Limerick Institute of Technology are the main sponsors of the 2021 Limerick Chamber Business Awards.
A defining time in the history of business in the Mid-West region will be marked on 19 November next when Limerick Chamber’s Regional Business Awards resume after a one-year COVID enforced hiatus.
President of LIT, Professor Vincent Cunnane, said the awards have never been timelier as they acknowledge businesses not just for their ongoing commercial success but their resilience during COVID.
“I don’t think there’s ever been a time when it has been more important to recognise the efforts and achievements of Mid-West organisations, given what people have experienced in this past 18 months.
LIT, soon to be Technological University of the Shannon Midlands Midwest, TUS, representing our new beginning, are delighted to be the main sponsor of the Limerick Chamber Regional Business Awards again this year. These awards acknowledge businesses that have not just survived but have adapted and thrived during the challenging times of the last two years. We have seen inspirational levels of resilience and ingenuity from organisations across the region.
“These awards recognise and reward business excellence, innovation, best practices and outstanding business performance. As LIT and AIT become a Technological University on 1st of Oct, we, like many organisations, have gone through a renewal, some of those changes have been involuntary such as the wearing of face masks and social distancing, but many, have been driven by us because of our shared vision of impactful collaboration, excellence in education, research and our spirit of innovation, entrepreneurship and community. We encourage all organisations to enter these awards this year. Celebrate your successes, share your story with your peers, acknowledge the loyalty of your customers and recognise your employees for their hard work and commitment. These awards are a great platform for businesses in the region. Best wishes to all the entrants.”
Limerick Chamber CEO Dee Ryan said, “I think we can be very proud of the resilience shown by our local business community over the past 18 months, I think it’s said an awful lot about the people of this region.”
In keeping with the theme of change, this year’s awards will take on a different format, with November’s event set to be a lunch-time affair and dispensing, for 2021, with the normal doubling up of the awards with the Chamber ‘President’s Dinner’.
In all, nine awards will be up for grabs, from the overall Limerick Chamber Business of the Year Award to a worthy overall winner, Best Business Pandemic Pivot Award, which will recognise the company that best altered course to successfully navigate the pandemic. Other awards include: Best Emerging Business, Best SME Business Contribution to the Region, Best Large Business Contribution to the Region, Best CSR: Contribution to the Region, Best Retail & Hospitality, Best Not or Profit and Best Employer.
This year’s judging panel is Chaired by Laura Conn, Deputy CEO of CPL, assisted by panel members Liam Woulfe, CEO of Grasslands Agro; Sean Lally, MD and Co-owner of Hotel Woodstock, Ennis; Paul Shelley, Business Adviser and Non-Executive Director and Tomas Sercovich, CEO, Business in the Community Ireland, with further judges to be added.
Continuing, Limerick Chamber CEO Dee Ryan said that the awards this year will be extra special. “There is always a huge build-up of excitement around our awards, which are the most important business awards programme across our region. But it’s fair to say that this year they will have even deeper meaning. It’s been such a traumatic time for people in business, a period of immense and sudden change. That so many have adapted so well is testament to the people in those businesses and, indeed, the solidarity shown across the region.
LIT's VP Research, Development and Innovation, Dr Liam Brown, who is also a director of Limerick Chamber said, "The chamber awards are very prestigious and I would encourage all companies to enter both from a media exposure and awareness raising perspective as well as recognise the amazing contributions that our companies make to our region."
The awards are now officially open for nominations, which can be made on Limerick Chamber’s website www.limerickchamber.ie.