Powercor Australia sponsored the major award and regional asset manager Ian Gillingham presented it at a gala dinner at the All Seasons Quality Resort last night.

McKern Steel is a regional Victorian business supplying many of the state’s highest-profile residential building firms.

Gallery: Bendigo Business Excellence Awards

The company has also set up a foundation providing funding to not-for-profit programs and has long been associated with sponsorship of community groups.

The company also took out the category of manufacturing and industrial.

The business excellence awards have been conducted and managed since 1994 by the Rotary Club of Bendigo Sandhurst.

The awards aim to encourage businesses and individuals within the City of Greater Bendigo to strive for excellence and to acknowledge businesses that achieve that standard.

In all categories, winners were:

Retail - UFS Pharmacies

Service Professional – Dungey Carter Ketterer Pty Ltd

Trade and other Services – Tony Blanchard, Master Farriers

Manufacturing and Industrial – McKern Steel

Local Outlet, Franchise or Buying Group – Subway Bendigo Marketplace

Small Business (1 to 10 employees) – Design Experts

Not-for-Profit/Communit y Service Organisation – City of Greater Bendigo customer service team

New Business (less than 3 years) – Punches in Bunches

Employee of the Year – Cristina Mazzarino

Trainee/Apprentice of the Year – Sean Watson

Environmental – Roger King’s Super IGA Eaglehawk

Business of the Year – McKern Steel