COMBER woman Tracy Hamilton, head of food firm Mash Direct, scooped the night's top accolade at the fifth Women in Business Awards.
Eleven other trophies were handed out on a night of glitz, glamour and high entertainment at the Culloden & Spa, attended by 400 women and men from the north's business community.
Tracy was named Outstanding Businesswoman of the Year at the event on Thursday which celebrates the significant contribution to the economy made by female entrepreneurs and women-led businesses in Northern Ireland.
Along with her fifth generation farmer husband, her enthusiasm and drive have been pivotal to the company evolving from a modest cottage-style business, initially created to add value to the farm’s own raw materials, into to a sophisticated world class food company with a turnover of £12 million and a staff of more than 120.
With an unerring attention to detail, she has been in the field, sometimes quite literally, as the company has scooped award after award in recent years, and also figured on the winners' list in the Guild of Fine Food Great Taste Awards.
Tracy is also Visiting Professor at the Ulster University, a board member of Northern Ireland Food and Drink and a committee member of the Irish Tree Society and Northern Ireland Heritage Gardens.
She is also a international dendrologist (an expert in trees and shrubs) as well as a keen bee-keeper.
Women in Business chief executive Roseann Kelly said: “These awards are a prestigious event in the local business and social calendar when we acknowledge and celebrate the determination, success and contributions of women from the business community across Northern Ireland.
“The Culloden was awash with inspirational women, from our guest Madam Justice McBride to each of our very worthy finalists – such fantastic role models not just for females in business but for the business community as a whole."
She added: “Indeed everyone in the room tonight should be proud of the role they play and contribution they make, no matter how big or small, to Northern Ireland’s economy.
"These awards are all about shining a light on their achievements and encouraging the next generation of female business women to be just as inspired and successful.”
The judging panel for this year's awards comprised Ellvena Graham (chair, NI Economic Advisory Group), Evelyn Collins (chief executive, Equality Commission for NI), Maureen Murphy (managing director, Aurion Learning), Roseann Kelly (chief executive, Women in Business), Kate Marshall (chair, Women in Business) and Gary McDonald (business editor, Irish News).
The winners of the 2015 Women in Business Awards are:
:: Award for Advancing Diversity in the Workplace (sponsored by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland) - Deirdre Vaugh Daly, former Staff Commissioner for Education and Library Boards.
:: Best Customer Service (sponsored by Vistage) - Maria McDonagh, Adventures Day Nursery.
:: Best Exporter (sponsored by Fujitsu) - Jacqui Walsh, Kitchenmaster NI.
:: Best in Professional Services (sponsored by Department for Employment and Learning) - Shauna Burns, Ulster Bank Ltd.
:: Best Marketing Campaign (sponsored by JCDecaux) - Lynsey Redpath, Argento.
:: Best New Start Up (sponsored by Ulster Bank) - Adrienne Hanna, Right Revenue.
:: Best Small Business (sponsored by John McKee Solicitors) - Sinead Murphy, Shnuggle Ltd.
:: Entrepreneurship and Innovation (sponsored by Belfast City Council) - Kate Burns, Ocean Veg Ireland.
:: Excellence in IT (sponsored by the Irish News) - Marion Rybnikar, Chain Reaction Cycles.
:: Outstanding Management and Leadership (sponsored by Deloitte) - Tina McKenzie, Staffline Group Ireland.
:: Young Businesswoman of the Year (sponsored by Q Radio) - Katie Waddell, Spoon Street.
:: Outstanding Businesswoman of the Year - Tracy Hamilton, Mash Direct.
