Henderson Retail, one of Northern Ireland’s largest private sector companies, lifted the top award at last night’s NIE Networks Business Eye Family Business Awards in association with Harbinson Mulholland.
The inaugural event, aimed at Northern Ireland’s vital family-owned business sector, took place at the Culloden Estate & Spa in front of an audience of more than 400 guests.
Henderson Retail was named Family Business Of The Year at the new awards, but the list of winners on the night reflects the strength and depth of a sector which accounts for some 330,000 jobs around Northern Ireland.
The company also won the Large Business section of the Retail Business Of The Year Award with Menarys taking the Small/Medium-Sized award on the night.
Belfast-based IT services firm Nimbus lifted the Service Sector Excellence Award while the CSR Award went to prolific charity supporters and local house builders, Hagan Homes.
The award for Emerging Family Business of the Year went to Portadown-based craft beer producers McCracken’s Brewery, whilst the Hospitality & Tourism category was won by fast-expanding coffee and food chain Bob & Berts.
In the important Employer of the Year category, the two winners were local design agency Whitenoise and the McKeever Hotel Group, owners of properties including the Dunadry Hotel & Gardens and Corrs Corner Hotel.
The Manufacturing Excellence Award, meanwhile, went to Kilkeel’s Copes Technologies in the SME division and to Edge Innovate, based in Dungannon, amongst the larger companies.
“We’ve felt for some time that there was space, and demand, for dedicated awards aimed at the family business sector here in Northern Ireland and we’re delighted to have been able to launch this new set of awards,” says Brenda Buckley of Business Eye, the company behind the annual AIB Business Eye Awards which take place in November.
“But we were particularly pleased to see a really big, high quality entry for the first year of the awards and to be able to welcome more than 400 guests to the Culloden Estate & Spa for a memorable evening celebrating the very best of family business here.”
Full list Of Winners:
Retail Family Business of The Year
SME Winner: Menarys
Large Company Winner: Henderson Retail
Service Sector Excellence Award
Highly Commended: Workpal
Winner: Nimbus
CSR Family Business of The Year
Winner: Hagan Homes
Emerging Family Business of The Year
Winner: McCracken’s Brewery
Food & Drink Family Business of The Year
SME Winner: Fish City
Large Company Winner: TS Foods
Hospitality & Tourism Family Business of The Year
Winner: Bob & Berts
Next Generation Family Business Leader
SME Winner: Shona Mulholland (John Mulholland Motors)
Large Company Winner: Alan Mercer (Hillmount)
Most Innovative Family Business of The Year
SME Winner: Environmental Street Furniture
Large Company Winner: Energystore
Employer of The Year
Highly Commended: Industry Training Services
SME Winner: Whitenoise
Large Company Winner: McKeever Hotel Group
Construction & Property Family Business of The Year
Highly Commended: McGinnis Group
Winner: M&M Contractors
Manufacturing Excellence Award
SME Winner: Copas Technologies
Large Company Winner: Edge Innovate
Fastest Growing Family Business of The Year
Winner: Shelbourne Motors
Family Business Legacy Award
Highly Commended: Safe Gas NI
Winner: Diamond Systems
Family Business of The Year Award
Highly Commended: Uform
Highly Commended: AG Paving & Building Products
Winner: Henderson Retail