Director of Glenisk, Gerard Cleary, receiving his overall winner award in March from An Taoiseach Brian Cowen TD with Aidan Cotter, CEO, Bord Bia (left) and Aidan O’Boyle, SFA chairman
Aboost to BUSINESS
WITH ENTRIES TO THE 2011 SFA NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS NOWBEING ACCEPTED, PREVIOUS WINNERS OUTLINE THE DIFFERENCE THEY HAVE MADE TO THEM
An Taoiseach Brian Cowen TD officially launched the SFA NationalSmall BusinessAwards on 1 September in government buildings,noting that they acknowledge the important role small businesses have to play in leading our return to economic growth and job creation. “The SFANational Small Business Awards provide us with a
valuable opportunity to recognise and showcase Ireland’s entrepreneurial talent,”he said. “The Government recognises that this is a very challenging
period for small businesses,as it is for the country as awhole,and is working to support them by improving competitiveness, ensuring a flow of credit,maintaining supportive tax measures and reducing the regulatory burden for business.” SFA acting director Avine McNally noted that last year’s
finalists showed the resilience and adaptability of small firms and how they can excel in a difficult trading environment. Offaly-basedGlenisk was the overall winner last year and also
won the Food andDrink category. “Winning the SFA awards has provided a tremendous boost
42 OWNER MANAGER VOL 3 ISSUE 4 2010
Pictured, fromleft, are:PaulO'Connor, Chartered Accountants Ireland;DenisO'Callaghan,AIB; Julie Sinnamon, Enterprise Ireland;DeclanMeally, Sustain- able EnergyAuthority of Ireland;AvineMcNally, Small FirmsAssociation;An TaoiseachBrian Cowen TD;Oisin Geoghegan, County and City EnterpriseBoards; Emer Kennedy, Eircom; andAidan Cotter,BordBia
for everyone associated with Glenisk. From a morale boost for management and staff to a confidence boost fromour customers, it definitely lifted the spirit and profile of our business to the next level.Furthermore the networking fromfellowSFAmembers has provided an invaluable source of information from like-minded individuals,” saidGerard Cleary,director,Glenisk. AndyMulloy,managing director of 2008 winner Connemara
Seafoods, also said the award has lifted everyone’s spirits in the company.“It has fuelled a renewed energy to face challenges that so often appear insurmountable.Winning this award adds a dimension to ourmarket positioning that helps us re-confirmour relationships with our existing customers and gives us an edge in winning new business.” Entries to the awards are being accepted until 5.30pm, on
Friday, 29 October and entry forms are available online at
www.sfa.ie/awards. The categories for award entrants are:Manufacturing—up to
50 employees, sponsored byCharteredAccountants Ireland;Food and Drink — up to 50 employees, sponsored by Bord Bia; Services — up to 50 employees, sponsored by the eircom; Outstanding Small Business—up to five employees, sponsored byAIB; Innovator of the Year—up to 50 employees, sponsored by Enterprise Ireland; Environmental Sustainability – up to 50 employees, sponsored by Sustainable Energy Ireland. There is also an ‘Emerging New Business’ category, open to
companies that are less than two years in business. Finalists will be announced in December 2010 and the
presentation to the awardwinnerswill take place at a gala awards ceremony inMarch 2011.
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