Businesses vie for awards
A new operations manager for the Country Fire Authority’s District nine has been appointed.
Simon Bloink will succeed Mark Jones in the Warragul-based position.
Mr Bloink began his involvement with the CFA in 1977 as a junior at Valencia Creek.
He joined the CFA as a recruit firefighter in 1989 and since then has worked at Frankston, Boronia and Dandenong and served as an operations officer in three districts before joining District nine in that role in 2006.
Most recently his work has been mainly
Local businesses have been announced as finalists in the Gippsland Business Awards.
Finalists in the awards have earnt their stripes, selected from the largest number of entries in several years.
Forty-six businesses made it to the final group in 11 industry and specialist categories.
Categories include manufacturing and/or export, food and wine production, retail, services – trade and construction, hospitality, services – business and professional, services – personal and other, new business, accommodation, franchises and tourism.
Gippsland Business Awards committee chairperson, Graeme Sennett, said there had been a good increase in the number of entries this year.
“The award entries again demonstrate the diverse and inspiring range of Gippsland’s small to medium businesses,” he said.
“With the amount of entries this year the judging process has been extremely difficult but we are delighted with the number and quality of entries.
“Those businesses that have made it to the finals can be very proud because the competition was intense.”
Neerim South’s Vivere Retreat has been nominated in the accommodation category, while Warragul butcher Morland’s Meat has been nominated in the retail category.
Gippsland Cosmetic Laser Clinic and Warragul Dental Clinic have been nominated in the services category, while the Cassidy Crew and Gippsland Jersey will be aiming for the new business award.
Warragul businesses Best Match Recruitment and Regional Imaging Gippsland have been nominated in the business and professional service category, along with Willow Grove based Methmac Communications.
Yarragon business Smart Steel Designs has been nominated in the trade and construction service category, while Lardner Park, Forest Edge CYC (Neerim East) and Walhalla Goldfields Railway all feature in the tourism category.
“Along with the status of appearing on the regional stage at the awards, many businesses use the process as a means of improving themselves,” Mr Sennett said. “It’s a really good self-assessment tool.” Each of the category winners will be announced at the gala presentation evening to be held at the Premiere Function Centre in Traralgon on Friday, August 25.
The major winner, the Gippsland business of the year, will come from the category winners, and will also be announced at the presentation evening.
For further details of finalists refer to the Gippsland Business Awards website at www.gba.org.au.