Welcome
Ipswich Building Society has taken top honours at the 2009 Anglian Business Awards.
The society, whose mutual status has helped it to buck the trend in the hard-pressed financial sector over the past year, won the Medium to Large Business of the Year award and beat off competition from 14 other category winners to claim the overall Business of the Year title.
The awards, organised by the East Anglian Daily Times and supported this year by Choose Suffolk as main sponsor, were held at Trinity Park, Ipswich, and attracted an audience of around 320 people from across the regional business community.
Welcoming guests to the event, EADT editor Terry Hunt congratulated all the finalists on the success they had achieved despite the tough economic climate, and thanked Choose Suffolk and the line-up of category sponsors for their support.
The Small Business of the Year, and runner-up for the overall award, was film and video production company Bruizer while the Start-Up Business of the Year title went to recruitment firm @work.
The International Trade award, and third place overall, went to logistics provider Morrison Freight, with ingredients company Omega winning the Innovation & Technology category and research, marketing and design firm Mackman recognised for Outstanding Customer Service.
Architects firm The Johns Practice won the Marketing award, live-in care agency Christies Care took the honours for Training & Development and theatre company Red Rose Chain was named Not-for-Profit Business of the Year.
Diversified rural business Bunting & Sons won the Rural Business category, Otley College claimed the award for Community Involvement and Adnams Hotels carried off the Environment award.
Of the two individual awards, the Entrepreneur of the Year title was won by Joanne Searle of East Suffolk Mind while the Young Business Person of the Year accolade went to Simon Doidge of Passion Automotive.
A special award presented as part of Suffolk Chamber’s Year of Skills campaign went to The Hearing Care Centre, which runs a network of centres for people with hearing problems.
The awards ceremony was hosted by ITV weather presenter Becky Mantin, and also included entertainment from mind reader Graham Jolley and a prize draw in support of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices.
2009 winners
Click here to see who took the top titles at this years awards
