Customer Experience supported by Drive Accounting
• Excellence in Visitor Experience supported by Lake Wānaka Tourism
• Excellence in Trade & Industrial Sector supported by Findex
• Excellence in Primary & Consumer Goods supported by Cardrona & Treble Cone
• Excellence in Professional Services supported by Aspiring Law

Specialist categories:

• Strategy, Innovation & Business Solutions Award supported by Batchelar McDougall Consulting
• Best Emerging Business (Under 3 years) Award supported by Air New Zealand
• Employer of the Year Award supported by EASINZ
• Business Sustainability & Environmental Impact Award supported by Queenstown Lakes District Council
• Community Contribution Award supported by Queenstown Airport

The independent judging panel comprises 11 local, experienced business leaders and specialists. Led by experienced business and brand strategist Lynley Lischner as convenor of judges, the remaining 10 judges are: DevelopNZ director Linzi Ebbage-Thomas, Air New Zealand regional senior account manager Frank Gibbons, senior leadership professional Ann Lockhart, Southern Football CEO Dougal McGowan, Destination Queenstown CEO Mat Woods, business consultant Mike Henderson, Hojo director Andee Gainsford, Aspiring Law director Janice Hughes, OSACO Group managing director Jaydene Buckley and Health Screening CEO Carolyn Oakley-Brown.

Convenor of judges Lynley Lischner says: “Businesses should leap at the opportunity to enter the Wānaka Business Excellence Awards to showcase the innovation and best practices that have delivered strong results for their business. Entering the awards is a great platform to profile their brand in the community, and an important way to celebrate the successes of not only the business owner, but also their employees, other local businesses and the community who have supported them.

“There is a robust judging process in place and the judges are eager to see many entries from our amazing local businesses. Quite simply, they are looking for evidence of excellence in your sector. We want to understand how the business objectives have been met with good examples of how strategy, innovation and execution of the plan led to measurable results,” Lischner adds.

Wānaka Business Chamber board chair Jo Learmonth says the Chamber is delighted to organise the popular event, which culminates in a glitzy gala dinner on November 9.

“The Wānaka Business Chamber is committed to our vision of supporting the development of strong businesses, connected economic networks and a thriving community. The Wānaka Business Excellence Awards epitomises every aspect of this and we look forward to coming together in November to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our local business community.”

Milford Asset Management financial adviser Amanda Cleaver says: “Milford Asset Management is delighted to partner with the Wānaka Business Chamber to once again present the Wānaka Business Excellence Awards. Our Wānaka-based team sees the hard work and dedication Wānaka businesses put in every day and understands the difference these businesses make to our community. Supporting these awards gives us a chance to shine a spotlight on some of the world-class businesses we have right here in Wānaka.”

Entries close on July 31. More information on the Wānaka Business Excellence Awards can be found here and entries can be submitted here. 

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