Businesswoman of year new category
Toowoomba’s top celebration of small and medium business excellence has a new name and extra categories for its 2024 edition.
Nominations open this week for the Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce’s Business Excellence Awards, sponsored by Little Pig Consulting.
This year’s event will now include 14 categories, with the chamber adding Businesswoman of the Year and Arts and Culture as specific awards.
The businesswoman of the year category “recognises role models who demonstrate outstanding entrepreneurial spirit, business achievement and innovation”, while the arts and culture award is open to artists, musicians, writers, performers, museums, galleries, theatres and festivals.
Chamber president Myf Rigby said the change ensured the evening better celebrated the more than 16,000 local businesses across the Toowoomba region.
“The Toowoomba region has a rich and diverse economy with over 16,000 businesses, with 62.6 per cent non-employing sole traders, 35 per cent with one to 19 employees, 2.3 per cent with 20 to 199 employees and 0.1 per cent with 200 plus employees,” she said.
“Our region is blessed with diversity, including mining and manufacturing industries, robust agricultural and horticultural
businesses, a growing hospitality and tourism market, a large health and wellness sector and a continually growing small business community.
“History shows (this diversity) has enabled the region to weather economic headwinds and grasp opportunity.
“The awards in its 35th
year have been designed to celebrate the efforts and achievements of our diverse and dedicated business community and recognise their contribution, not only to economic vitality but to creating strong, healthy, innovative, vibrant businesses that are nation leading.”
Little Pig Consulting
owner Clayton Menyweather said the firm was excited to take over as naming rights sponsor from Focus HR.
“We believe it is an important role to be the naming rights custodian of the Business Excellence Awards over the next three years,” he said.
“Whilst the naming rights provides us the opportunity
to promote our brand, most importantly it provides a platform for all businesses to reflect on and share their journey, support and be inspired by others, much like Focus HR has inspired us.”
For more information, see toowoombachamber.com.a u or you can email admin@toowoombachamb er.com.au.