By CASEY NEILL
NEXT year’s gala dinner will mark the 25th year of the Premier Regional Business Awards – and its last.
Greater Dandenong Chamber of Commerce held a 250-head event to hand out the 2014 awards last Wednesday 18 March.
Awards chairman James Sturgess announced that breakfasts held throughout the year ahead would celebrate Dandenong and what the awards had achieved, instead of announcing award nominees.
“I think the awards have served their purpose and there’s other ways that we still need to promote and highlight businesses in this region,” he said.
“This program that will run this year will be about the Premier Regional Business Awards.
“We will still introduce new businesses, but it will be looking back rather than looking forward.”
Mr Sturgess, who’s been involved with the awards since their inception, is aiming for a 500-plus gathering in early 2016 to wrap up the anniversary year.
“After 20 years we did a best of the best, and so after 25 years having a best of the best seemed a bit too soon,” he said.
“We might have to look at a different venue. We went to Crown Casino for our 20th. Anything’s possible.”
The chamber will continue its breakfast program in 2016 with a highlight on guest speakers and networking, and minus the awards component.
“We will still profile regional businesses,” Mr Sturgess said.
“But at this stage it’s not planned to have those as part of an awards program with a gala dinner at the end.
“We’ll still find a way to talk about what’s happening next.
“We pour a lot of money into the gala dinner each year, and it’s sort of redirecting that into the breakfast program.
“I think there’ll be things that happen that will fill that void.
“I would love the 25th anniversary of the awards to be a catalyst for what happens next.”
The first chamber breakfast for the year will be held at Sandown Greyhounds on 18 May.
