TRAVEL AGENCY TAKES SMALL BUSINESS CROWN

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2 TRAVEL AGENCY TAKES SMALL BUSINESS CROWN At First Trust Bank, we re committed to supporting the small business sector here in Northern Ireland because we know that those businesses are critically important to driving the economy forward. We believe that we need to do more to celebrate business success here and wanted to shine a light on our many excellent small businesses to hold them up as role models for their peers. The standard, diversity, innovation and entrepreneurial drive were not only exciting but really encouraging for the local economy and we want to congratulate all of the entrants and winners. Brenda Buckley, Publisher of Business Eye, said: We ve always been aware of a high level of interest in other awards that we manage from the small business community, so we decided that it was high time they had awards of their own...dedicated to Northern Ireland s many small businesses. And the interest these new awards have received from small businesses across every sector and from every part of Northern Ireland has been exceptional. We re confident that they ll become an integral part of the business calendar. Sandra Corkin, Managing Director of Oasis Travel, receives the Small Business of the Year Award at the Business Eye First Trust Bank Small Business Awards from Des Moore (left), Head of First Trust Bank, and the evening s special guest, former X Factor star Jay James. A travel agency business with five branches in Northern Ireland has been named Northern Ireland s Small Business of the Year at the inaugural Business Eye First Trust Bank Small Business Awards. Oasis Travel took the top award at the brand new event on the Northern Ireland business calendar which took place at La Mon House Hotel & Country Club. The Awards, organised by Business Eye magazine and sponsored by First Trust Bank, awarded top small business performers across 12 different categories. They were open to all businesses in Northern Ireland with less than 50 employees. The Manufacturing Business of the Year Award went to Bangorbased personalised garment makers The Signature Works, while Atlas Communications came out on top in the Technology Business of the Year category. Squeeze Wheatgrass lifted the Agri- Food Business Award with Newry-based online specialists The Rug House adding the Exporter of the Year title to its growing collection of awards. The award for Customer Focus went to Fusion Heating while Employers for Childcare took the Community Contribution title. Head of First Trust Bank, Des Moore, said that both the quantity and quality of the entries had surpassed expectations in the very first year of the Small Business Awards. Richard Buckley & Brenda Buckley, Business Eye with Des Moore, First Trust at the Business Eye First Trust Small Business Awards at the La Mon Hotel, Belfast. Richard Buckley addresses the audience. 24

3 AGRI FOOD BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Nigel Briggs, Commercial Director of sponsors Supervalu presents a highly commended award in the Agri Food Business of the Year category to John McCann from Willowbrook Fine Foods. MANUFACTURING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Peter McConvey from The Signature Works receives the Manufacturing Business of the Year Award from category sponsor Stephen Cairns of Innov8 Office Interiors. AGRI FOOD BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Jacquelyn Stewart from Squeeze Wheatgrass receives the Agri Food Business of the Year from Nigel Briggs, Commercial Director of sponsors Supervalu. HOSPITALITY & TOURISM BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Emma McCully from The Secret Garden Restaurant receives a highly commended certificate in the Hospitality & Tourism Business of the Year category from Ciara Donnelly of Business Eye. MANUFACTURING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Dr Maria Magee of Marble Hill Soaps collects a highly commended award from Stephen Cairns of sponsors Innov8 Office Interiors. HOSPITALITY & TOURISM BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Ciara Donnelly of sponsors Business Eye presents a highly commended award in the Hospitality & Tourism Business of the Year category to Conleth and Phelim Quinn of Quinn Coaches. 25

4 HOSPITALITY & TOURISM BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Andrew Porter and William Der Kells of Winterfell Tours receive the Hospitality & Tourism Business of the Year Award from Ciara Donnelly of sponsors Business Eye. TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Barry Smyth of category sponsors MCS Group Intelligent Recruitment Solutions presents a highly commended award in the Technology Business of the Year category to Ken Roulston and Stephen Gillespie of CMI. HEALTHCARE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Anne Fitzpatrick of sponsors Baker Tilly Mooney Moore presents Jennifer McLaughlin from Origin Fertility the highly commended award in the Healthcare Business of The Year Category. TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Eamonn Connolly and Adrian Bradley from i3 Digital receive a highly commended award in the Technology Business of the Year category from MCS Group s Managing Director Barry Smyth (sponsor). HEALTHCARE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Philip and Debbie McLorinan from Dunmurry Dental receive the Healthcare Business of the Year Award from Anne Fitzpatrick from Baker Tilly Mooney Moore (sponsor). TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Barry Smyth from MCS Group (sponsor) presents the Technology Business of the Year Award to Richard Simpson from Atlas Communications. 26

