TWENTY five years of celebrating business success in York and North Yorkshire was marked last night by more than 400 people at the silver anniversary Press Business Awards.
The black-tie event at York Racecourse saw 16 awards presented, recognising a variety of achievements across all areas of business, from export to technology, and family enterprise to links with higher education.
The event, which is one of the highlights on the York Business Week agenda, culminated in the presentation of the 2015 Press Business of the Year, which was awarded to MooD International.
The software developer, based at York Science Park, had previously won the Dare to Export category earlier in the evening, and topped the night by taking the top award before joining the other winners on stage under a sprinkling of silver confetti.
This year has already seen MooD win a hat-trick of royal recognition as it won its third Queen’s Award for Enterprise.
The firm provides a combination of software and consulting that allows large organisations to create models of their business to enable better management.
In recent years MooD solutions have been instrumental in delivering efficiency gains and saving of hundreds of millions of pounds to the British Government and to the economies of major enterprises. Around 100 organisations now run MooD software, with more than 5,000 licences sold.
Last night also saw the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement, a surprise award presented to an unsuspecting guest in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the region's economy.
The 2015 award was presented to Barry Dodd, chairman of the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership, and Lord Lieutenant for North Yorkshire.
Described by peers as a serial entrepreneur and wealth creator, the audience heard how Mr Dodd works throughout North Yorkshire to support business, promoting the region on a national and international level, as well as attracting, managing and distributing almost £240 million of Government and European funding to benefit the region’s economy.
But its Mr Dodd's commitment to voluntary public service that showed histrue passion and dedication to supporting business. Having sat on ten public and private boards in the last ten years Mr Dood has led on and been a voice for education, engineering, renewable energy, science, technology and funding.
A recipient of both an OBE and a CBE Mr Dodd's professionalism and commitment has long been recognised by royalty resulting in him last year being appointed the Queen’s representative for North Yorkshire.
The evening also featured guest speaker Lesley Batchelor OBE, director general for the Institute of Export, who lives in York, and earlier this year received an OBE for services to business.
For pictures and full reports from all 16 awards see Wednesday's Business & Jobs supplement.
The 2015 Press Business Awards Winners & Finalists:
Technology Business of the Year
Winner – Damson Audio
Finalists – Bytemark Hosting, PureNet
Small Business of the Year
Winner – Home Instead Senior Care
Finalists – Yorvale, DSL Global Freight
Dare to Export
Winner – MooD International
Finalists – Damson Audio, The London Deli Company
Family Business of the Year
Winner - Ged Bell Family Butchers
Finalists – Elcocks, Yorkshire Heart Vineyard & Brewery
Young Entrepreneur of the Year
Winner - Ashley Hyde
Finalists – Alexandra Atkinson, Bethan Vincent
Business Personality of the Year
Winner – Rachel Goddard
Finalists – Johnny Hayes, Andrea Ubhi
Best People Development Award
Winner – DE Ford Insurance Brokers
Finalists - Garbutt+Elliott, Young Discoverers
Best Sustainable Travel Initiative
Winner – University of York
Finalists - Portakabin, TSYS
Lifetime Achievement Award
Winner – Barry Dodd CBE
Best Business & Higher Education Link
Winner – 5th Wall
Finalists – Aptamer Group, The New School House Gallery
Corporate Investment Award
Winner – Finance Yorkshire
Finalists – One Stop Business Finance, Business Enterprise Fund
Retailer of the Year
Winner – PlasticBoxShop
Finalists – Hunters of Helmsley, Nought E Foods
Tourism & Hospitality Business of the Year
Winner – National Railway Museum
Finalists – Carr House Farm Bed and Breakfast, Monkbar Hotel
New Business of the Year
Winner – Podfit
Finalists - The Yorkshire Wagyu Company, The Yorkshire Meatball Co.
Large Business of the Year
Winner – Portakabin
Finalists – Green-tech, Simpson (York)
Overall Press Business of the Year
Winner – MooD International
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