The all-important judging day for the Express & Echo Business Awards 2017, has taken place and we can now announce the shortlist.
The panel tasked with selecting the finalists at the judging day, held at the Mercure Southgate Hotel, were Express & Echo Editor Jim Parker, Commercial Director at SWComms Jon Whiley, Exeter City Council Inward Investment Manager Maureen Gori de Murden, Managing Director - co-owner Barry Woodward from Vanguard and Exeter College Assistant Principal Jenny Leach.
Celebrity chef Michael Caines MBE, who has just opened the transformed Georgian Grade II listed luxury Lympstone Manor after an £8.5million refurbishment, judged the Tourism & Hospitality Business of the year category.
This year's award winners will be announced at a prestigious ceremony to be held at Sandy Park on Friday, May 12.
Guest speaker will be Mary Quicke, one of the most inspirational farmers in Britain, with a worldwide reputation for the quality of the traditional cheeses made on the family farm near Exeter.
Mary, who won the Lifetime Achievement Award at last year's glittering event, said she was "honoured" to return as guest speaker. She is the 14th generation of her family to run Home Farm at Newton St Cyres and the second generation to create award-winning cheese in the farm's dairy.
The headline sponsor for this year's Express and Echo Business Awards is South West Communications Group
Sponsors include Exeter College, Pavey Group, Walter C Parson, Kitsons, Clear Property, Vanguard, Devon County Council, Exeter City Council, Walter H Squires and Lympstone Manor.
The shortlist is as follows
Apprentice Employer of the Year:
Awcock Ward Partnership
Life Dental & Wellbeing
Stage Engage Ltd
City Centre Award
Bunyip Craft
Life Dental & Wellbeing
Morgan & Pope Solicitors
Purity Boutique Spa
Corporate Social Responsibility Award:
Clear Property Ltd
Home Instead Senior Care
Tyler Grange
Digital Business of the Year:
Bitpod
Custodian Solutions
Oneserve
Employer of the Year:
Awcock Ward Partnership
Devon Air Ambulance Trust
Exeter Golf & Country Club
Home Instead Senior Care
Tyler Grange
Entrepreneur of the Year:
DanSci Dance Studio
Intellitender Limited
The Bear Trail
Wellity
Excellence in Customer Service:
Autocare Services
Bluebird Care East Devon, Exeter & Exmouth
Exeter Golf & Country Club
Exeter Rugby Club
Excellence in Manufacturing:
Amtek Plastics UK Ltd
Hunter Stoves Ltd
Taste of Sidmouth
Fravocado
Innovation Award:
Bitpod
Bluebird Care East Devon, Exeter & Exmouth
Devon Air Ambulance Trust
Fravocado
Small Business of the Year:
Awcock Ward Partnership
Forest Produce Limited
Stage Engage Limited
TCS (CRO) LTD
The Jack in the Green
Tourism and Hospitality Business of the Year:
Exeter Cookery School
The Five Bells
Ladram Bay
Salutation Inn
Exeter Rugby Club
For tickets and other information call Sarah Charlton on 01392 346733, or email her at sarah.charlton@dc-media.co.uk .