Mayor helps launch Business Awards

Ararat Rural City Council Mayor, Cr Paul Hooper was joined by Northern Grampians Shire Mayor, Cr Tony Driscoll and Pyrenees Shire Mayor, Cr Ron Eason at Great Western’s Seppelt Winery to the launch of the awards earlier this month.

Cr Hooper said the awards were an opportunity to celebrate the best and brightest of business community across the region.

“Ararat Rural city was lucky enough to host the awards in 2015 and it was a wonderful night of celebration,” he said.

“We have such an array of diverse industries in our region that are continually producing high quality services and we want to recognise this.

“There is a large range of categories that will relate to almost all businesses in the three shires, so I encourage as many people to nominate as possible.

Awards are available for the following categories:

Federation University Australia Excellence in Professional Services Award The Weekly Advertiser Excellence in Agricultural/Viticultural Award Pyrenees Shire Council Best Retail Business Award Ararat Rural City Council Manufacturing Award Best’s Excellence in Hospitality Food & Beverage Award Gason Excellence in Trades and Construction Award MIXXFM/3WM Best Tourism Attraction or Service Award Grampians Pyrenees Primary Care Partnership Health Workplace Award Northern Grampians Shire Council Best Community/Social Enterprise Award Regional Development Australia Grampians Best Major Tourism Event Award Goldacres Best Community Event Award Skillinvest Apprentice/Trainee of the Year Award Simpson - The Labour Hire Specialists Employee of the Year Federation Business School Best New Business Award  Neoen Business of the Year Award Southern Cross Austereo People's Choice Award

Applications for the awards are now open and close on September 1, with online application forms available at www.grampianspyrenees.com, while hard copy forms are available at Council offices, libraries and Visitor Information Centres.

Written applications will then be assessed by a panel of judges before finalists are announced in early October.

For more information, visit www.grampianspyrenees.com.