THE Yorkshire Post Excellence in Business Awards have been hailed as a triumph. The prestigious ceremony was a celebration of the best companies in this enterprising region.
Click here to view a photo gallery from the evening »More than 400 people, including leading industrialists and the most promising new businessmen and women, attended the event in Leeds.
They heard a keynote speech by David Cameron, the leader of the Conservative Party, who praised Yorkshire's diverse economy and said manufacturing could lead Britain to recovery.
They applauded Sir Ken Morrison, who was named winner of the Yorkshire Post Individual Award for Excellence.
He gave the audience some advice for dealing with an economic downturn. Sir Ken said: "You have to get your head down, batten down the hatches and get a grip on costs. We have been spending 10 years' earnings in one year and we are going to have to pay for that.
"We have got to keep Britain's place in the world and Yorkshire's place so let's get cracking on that. Things will be tough. There will be survivors. There is a lot to play for."
Declan Curry, the presenter of BBC's Working Lunch, was master of ceremonies at the event on Friday evening.
Tom Riordan, the chief executive of regional development agency Yorkshire Forward, presented the award for Young Business of the Year.
He said in his speech: "It's great that we are here celebrating what's best about business in Yorkshire. We hide our light under a bushel and then hide the bushel.
"Yorkshire has grown and beaten Europe's growth rates seven years in a row and the reason is you lot: you put your futures on the line to create businesses that create wealth.
"If Sir Ken Morrison, as an example, had relied on City traders and analysts rather than his own judgment about his supermarket then he would have packed up 30 years ago.
"He was the one who stood out, and said he would do it his way, and look at how successful he was.
"You all know how good your businesses are. We have a bigger economy than we ever have had – it's more diverse and we are better placed to weather storm."
He said the future for Halifax Bank of Scotland and Bradford & Bingley may look bleak, but he urged the crowd to remember that Yorkshire has a highly skilled workforce of 100,000 people in the financial services sector and the region has lower operating and living costs than all competitors.
"There is no reason why in a year's time we cannot be recognised as the UK and European hub of mortgage processing, retail banking and personal finance advice and home to one of the world's biggest lenders."
The Editor of the Yorkshire Post, Peter Charlton, said the awards encourage all businesses in Yorkshire to raise the bar and strive to be the brightest and the best.
"After just three years, the awards are already recognised as the premier accolade for commerce in Yorkshire – a prize that is valued and envied. As a consequence, entries this year have doubled to more than 200.
"The judges rate the quality of them as the best yet. Every shortlisted company is a leader in its own field, worthy of our respect and our recognition."
At the end of the night, Sir Ken Morrison said: "Let's keep plugging away at Yorkshire. It is so important to everybody. Thank you very much for a lovely evening."
Yorkshire Post Excellence In Business Awards...
Results in fullYoung Business of the Year Winner: Endless LLP, Leeds
Nominated: St George's Crypt Create, Leeds; Strawberry Recruitment Solutions, Bradford.
Companies with a turnover under £10m Winner: EnviroVent, Harrogate
Nominated: Naylor Concrete Products, Barnsley; Robinson & Sawdon, Hull.
Companies with a turnover between £10m and £50mWinner: Masternaut Three X, Leeds
Nominated: thebigwordGroup, Leeds; Strategic Team Group, Castleford.
Companies with a turnover above £50mWinner: Sheffield Forgemasters International, Sheffield
Nominated: AES Engineering Limited, Rotherham; Turner and Townsend, Leeds.
University spin-outWinner: Graduates Yorkshire, Leeds
Nominated: Image Analysis, Leeds; Nonwovens Innovation and Research Institute Ltd, Leeds; Tissue Regenix, Leeds.
Exporter of the YearWinner: Pace, Saltaire
Nominated: Mamas and Papas, Huddersfield; Naylor Drainage Ltd, Barnsley.
Innovation of the YearWinner: Simcyp, Sheffield
Nominated: SurfaceSkins, Leeds; Vocalink, Harrogate.
Project of the YearWinner: Dalby Forest
Nominated: Richmond Station; York Racecourse.
Best Company To Work For (judged by Bradford University School of Management)Winner: Elmwood, Leeds
Nominated: Arena Group, Wakefield; Leeds Cricket, Football and Athletic Co Ltd, Leeds; Stephen George and Partners, Leeds; WorldEvents, Cleckheaton.
Individual Award for ExcellenceSir Ken Morrison
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