Here’s our winner
Aroha Croft picked up the Cambridge Customer Choice award for The Smoke Collective Barbecue from Good Local editor Roy Pilott. Photo: Christine Cornege.
Waipā businesses have been give a big tick of approval from the one of two head judges of their major awards.
When the business community gathered at Mystery Creek for the Waipā Networks Business Awards night – back after a Covid enforced absence – Howard Davey from the Waikato University’s business management school was fulsome in praise.
He spoke of the innovation, adaptation to technology and attention to detail shown by entrants, the strategic thinking, the nurturing of workers and investment in staff and successful client relationships.
The quality was high – “better than before” – it was diverse, and a privilege to judge, he told an audience of 350.
Overall winners – Treadlite NZ staff, from left, director Blake Richardson, Head of Sales and Marketing Tracy Smith, Operations Manager Richard Upperton, Office Manager and Logistics Tracy Cochrane, chief executive Brad Pierce and director Jo Collins. Photo: Christine Cornege.
Tracy Morgan celebrates one of her wins. Photo: Christine Cornege
Davey’s judging team selected Waipā recycling company Treadlite as the winner of its major award. The company based in Carter’s Flat, Cambridge, has become a national leader in recycling tyres.
The audience heard that the business applies “the rethink philosophy of the waste hierarchy” by stopping waste before it’s created and turning waste into usable products – specifically used tyres.
Company chief executive Brad Pierce said the company hires and trains marginalised people in the community and “we’ve got a team of rockstars”.
Among the many winners was Tracy Morgan – who blew a kiss on stage to celebrate.
Squoodles makes wooden toys from its Matangi base and is a member of the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce.
Treadlite boss Brad Pierce, left, pictured with Paua Architect’s Phil Mackay. Photo: Christine Cornege.
Mark Hanlon celebrates a win for Rotary Urban Miners. Photo: Christine Cornege.
There were also regular visits to the stage for Cambridge Rotary Urban Miners – another organisation which has a proud record of recycling and Grinter’s Funeral Home and Rosetown Funeral Home. The Customer Choice awards, sponsored by Good Local Media, publisher of The News, went to Fresh Choice in Te Awamutu and The Smoke Collective Barbecue in Cambridge.
James and Vanessa Clark
James Clark of Fresh Choice Te Awamutu should have been on stage twice last week.
He missed his graduation ceremony on Wednesday at Hamilton Boys High for completing Level 5 Māori at Te Wananga o Aotearoa because a flight home was delayed.
But on Friday he was called up again – this time to collect an award at the Waipā Networks Business Awards at Mystery Creek.
Fresh Choice Supermarket in Te Awamutu won the people’s choice award sponsored by Good Local Media – publishers of the Te Awamutu News. He received the award from Roy Pilott, editor of The News.
“It was disappointing to miss the graduation ceremony earlier in the week, but great to win this award,” Clark told The News.
Peter Nation. Photo: Christine Cornege.
The night also saw a “home win”. New Zealand Fieldays Society chief Peter Nation was on stage at the start welcoming businesses to “our place” – and he later returned after being named the 2023 Leader of the Year.
There was also a tribute to the late Sir Patrick Hogan from Cambridge Chamber of Commerce board member David Natzke. Hogan was a patron of the chamber and made a life member in 2002.
“Sir Patrick never kept a register of any donations he made and kept a low profile when it came to his philanthropic work… we will never truly know the actual contribution he made through his time, expertise, donations and sponsorship, but there is no doubt that it was significant, and for that, we will always be grateful,” Natzke said.
David Natzke honours Sir Patrick Hogan. Photo: Christine Cornege.
Cambridge chamber chief Kelly Bouzaid was delighted with “both the diversity and calibre of applications” for the 2023 awards.
“We are in a privileged position to peek into businesses of all ages and stages and see the calibre of leadership, innovation, culture and sustainability,” she said.
“We have seen resilience and robustness within our business community, and we are inspired and proud of the achievements.”
Jim Goddin and Waipa mayor Susan O’Regan
