Businesses hailed for triumph over COVID era at awards night
Published 25 October 2022
Nearly 480 businesspeople have packed out Eatons Hill Hotel for the 2022 Moreton Bay Business and Innovation Awards for a celebration of the region’s successes and achievements.
A panel of 44 judges from organisations across South East Queensland were responsible for crowning winners in 15 categories, including three new categories, and 68 finalists in total.
Sesame Lane Care and Kindergarten took out the top gong as Business of the Year after 33 years of delivering quality childcare and education to the community across 14 centres.
Mayor Peter Flannery said the awards were not only a celebration of the winners who took home trophies, but the triumph of surviving the COVID era.
“As Mayor this is one of the events I look forward to most each year because when local businesses succeed, Moreton Bay succeeds,” he said.
“In fact, 90 per cent of businesses in our region are small local businesses, which is why Council is committed to being a top performing Queensland Small Business Friendly Council.
“It’s why we keep releasing products and services to help your business, like Ask Morty. This free, Australian-first, data-concierge service helps small business locate more customers.
“It’s why we ran ‘back a local’ campaigns to get everyone to eat, shop and support local businesses in 2022.
"And it’s why we’re asking businesses to sign onto our new ‘Moreton Money’ initiative in partnership with six local Chambers of Commerce.
“Steve Jobs was right when he said: ‘innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower’, but that was in a pre-COVID world.
“Recent experience has taught us all that innovation alone is not enough; it also requires grit, determination, and even blind optimism in the face of seemingly impossible odds.”
MBRIT CEO and Founder Shane Newcombe said all 68 finalists should be proud of what they had achieved in challenging economic conditions this year.
“For many, 2022 has been the toughest year of all, which began with high COVID cases, staff shortages and floods. Each finalist continues to demonstrate their resilience and perseverance in the face of ongoing economic uncertainty,” Mr Newcombe said.
“The task for this year’s judges was challenging too, with such a high calibre of entries in all categories. This proves what we know, the Moreton Bay Region is emerging as a business and innovation powerhouse and the future is bright.
“Congratulations to the winners of this year’s Moreton Bay Business and Innovation Awards, particularly Business of the Year Sesame Lane Care and Kindergarten and the winners of our new categories.”
Brisbane Whale Watching’s Kerry Lopez won Businesswoman of the Year, while Tracy Johnson from SRJ Walker Wayland won the Akyra Award for Employee of the Year and Ellie Bakker from Splice Marketing won the Think2Be Award for Entrepreneur of the Year.
Full list of finalists and winners
EPIC Assist Award for Accessibility & Inclusiveness Excellence
Drone-Games
Lawnton Aquatic Centre
Oncall Group Australia Pty Ltd
Play Tech Australia Pty Ltd
Winner: Succeed Healthcare Solutions Pty Ltd
North Harbour Award for Advanced Manufacturing Excellence
Belco Custom Trailers
The Mural Shop
Winner: EJ
Award for Corporate Social Responsibility Excellence
Northshore Pet Resort
Richardson & Wrench Caboolture
Social Ocean
Wild Cherry Events
Winner: Ausbuild
Moreton Daily Award for Customer Service Excellence
Integrate PHYSIO
Lillybrook Dental Surgery
Springers Solar
Joint winners: North Lakes and Surrounds Electrical and Sesame Lane Care and Kindergarten
Award for Environment & Sustainability Excellence
Basilea Living Herbs and Edible Flowers
Bygreen/ Green Life Warehouse
Northshore Pet Resort
ONETIME
Winner: Moreton Bay Recycling
Solar Bollard Lighting Award for Exporting Excellence
ONETIME
Winner: Elexon Mining
Award for Food and Agribusiness Excellence
Bask & Co.
Little White Goat Cheese
LuvaBerry
Moreton Bay Kitchen
Winner: My Berries
Bishopp Award for Marketing Excellence
Lillybrook Dental Surgery
Splice Marketing
UnderSea Putt & Play
Village Motors
Winner: Cashmere Syrups
SRJ Walker Wayland Award for Not-For-Profit Excellence
Chameleon Regional Community Housing Accommodation and Welfare Association Inc
Stationery Aid
The Carers Foundation
THE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION
Winner: Encircle Ltd
Visit Moreton Bay Award for Tourism Business Excellence
Bribie Beach Shack
Redcliffe Farmers and Artisan Markets
Sandstone Point Holiday Resort
The Store of Requirement
Winner: Ocean View Estates
UniSC Award for Youth Innovation Excellence
PHL Photos (Mt Maria Petrie - Yr 11)
St Benedict's College – MyCountry
Winner: Bray Park State High School – Shnoompy Boy Designs
RDA Moreton Bay Award for Innovation Excellence
Drone-Games
EJ
LuvaBerry
ONETIME
Winner: Concrete Data Sensors
Award for Businesswoman of the Year
Angela Moore - The Coffee Patch on Hasking
Ellie Bakker - Splice Marketing
Kerri Smith - Sesame Lane Care & Kindergarten
Susanne Jones - Just Better Care Brisbane North
Winner: Kerry Lopez - Brisbane Whale Watching
Akyra Award for Employee of the Year
Courtney Dowling - Wild Cherry Events
Karen Naylor - Sesame Lane Care & Kindergarten
Kym Lewis - Lillybrook Dental Surgery
Liam Mellor - Northshore Pet Resort
Winner: Tracy Johnson - SRJ Walker Wayland Pty Ltd
Think2Be Award for Entrepreneur of the Year
Barbara Armstrong - Sweet Peanuts
Daniel Nixon – ONETIME
Dr Selena Fisk - Selena Mary Fisk
James Sullivan - Chilli Coffee Pty Ltd
Winner: Ellie Bakker - Splice Marketing