Yorkshire entrepreneurs shortlisted for major award
SOME of the region’s most innovative business leaders have been shortlisted for an award which showcases Britain’s entrepreneurial talent.
Ernst & Young has announced the finalists for its Entrepreneur Of The Year Award and Yorkshire will be represented by 15 companies.
The short-listed companies are among 44 contenders from across the North of England, all competing for the title North Entrepreneur Of The Year.
The Yorkshire finalists include Martin Fojt and John Peters – founders of Emerald Group Publishing based in Bingley, Bradford.
The group publishes management research in more than 200 journals in print and electronic format to the academia, public and corporate sectors worldwide.
Other Yorkshire finalists include Andrew Cope from vehicle support services provider Zenith, Martin Port from mobile resource management specialist Masternaught and Mark Abrahams from Fenner, whose main business is heavyweight conveyor belting for the coal and power generation industries.
Winners will be announced at the North region awards banquet on June 10 at Manchester’s Hilton Hotel, in 10 categories ranging from Business to Consumer to Young Entrepreneur Of The Year.
Senior partner Phillip Hilling at Ernst & Young in Leeds said: “The calibre of entrants is outstanding this year. It seems the current economic climate is not discouraging Yorkshire business men and women to shout about their success. We have particularly been impressed by the number of young entrepreneurs that have entered this year, who have already established successful, fast growth businesses so early on in their careers – a great sign for the Yorkshire economy.”
The Entrepreneur of the Year awards programme has been running for 10 years in the UK and has recognised the achievements of some of Yorkshire’s finest business men and women including Chris Rea of AES Engineering, Emma Harrison of A4e Group and Assem Allam of Allam Marine.
Martin Penny, managing director of Silsden-based Jemella Group, will sit on this year’s independent judging panel.
Mr Penny took the North Entrepreneur Of The Year title in 2005 and went on to be honoured as one of the UK’s leading entrepreneurs at the UK Entrepreneur of the Year finals in London, where he was crowned national Consumer Products Entrepreneur of the Year 2005.
Other judges include James Newman, chairman of Straight; Simon Nixon, managing director of Moneysupermarket.com; Dylan Thwaites, chief execuitive of Latitude Group; and Gary Jacobson, managing director of Bifold Fluidpower.
The other Yorkshire finalists include:
Scott Hough; Direct Group based in Doncaster. The business provides insurance solutions and services to the UK financial services marketplace.
Barry Whittles; Just Car Clinics Group based in Goole, East Yorkshire. Specialist Collision damage repairers to cars, vans and motorcycles for motor vehicle insurers.
David Kilburn; MKM Building Supplies, specialist builders merchants based in Hull.
Gary Parker; Integra Buildings based in Burstwick, Hull. The company designs and manufactures portable and permanent prefabricated and modular building systems.
Dieno George; Thornton & Ross based in Huddersfield. The business develops, manufactures and markets pharmaceutical and household cleaning products, including well-known brands such as Hedrin.
James Mosley; Trojan Plastics; based in Huddersfield. A manufacturer of acrylic bathroom products, including baths, bath panels and shower trays.
Gavin Wheeldon; Applied Language Solutions. A language services provider based in Huddersfield.
John Hayward; Pressure Technologies based in Sheffield. Manufacturers of high pressure seamless steel cylinders for the oil and gas, industrial gases and defence sectors.
Joe Connolly; Esteem Holdings, a IT services provider based in Wetherby.
Stuart Paver; Pavers based in York. Pavers retails branded and own branded footwear in the UK and Ireland.
