Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards

2016 August Winners

Emerging Business Award Buzzword Buzzword is a results focused digital agency. The company helps small business to generate results using proven online marketing techniques. Buzzword offers simple to understand strategies at a small business price point. Launched in March 2013 by Jodi Brown and Phil Rice, the business now has four employees.
Family Business Award Gold Coast City Marina and Shipyard Gold Coast City Marina and Shipyard comprises a world-class marina, dry storage and shipyard facilities and 60 specialist on-site marine-related businesses. Owned by the Gay family, GCCM has in its 16 years become Australia most awarded marina and is the heart of the Gold Coast Marine Precinct at Coomera.
Manufacturing and Construction Award Keith's Quality Foods Keith's Quality Foods is a family-owned manufacturer of frozen food products that are sold nationally through thousands of food service operators and through retailers including CostCo and Woolworths. The company has a range of 16 products including the ever popular Dagwood Dogs. Owned by the de Jonge family, Keith's Quality Foods is celebrating 40 years in business.
Mayor's Innovation GC Award Family Fresh Family Fresh produces 18 lines of fresh ready-to-eat snack products. The company has supply contracts with Woolworths and Aldi and have designed an innovative method of packaging which has international patents pending. The packaging design will potentially lead the world in shelf-life extension of ready-to-eat fruit and vegetables. Family Fresh is also expanding into wheat-free, dairy free protein products to counteract the seasonality of its fruit and vegetable operations.
Retail, Wholesale and Distribution Award International Protein International Protein manufactures a range of quality sports nutrition, specialty vegan protein and high protein foods. The company was established in 2001 by professional women's bodybuilder and food scientist Christine Envall and marketing entrepreneur Troy Bremner. Their business has grown significantly throughout Australia and its products are now exported to 13 countries including the USA, Canada and the UK.
Tourism, Hospitality and Events Award Fish the Deep Fishing Charters Fish the Deep is a fishing charter operator that provides services to up to 7000 locals, tourists and school groups every year. The business was established in 1998 and was purchased by the van Burke family, who have trebled the business in that time. Fish the Deep's return business is so high that its charters are now booked out three months in advance.
Trades, Professions and Services Award AC-TEC Services AC-TEC Services specialises in air conditioning and refrigeration installation, servicing and maintenance in the industrial, commercial and residential sectors. Its customers include shopping centres, sporting clubs and high rise apartments buildings. AC-TEC also works with a number of property management groups and provide installation, service and maintenance services to a variety of small to large sized businesses.
Knowledge Management and IT Award Opmantek Opmantek is a developer of software in the field of IT Infrastructure Management. Opmantek's flagship product, NMIS, is an enterprise class, globally acknowledged network management platform. Around the globe, a new organisation implements an Opmantek product every six minutes, making the company Australia's largest supplier and exporter of business software by user base.
Environment and Sustainability Award Red White Group Red White Group is an award winning supplier of fresh and recycled water. Most recently the company has expanded into the Coatings Industry using advanced technology and products. RWG have completed refurbishment of fresh water channels and reservoirs that are crucial to the supply of fresh drinking water. The methods they use ensure the sustainability of our fresh water resources and our environment.
Health and Wellbeing Award POGO Physio POGO Physio is provider physiotherapy and related services. The POGO approach differs from the physiotherapy industry because they offer 'fixed-price unlimited access'. These programs are designed to achieve long lasting results, ultimately saving clients' money, reducing frustration and the amount of time clients are "side-lined". The business provides between 400 and 500 health care treatments to Gold Coasters each week. Between 150-250 new clients attend the practice each month.
Be My Guest Service Award Kacy Fortune - Oskars on Burleigh Oskars has been a highly respected name in dining on the Gold Coast for 33 years and with employees like Kacy Fortune the restaurant is set to stay that way. Kacy received over 20 nominations during the month of July. Some examples of the nominations include: "We had fantastic service from the first phone call. We had to cancel lunch due to work commitments but due to Kacy's great phone manner we decided to drive down from Brisbane for dinner. We were not disappointed, great food and great service." And "Kacy's service is top notch and the overall experience was exceptional."