MAKING the shortlist for the best medium-sized business in the 2009 Guernsey Awards for Achievement has topped off a great year for three companies.
Network Insurance, Schroders and Vets4Pets have each been nominated for the BWCI–sponsored award, which one of them will collect at February’s gala evening.
Network Insurance director June Goater (pictured) said being shortlisted had come as a complete surprise for the family-run business she owns with husband Douglas.
‘We know a few of the companies that didn’t make it so it surprised us that we did, but we are so pleased to have got there.
‘We’ve owned the business for only three-and-a-half years so we are over the moon.’
The Weighbridge-based firm has 16 staff and has enjoyed a terrific 2009, according to Mrs Goater.
‘While a lot of people have been watching and standing still, we have started off two new parts of the business and doubled our profits.
‘Because of that, we thought if we were ever going to have a chance of winning it would be this year.’
She said the additional parts of the business – Network Securities, headed by son Oliver, and Network Financial Solutions, run by Conor Burke – had performed brilliantly during 2009.
‘Conor has done really well on the mortgage side despite the challenging climate, so much so that we took someone else on to help him and will be employing another person soon to help with administration.’
At Vets4Pets, the nomination has coincided with the opening of its 50th practice, this time in Kettering.
It currently has 51 across Britain, including one in Guernsey, with plans to open one new practice per month for the next 12 months.
Managing director Peter Watson said the nomination meant a lot and represented a real turning point for the business.
‘Ever since the company was founded here in 2001 we’ve been completely focused on off-island growth, so islanders may well be unaware of what we do as a group.
‘For us, this nomination is an opportunity to showcase our achievements within the local community and a formal recognition of the outstanding contribution made by every member of the Vets4Pets team over the past eight years.’
The group employs just under 400 people across the country, including 53 joint venture partners and 54 support staff, of whom 33 are in the national support centre based in St Martin’s.
The rest work in the operations support centre in Nottingham.
‘We have a clear sense of direction and strategy for growth, so we know where we want to get to and are on track to achieve that.
‘Our open management style has also contributed towards our success as it encourages all staff to make a difference.
Schroders chief executive Julian Winser was similarly delighted with making the shortlist.
He said it was a fantastic achievement for the 32 staff the business employs in Guernsey after another hard-working but successful year.
He hoped the company was chosen as a result of it being able to demonstrate that it did everything it claimed to do.
‘At the core of our working ethos is a recognition of the vital links between our clients, their families, the community and our own people brought together by our ability to both listen and communicate.
‘We try to draw together families, the community and entrepreneurialism under our five values of integrity, innovation, passion, excellence and teamwork.’
The winner of the best medium business prize will then go head-to-head on the night of the gala evening with the respective winners of the best small and best large-sized businesses to be crowned Guernsey business of the year.
Article posted on 29th December, 2009 - 2.30pm
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