Chamber awards to recognise young talent

The Bay's future business leaders will gather in Tauranga tonight for the fourth annual Rocket! Young Read Woudberg Awards.

Hosted by Tauranga Chamber of Commerce, the awards aim to recognise young, talented innovators, employees and business owners in the Western Bay.

Award winners will be announced at the Rocket! Young Professionals Ball which will be held for the first time this year at Bella Vista Lodge in rural Ohauiti.

The awards will be hosted by award-winning New Zealand comedian Cory Gonzalez-Macuer.

The awards include Ballance AgriNutrients Young Innovator of the Year and Young Read Woudberg Business Owner of the Year.

Tauranga Chamber of Commerce representative Anne Pankhurst said this year a more robust judging process was carried out by local business people Eric Woudberg of Young Read Woudberg; Paul Brljevich of Tabak Business Sales; Phil van Syp of 1st Call Recruitment and Aaron Stafford of Ballance AgriNutrients.

Ms Pankhurst said she hoped the awards would grow into a celebration and recognition of the region's talented young people.

"These young business people have a great future and will certainly add to the Bay's economic outlook," she said.

Details and photos will be printed in Monday's Bay of Plenty Times.