A number of West Gippsland businesses are amongst the finalists of the 2024 Gippsland Business Awards.
A diverse group of 46 businesses from across Gippsland have been announced in this year's awards.
Awards committee chairperson Graeme Sennett expressed his admiration for the owners and operators of the array of entrants that have entered the competition
to become this year's finalists.
"The variety of finalists has once again left us in awe," Mr Sennett said. "Entries from all corners of Gippsland demonstrate that our small to medium-sized businesses continue to establish themselves as industry leaders."
The categories include accommodation, beauty and personal care, business and professional services, food and wine producers, health and wellbeing, hospitality, innovation, manufacturing, mechanical trades and construction, new business, retail, and tourism activities and attractions.
West Gippsland finalists include:
Beauty and personal care - Many Faces Aesthetics (Warragul);
Business and professional services - Gippsland Cleaning and Maintenance (Trafalgar) and Mortgage Haven (Drouin);
Health and Wellbeing - Baw Baw Physio and Fitness (Drouin) and Imaging Associates (Drouin);
Hospitality - Messmates (Warragul);
Innovation - REDfusion Studios (Drouin);
Manufacturing - Plasgain (Drouin);
Mechanical trades and construction - Captain Zap Electricians (Warragul), Habitat Creations Group (Yarragon) and Hotondo Homes Warragul;
New business - Effortless Conveyancing (Shady Creek) and Valley View Food (Warragul);
Retail - Jenkins Home Hardware (Trafalgar).
The category winners will be revealed at the grand gala presentation event on Friday, August 30, at Federation University's Gippsland campus in Churchill. The Gippsland Business of the Year will be selected from the category winners and announced at the ceremony.
"The judging process was once again challenging due to the high standard of entries," Mr Sennett said.
He also recognised the many excellent entrants who did not make it to the finals. "They embody a robust and expanding business community in Gippsland, and we strongly encourage them to participate again in the future."
Mr Sennett said this year marked the 26th year of the awards. "We take pride in having been able to acknowledge the efforts and hard work of so many, as we have celebrated business excellence in Gippsland for over a quarter of a century."
"We look forward to recognising and honouring all our finalists at our awards evening, Gippsland's premier business event," he said.