Awards entries to soar

Excitement is building in the offices of Geelong’s chamber of commerce as the closing date for this year’s Powercor Geelong Business Excellence Awards draws closer.
Entries for Geelong’s premier annual business awards close 4pm Monday 22 May.
With almost 350 businesses from around the region nominated for this year’s awards, Geelong Chamber of Commerce chief Bernadette Uzelac is excited at the potential final entry numbers.
“This year’s awards has seen unprecedented levels of interest from Geelong and regional businesses,” she says.
“I’m confident we will receive a record number of entries this year. Indications are that this year is shaping up to be the biggest in the awards’ 32-year history.”
The winners of the 2017 Powercor Geelong Business Excellence Awards will be announced at a gala presentation dinner on 17 August.
This year the chamber has partnered Australian Institute of Management (AIM) in a boost to a pair of new award categories. Winners of Business Leader of the Year and Young Entrepreneur of the Year will be shortlisted as finalists for the Victorian finals of the prestigious AIM Leadership Excellence Awards.
The new categories have generated much interest, with the annual AIM Leadership Excellence Awards (ALEAs) regarded as the peak national award program recognising and celebrating Australia’s most outstanding leaders.
“We introduced the Business Leader of the Year and the Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards this year to recognise and shine a spotlight on the outstanding calibre of leaders and young entrepreneurs in Geelong,” Ms Uzelac says.
“We are very fortunate to have many outstanding leaders and young entrepreneurs in the Geelong business community who are passionate, innovative and forward-thinking about their businesses and teams.”
The Geelong awards now have 21 categories, covering a wide range of sectors and activities across the Geelong business community.
Geelong Busienss Excellence Awards entries and more information are available at gbea.com.au.