Tag Archives: Awards

Yorkshire Family Firms Encouraged To Enter Prestigious Awards

Nominations are now open for the Family Business of the Year Awards 2023 which are organised by Family Business United.

This sees the start of the process to becoming a winner and taking home one of these coveted national awards. These prestigious awards have been won over the years by family firms the length and breadth of the UK, large and small and for all sectors of the economy. They really do reflect the depth and diversity of family firms across the UK. There have been plenty of Yorkshire winners over the years, winners of the Yorkshire region but also some of the category awards and national titles including Arco, Econ Engineering, Potter Group and Bagnalls.

Family business can enter themselves or be nominated using the simple form here

As Paul Andrews, founder of FBU and organiser of these prestigious awards explains, “Each year it is an honour to celebrate with some of the very best of British family firms. The quality and calibre of the finalists each year is incredible and it is a pleasure to champion the sector and to celebrate the collective contribution that family firms make in terms of jobs provided, income generated and wealth created.”

“It is a vibrant and entrepreneurial sector with organisations that are full of pride, passion and determination to succeed. These awards are a highlight of the family business calendar and each year crowns some great winners in regional, sector and national categories. Winners over the years have come from all sectors, size of business and generation too. The evening culminates in the crowning of a Supreme Champion which is always a difficult decision. Furniture Village, the national furniture retailer, are the current holders but we are excited to see who will take the Supreme Champion title in 2023.”

Family businesses can enter themselves or be nominated for an award here The deadline for entries is November 30, 2022 and the awards culminate in a gala evening in June 2023.

Personal Trainer From York Wins Award

Personal trainer and business consultant Martin Sharp has won a prestigious award for helping others brush up their public speaking skills.

The 46-year-old from York helps busy and overweight entrepreneurs, consultants and business owners improve their lifestyle so they feel happier and more confident. Alongside this, Martin is also an award-winning public speaker and trains others so they can improve their presentation skills and share their important messages with the world.

His efforts have now been recognised by the Professional Speakers Academy (PSA), which gave him the Members Choice Award at its annual gala in London. The award is voted for by members and is given to the person they think has been the most supportive of others over the last 12 months.

Martin said: “When my name was announced by the founder of PSA and world-renowned speaker trainer Andy Harrington, I was shocked. I didn’t expect to win.”

“I feel happy that I’ve helped so many amazing business owners and consultants improve their presentation skills along with their health and lifestyle. I’m incredibly honoured to have been voted for my members and I’m looking forward to continuing to help more amazing speakers get their positive and powerful messages of hope, help and higher achievement in the years ahead.”

The Professional Speakers Academy (PSA) annual awards were held on Sunday, September 25 and aim to recognise the achievements of entrepreneurs and coaches who have embraced public speaking and used it to make sales and achieve business success. The ceremony, at Under The Bridge, a stylish venue at Chelsea Football Club, was attended by around 180 people and more than 50 awards were given out.

It was the first time in three years that the awards ceremony had been held as an in-person event due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Martin began his career in IT and worked as an enterprise architect business consultant for more than 20 years helping major corporations with large scale changes. But his high-flying executive lifestyle saw him pile on the pounds and at 44, he decided to make a major life change and become a personal trainer and online health and fitness coach.

ECON’s Finance Director In Running For Two Awards

Beverley Shepherd is nominated for Northern Finance Director of the Year – Leadership, and Best Northern Finance Director of a Limited Company £25m – £100m, a title she won four years ago

Bev began her career at Ripon-based Econ Engineering in 2014 as its Company Accountant before being promoted to Finance Director three years later.

Family-owned and operated Econ manufactures eight out of ten of the UK’s winter road maintenance vehicles, employs a workforce of just under 250 and this year opened a new, £7m engineering hub at Sowerby, near Thirsk.

Beverley said: “It is an honour to be shortlisted for these awards. The interview panel was easy to talk to and it was a good chance as a candidate to reflect on the work I’ve achieved over the last year. Congratulations to all the other finalists and I am looking forward to the final in September.”

Econ Engineering’s Executive Director Jonathan Lupton said: “Bev is a highly-valued and respected member of our senior leadership team. Being shortlisted for two Northern Finance Director of the Year awards is a testament to the outstanding contribution she makes to our business.”

The Northern Finance Director Awards recognise and celebrate the exceptional talent of finance directors and their teams across the North of England.

The Northern Finance Director Awards embrace all that is brilliant about finance directors, who are often the unsung heroes of any business. Traditionally responsible for sustaining business continuity and managing cash flow, the modern finance director now exhibits creative thinking and strategic influence, as well as demonstrating leadership.

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony and dinner in September.