Mangawhai artists group wins Northland business awards

 

While we tend to perceive business award winners to be multi-million dollar concerns, sometimes well-run community-based activities can prove every bit as successful even though not profit orientated. Such was the case as a Mangawhai business has taken out top honours in the recent Westpac Northland Business Excellence Awards.

Mangawhai Artists Inc entered three categories in the competition. Group chairperson Mary-Anne Boyd and committee member Wendy Leach attended the awards function. Not only were they surprised to be selected as finalists in all three categories but even more so at taking out top honours in two of them: the Ricoh Northland Excellence in Business Micro Business Award which demonstrates good business practice and future direction, and the Top Energy Best Not-For-Profit Organisation Award which acknowledges good governance. 

“It was quite a big decision to enter but it was a very helpful process,” said Mary-Anne Boyd. “It was good to get an external assessment and comments from the judges, and the awards are an endorsement of our policies and governance and how we can continue doing a good job for our members. All the committee contributed,” she said. 

The Mangawhai Artists Inc has now grown to over 160 members with the Mangawhai Village art centre holding regular fortnightly art exhibitions and workshops, and website and social media reports which encompass the whole community.

In speaking to the judges Wendy Leach said “they were both impressed by our enthusiasm and the way we worked together as a body and as a strong, enthusiastic and committed group. They had both decided individually that we were winners which was very heartening.”

From left, Wendy Leach, Mary-Anne Boyd and awards judge Graham Billings.