The Waikato Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce Foster Construction Group as the new primary sponsor for the upcoming 2021 Business Awards which officially open for entry today.

The Chamber has long enjoyed a positive and productive relationship with Fosters who were previously the category sponsor of the Community Contribution Award.

Fosters will now be the sponsor for the Supreme Award category and the event will be renamed the Waikato Chamber of Commerce Business Awards supported by Foster Construction Group.

Chamber CEO Don Good is excited by the new sponsorship. “We have always worked closely with Fosters and we think the relationship between them and ourselves is one that is beneficial for the Waikato region. Fosters has long been a vocal supporter of smaller businesses looking to make an impact in the business world and we are thrilled to have them on board as the primary sponsor for the Business Awards going forward.”

Founded in 1973 by Graham Foster and Graham Mallett, Foster Construction Group has been responsible for bringing some of the most prominent public and private commercial construction projects in the Waikato to life.

These include Claudelands Events Centre, Deloitte House, Genesis Energy offices and the current Union Square project. The Foster Construction Group have always prioritised healthy communities and aware of their responsibility in the Waikato community as a major employer.

This sponsorship is simply the next iteration of Fosters continued investment into the Waikato region. ”Fosters' purpose is Great Communities through Strong Foundation. One of the foundations of our community is the strength of Waikato business. When presented with the opportunity to serve the Waikato Chamber of Commerce Business Awards with sponsorship, we saw the alignment with Fosters' purpose. As a community, we need to celebrate success, and the awards do this well,” Leonard Gardner, CEO of the Foster Construction Group said.

This brings an end to the Awards sponsorship agreement between the Waikato Chamber of Commerce and Westpac NZ.

Westpac have been the primary sponsor of the Business Awards for the past 21 years and together with the Waikato Chamber of Commerce have built a strong reputation for the Awards to celebrate business achievement in the Waikato community.

“We are immensely grateful to Westpac for the relationship we have had with them over the years and for their assistance in growing the Business Awards into the event that it is today.

It is always sad when a great partnership comes to an end but at the same time exciting for the potential for new growth that Fosters will bring to the Awards.

We thank Westpac for their past investment in the Awards, and as we have several events planned with Westpac, they will continue to be active investors in our community,” said Don.

The Awards are open to any business based in Waikato, and there are categories for small to large businesses, in a range of fields including Service Excellence, Marketing & Social Media, and Community Contribution.

Interested applicants wanting more information and instructions on how to enter the Awards can do so by going to https://waikatochamber.co.nz/business-awards-2021/