DYNAMIC businessman Christopher Garnett, chief executive of GNER will be the guest speaker at the 2002 Evening Press Business of the Year Awards.

He will address finalists at the glittering awards ceremony at the Merchant Adventurers Hall, York, on Thursday November 21.

Mr Garnett who has steered the fate of many giant enterprises believes in the power of business awards.

That is proved by GNER's sponsorship yet again of the Progress Through People category in the Evening Press awards which in 11 years have become the most prestigious of their kind in the region.

His business understanding is huge and not confined to the transport industry.

After his education at Westminster School, he joined Dunlop Ltd, then worked for Unigate Ltd, rising to operations director. He was chief executive of Partco Ltd, the UK motor spare parts company for two years until 1986, when he became Continental sector director of Sealink, the major UK ferry company.

After Stena AB took over this part of Sealink in 1990, he joined Eurotunnel's sales and marketing strategies during the construction and launch of the Channel Tunnel for the "Le Shuttle" freight and car services.

He rejoined Sea Containers Ltd in 1995 and led the successful bid for the InterCity East Coast franchise, becoming its chief executive on the transfer of the company in late April 1996.

Married with three children, the family lives in Putney, London.

Meanwhile, new entries for the 2002 Evening Press Business of the Year Awards are pouring in every day.

GNER's category is one of eight on offer. The other seven category sponsors are themselves some of the biggest names in business in North and East Yorkshire.

They are The Federation of Small Businesses (Small Business of the Year); the York and North Yorkshire Export Forum (Exporter of the Year); Denison Till solicitors of York (Best Environmental Company); Kingston inbusiness (Growth Business of the Year); chartered accountants and business advisers Garbutt & Elliott (Business Personality of the Year); solicitors' practice Harrowell Shaftoe (Use of New Technology) and DE Ford Insurance Broker (New Business of the Year).

Ready to enter? Then beam in on our competition website at www.epbusinessawards2002.co.uk, choose up to two of eight categories and tell your story in up to 2,500 words which you can cut and paste into the interactive entry form. Then hit the Submit button.

Or, if you would prefer a hard copy of the entry form, contact Sky Ferrey, Evening Press Business Awards 2002, PO Box 29, 76/86 Walmgate, York YO19YN, telephone 01904 653051 or e-mail sky.ferrey@ycp.co.uk

Updated: 09:09 Tuesday, July 30, 2002