5 SMALL BUSINESS MARKETING AWARD Stuart John and Damian Farrell from Abacus Professional Recruitment collect the Small Business Marketing Award from John Friel, Chairman of category sponsors FSB NI. CUSTOMER FOCUS AWARD Sandra Corkin from Oasis Travel receives a highly commended award in the Customer Focus category from Keith Liggett of sponsors Legacy Wealth. START-UP BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Chris Johnston of sponsors Scottish Provident Building presents the highly commended award in Start-up Business of the Year category to Daniel Crawford from Axial 3D. CUSTOMER FOCUS AWARD Keith Liggett from category sponsors Legacy Wealth presents Bill Cherry from Fusion Heating with the Customer Focus Award. START-UP BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Ian Laverty from Ingenuity collects the Start-Up Business of the Year Award from from Chris Johnston of Scottish Provident Building (sponsor). COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION AWARD Connor McGreevy and Serena Hylands from CTS Projects receive a highly commended award in the Community Contribution category from Jonathan Martindale of sponsors Phoenix Natural Gas. 27

6 COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION AWARD Jonathan Martindale, Business Development Manager of sponsors Phoenix Natural Gas presents the Community Contribution Award to Marie Marin, Clare Greenwood and Diane Hill from Employers in Childcare. INNOVATIVE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Emer O Kane and Katie Brown from Core Systems receive the Innovative Business of the Year award from category sponsor Philip Miley of Fleet Financial. EXPORTER OF THE YEAR AWARD Edel McCooe, Regional Manager of First Trust Bank presents a highly commended certificate in the Exporter of the Year category to Ciaran McMenamin from Lignum Interiors. INNOVATIVE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Philip Miley, Sales and Marketing Director of sponsors Fleet Financial presents one of the the Innovative Business of the Year Awards to Stephen Cairns from Innov8 Office Interiors. EXPORTER OF THE YEAR AWARD Claire and Paul Valleley from the Rug House receive the Exporter of the Year Award from Edel McCooe, Regional Manager of sponsors First Trust Bank. SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Des Moore, Head of First Trust Bank presents a highly commended certificate in the Small Business of the Year category Claire and Paul Valleley from Rug House. 28

7 SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Des Moore, Head of First Trust Bank presents a highly commended certificate in the Small Business of the Year category to Philip and Debbie McLorinan of Dunmurry Dental. Michael Blackwood, Karen Newton, Scarlett Jeffers and Sean Devlin from MCS Group. SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Louise Smyth from MCS Group receives a highly commended award in the Small Business of the Year category from Des Moore of headline sponsors First Trust Bank. SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD Sandra Corkin from Oasis Travel receives the coveted Small Business of the Year Award from Des Moore, First Trust Bank. Mairaid McMahon from FSB NI and Diane Hill from Employers for Childcare. 29

8 Helen Dumigan, Stephen Dumigan and Donna Armstrong from First Trust Bank. Roisin Hackett (left) and Una Quinn from First Trust Bank with Marc Mallett. Mathew McRobert, Louise Smyth, Julie Allen and Barry Smyth from MCS Group. Richard Creane, Keith Liggett, and Gillian Rea from Legacy Wealth. Orla Fennell, Seaneen McKee, Tina Doherty and Kathryn Quinn from Antrim Road Dental Clinic. 30

9 The staff from Dunmurry Dental Practice at the Business Eye First Trust Small Business Awards at La Mon Hotel, Belfast. Peter Hannan, Hannon Meats, Edel McCooe, First Trust Bank, Naomi McMullan, The Profit Margin and Richard Ennis, First Trust Bank. Leo Callow, Fab Events, Ciara Donnelly, Business Eye, Peter Hannon, Hannon Meats and John McCann, Willowbrook Fine Foods. Stephen Comer from First Trust with Fiona McGivern, Alison Esler and Judith Gill. John Funston, Philip Miley and Stephen Hollinger. 31

10 MCS Group at the Business Eye First Trust Small Business Awards at La Mon Hotel, Belfast. Marc Mallett interviews Peter Hannon. Sandra Corkin from Oasis Travel making her way to the stage to receive the Small Business of the Year Award. Former X Factor star Jay James entertains the audience. Jay James cheers as Brenda Buckley slam dunks in the charity basketball challenge. 32