{"id":84872,"date":"2014-10-16T03:04:51","date_gmt":"2014-10-15T17:04:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=84872"},"modified":"2020-11-23T14:56:14","modified_gmt":"2020-11-23T04:56:14","slug":"2014-business-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2014\/10\/16\/2014-business-of-the-year\/","title":{"rendered":"2014 Business Of The Year"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The winners of the inaugural South Burnett “Business Of The Year” Award … Brett and Jacqui Irwin from Ollie’s Mower Service in Kingaroy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

October 16, 2014<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ollie’s Mower Service in Kingaroy has been named “Business Of The Year” at the inaugural South Burnett Business Excellence Awards.<\/p>\n

Owners Brett and Jacqui Irwin were presented with their trophy by Paul Francis, from sponsors Heritage Bank, at a gala awards ceremony organised by South Burnett Directions in the Kingaroy Town Hall on Wednesday night.<\/p>\n

The Business of the Year was selected from the winners of the small, medium and large business categories at the awards. Ollie’s were successful in the Small Business category,<\/p>\n

Compere for the night, John Carey, said Ollie’s Mower Service had a clear plan to grow their business through internet exposure, were continuously rationalising their product lines and were a strong supporter of future South Burnett generations by employing trainees and offering work experience opportunities to local high school students.<\/p>\n

The Medium Business category was won by Bill Hull Car Centre in Kingaroy, and the Large Business category by the Burnett Business Centre.<\/p>\n

Burnett Business Centre, which started in Nanango but has recently also opened an office in Kingaroy, has grown from a single practitioner in 1983 to a three-partner firm employing 32 staff.<\/p>\n

Best Start Up was ROOM Motels, which was recently rated by TripAdvisor as the number one motel in Kingaroy.<\/p>\n

The Best Start Up – Innovation Award went to Corey and Niki Goldie, managers of the Boondooma Dam Recreational Area. Their business started out as a small kayak business but has expanded over two years to managing three recreational areas in the South and North Burnett.<\/p>\n

Stanwell sponsored a ‘Distinguished Service Award” which was presented to a long-standing business community member.<\/p>\n

The popular winner was Earl Pratt, from Murgon, who has had a life-long association with the livestock industry as well as being heavily involved in the local community through the Murgon Show Society, St Joseph’s Catholic parish and the Murgon Dairy Museum.<\/p>\n

The Pratt family has been involved in the livestock agency business in the Burnett since 1946 when Earl’s father Basil started a small agency in Murgon. Earl joined the family business in 1954. He still plays a part in Pratt Agencies with his son Paul.<\/p>\n

Young Business Owner of the Year was James Giles, from James Giles Plumbing.<\/p>\n

Blackbutt Medical Centre received the People’s Choice Award for the business which received the highest number of votes from customers.<\/p>\n

“Jeff and Dr Daph Connor have not just set up a business, but have set up their home in the South Burnett,” John Carey said.<\/p>\n

“They ‘live here because they love it’ and that shows through in their customer service standards.”<\/p>\n

South Burnett mayor Wayne Kratzmann said the awards were the brainchild of South Burnett Directions but would not have happened without the sponsorship of the Heritage Community Branch at Nanango.<\/p>\n

He presented awards to outstanding businesses from five major South Burnett towns:<\/p>\n