Inbox: Exporters’ champion recognised

Sir Ken Stevens lifelong service to business, and in particular the export sector, has been recognised in his receipt of the inaugural Exporters Champion award for exemplary services to export at the Air New Zealand Cargo ExportNZ Auckland Awards 2012.
A ‘this is your life’ presentation at the awards acknowledged Sir Ken’s contribution to New Zealand business since starting and growing his own company (Glidepath) in his late 20s. Sir Ken was New Zealand 2007 Export Champion and knighted the following year for services to export. Since then he has led trade missions to China, Vietnam and Malaysia, and addressed many events to encourage businesses and inspire students.
Export NZ Auckland says the award “acknowledges Sir Ken’s ongoing service to business from exporters themselves, who know how hard life of business travel can be on families, and how resilient and generous Ken himself always is”.
Company winners at the awards were:
• Supreme Award and Winner of the Westpac Exporter of the Year Award 2012 (total sales over $35 million): Temperzone, which designs and manufactures air conditioning systems for commercial, industrial and residential applications.
• QBE Insurance Exporter of the Year (total sales under $35 million): Canary Enterprises, which manufactures value-add dairy and associated products.
• TNT Express Emerging Exporter of the Year: Madeblunt, which designs and markets innovative umbrellas.
• Endace Hi-Tech Exporter of the Year: Orion Health, software developer for the healthcare industry.
• Baldwins Intellectual Property Best Use of Commercialisation of Innovation: ENSID Technologies, global pioneer of polymer RFID (radio frequency identification) transponder tracking tags.
• BDO Deal of the Year: Compac Sorting Equipment, which designs and builds turnkey solutions and equipment for fruit sorting and packing. M