Judges pick the cream of county’s firms to battle it out for an award
Last updated 13:36, Friday, 12 September 2008
The entries have been scrutinised, the judges have deliberated and we can now announce the finalists for the CN Group Business Awards 2008.
Judges John Hancock, former managing director of Sealy United Kingdom and former non-executive director of CN Group and of Jacob Cowen, Dalston, and Stuart Klosinski, industrial development manager for Furness Enterprise, have pored over the applications to come up with a list of Cumbria’s best in business.
They had their work cut out after dozens of top class entries from businesses and individuals across all sectors.
The credit crunch appears to have done nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of our business community and despite the gloomy forecasts, we have much to be proud of here.
The list includes multi-national corporations to homegrown micro-firms.
Those shortlisted will now battle it out in each category.
Winners will be announced in a ceremony at Rheged, Penrith, on October 30.
The finalists in the visitor attraction category, which will be decided by a public vote, will be announced later.
The entrepreneur category, sponsored by Burnetts Solicitors, is an outright winner announced on the night.
The awards’ main sponsors are Business Link Northwest and Invest in Cumbria.
Tom Bell, of Business Link Northwest, said: “This is a fantastically strong list of finalists and underlines the quality of the business community in Cumbria.
“These are people and businesses who work tremendously hard every day to bring jobs and prosperity to the county and they fully deserve to be recognised for it.”
John Grainger, managing director of Invest in Cumbria, said: “We’d like to congratulate all finalists, particularly those in the large business category, for which we are the main sponsor.
“It is of particular relevance to us as we work to attract large organisations to locate in Cumbria and enjoy all the business benefits of the county.”
CN Group owns and publishes The Cumberland News.
