Hitting perfect pitch at night of awards
WHILE the night of glamorous gúnas and flashing lights was on Friday for Cork County Council’s inaugural North Cork Business and Tourism Awards, the business of adjudication took place several weeks beforehand when thirty finallists had a pitched battle for the approval of the adjudicators in the Mallow headquarters of sponsor AIB.
There was no need of an elevator pitch that October evening – just an indepth knowledge about your business and passion to drive it forward.
And the rest was up to the adjudicators who were facing the very real dilemma of trying to select actual winners when everyone who pitched was a viable contender.
Throughout the evening as different entrants shone in their categories, two other contests were also being decided, the tussle for best pitch of the evening and a special recognition award for the entrant who, according to the adjudicators, had demonstrated what Mallow AIB manager Sinéad O’Connor was the true calibre of the businesses and tourism ventures in North Cork.
As any athlete is aware, medals can be won on the night. There were many contenders for the pitch of the night and eventually the adjudicators decided the gold had to go to Susan O’Sullivan of Fitnesss Solutions.
“My business is running and my passion is running,” she explained to Síle Seoighe who asked her as she stepped onto the winners’ podium. what gave her the edge on Pitching Night “I’m just so lucky.
“It’s the passion for what I do.”
Another passionate business owner to be singled out for an award based on his contribution to north Cork business was Dan Twomey of Waterpower, a company which had been shortlisted in two catergories
The adjudicators wanted to acknowledge “his hard work, his innovation, his commitment both to his employees and his local Kanturk community” over the more than 40 years he’s been in business building up an unrivalled expertise in the power provision and sustainable energy sector.
It was clear to all that this award meant something to Dan as he accepted the award with his trademark modesty. “I said to my friends that I’d be happy to come third at these awards, I never thought I’d come first.”
The secrets of his success? “Hard work and the staff, the team, who deserve to be credited,” he said
“And I made alot of friends along the way.”
The ovation he got as he was presented with his award was testament to that that statement.
Nice guys do finish first.