Sponsors of Gympie Business Awards to support local businesses

Nominations for the 2022 Gympie Chamber of Commerce Business Awards are officially open. Sponsors of this year’s awards gathered at the iconic Rattler station to celebrate the opening of the highly anticipated event on Wednesday.

The Gympie business community gathered at the iconic Mary Valley Rattler Station on Wednesday to acknowledge the sponsors of the 2022 Gympie Chamber of Commerce Business Awards.

The annual awards are a chance to show support for Gympie’s businesses and encourage our locals in times of natural disasters, the pandemic, rising interest rates and many other influences, the Gympie Chamber of Commerce said in a press release.

The winner of the 2021 Customer Service Hero Award, Murray Benton from Community Action Inc, spoke on Wednesday about the recent hardships for not only local businesses, but the community as a whole.

Mr Benton said the awards were a fundamental part of the business community and its identity, and encouraged all local businesses to get involved.

“Today is really about the sponsors. Without the generous sponsorship, these awards wouldn’t be possible,” Gympie Chamber of Commerce president Petra van Beek said on Wednesday.

(Back, left to right): Mayor Glen Hartwig representing Gympie Regional Council, Jeremy Mansell representing HQ Plantations, Jaimie Skiller representing Century 21 Platinum Agents, Rens Poels representing Bendigo Bank, Mel Gastigar representing Century 21 Platinum Agents, Matt Keable representing The Real Body Movement, Murray Benton as the winner of the 2021 Customer Service Hero Award.
(Front, left to right): Jorina Maureschat representing Gympie Times, Lesa Bell representing Jobmatch Employment Services, Shaun Ward representing Carbon Group, Angeline Medland representing University of the Sunshine Coast, Fiona Keable representing The Real Body Movement.

This year’s Major Sponsor is HQ Plantations Pty Ltd, one of the largest plantation growers in Australia.

Jeremy Mansell from HQ Plantations Pty Ltd said the awards were a great opportunity to support local businesses.

HQ Plantations has many Gympie based suppliers and looks forward to supporting their partnered businesses and giving back to the community, Mr Mansell said.

The Gympie Business Awards already have 84 entries.

This year’s “Let’s do the Local-Motion” Awards night will be held at the Mary Valley Rattler Station on Saturday, October 22.

From lights and glamour to a black-tie formal dinner, the Gympie Chamber of Commerce says this will be the “night of all nights”.

Nominations for the awards will be open until July 27. The People’s Choice Award will be open for nominations once the finalists are announced.

See the sponsors of the 2022 Business Awards:

Bendigo Bank – Business of the Year Award

Carbon Group – Small Business of the Year

Jobmatch Employment Agency – New Business of the Year

Century Platinum Agents – Construction Business of the Year

Gympie Regional Council – Tourism Business of the Year

The Gympie Times – Marketing Campaign of the Year

TAFE Queensland – Workplace of Choice

The Real Body Movement – Customer Service Hero

University of the Sunshine Coast – Business Innovation Award

Yamba Realty – Not for Profit Business of the Year

Gympie Mazda – People’s Choice Award