Our Sponsors
Major Sponsor + Legacy Award
James Cook University (JCU) is committed to research and teaching that make a difference to life in the Tropics, which are home to more than 40 per cent of the world’s population. With a strong belief that innovation and discovery are the keys to a secure, sustainable future, JCU invites industry experts and local professionals to partner with them in driving innovation throughout Australia and beyond.
From on-the-ground programs designed to support our local businesses and industries, to research grants and facilities for our brightest minds, JCU has a host of initiatives available for you to join. Their postgraduate programs will also equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to reach your greatest potential.
Website: www.jcu.edu.au
Phone: 1800 246 446
Event Sponsor
Whether you’re busy launching a business or expanding, ANZ is the easy choice, Canstar’s Small Business Bank of the Year a record 10 times.
ANZ is proud to support thousands of Australian businesses each year to start, run and grow with outstanding lending products, services and customer satisfaction that have been recognised by Canstar in their overall award ranking.
Explore ANZ’s Business Hub to learn about our smart, easy solutions for small businesses and access tips, tools and insights to help you take your next step.
Website: www.anz.com.au
Business Resilience Excellence Award
As Queensland’s only dual sector university, CQUniversity delivers real choices through a diverse array of short courses, TAFE, and university qualifications. Recognised for accessible and innovative education, the Cairns campus offers courses spanning arts, business, engineering, health, sciences, and technology fields with plans to continue to expand its offerings with the construction of its new campus expected by 2028.
Crafted in collaboration with industry experts, CQU’s courses integrate social innovation principles to ensure graduates possess critical thinking and practical skills in demand by employers and communities – an approach that continues to award CQU outstanding results for employment rates and starting salaries. At CQU, we empower students to Be. With CQU.
Website: www.cqu.edu.au
Phone: 13 27 86 (for current and future student enquiries within Australia)
Community Contribution Excellence Award
Halpin Partners is one of Far North Queensland’s largest and most trusted independent accounting firms, with offices located in Cairns and Innisfail. With a diverse portfolio of more than 600 clients across Queensland and Papua New Guinea, they offer high-level expertise in accounting, taxation, business advisory, and financial strategy.
Their team is dedicated to helping clients achieve clarity, control, and confidence in their business operations. From setting up smart and compliant structures, to forecasting cash flow, managing tax obligations, and preparing for future growth, Halpin Partners is committed to building long-term partnerships that create measurable success.
Halpin Partners believe that the strongest businesses are those that are supported by the right advice and grounded in meaningful, ongoing relationships. That’s why they work collaboratively with their clients and their wider professional teams including bankers, legal advisors, and insurers to ensure a truly holistic view of each business’ needs and opportunities.
Over the past 10 years, Halpin Partners has undergone significant growth. Their continued expansion is built on a foundation of personalised service, deep regional understanding, and an unwavering commitment to helping their clients thrive; whether they’re launching a startup, scaling a mature business, or navigating succession planning. As the business environment continues to evolve, they remain agile and proactive, embracing innovation while never losing sight of the people behind the numbers.
Halpin Partners are proud to stand alongside the region’s best as sponsors of the 2025 Business Excellence Awards. These awards are a true reflection of the hard work, resilience and innovation that drive our local economy. At Halpin Partners, they are passionate about recognising and supporting the businesses that are shaping Far North Queensland’s future.
Website: www.halpinpartners.com.au
Phone: 07 4052 0800
Customer Service Excellence Award - Professional Services
Danae Jones Consulting covers all forms of media and all areas of marketing and creative conceptual development. While Danae Jones is the face of the brand, behind her sits the DJC team - multi-award winning marketing strategists, graphic designers, video producers, copy writers, web developers and digital disruptors. The team brings with them over 100 years combined experience in the industry.
The DJC teams mission is to create, delight, inform, engage, involve, exceed expectations and grow with their clients.
Website: www.danaejones.com.au
Email:
Customer Service Excellence Award - Trade, Retail & Services
Crystalbrook is one of Australia’s leading sustainable and innovative independent hospitality companies. Each hotel in the portfolio carries an authentic expression of its location, a passion for responsible luxury, considered design and a twinkle of fun for a uniquely enriching experience.
With eight hotels across Australia and 14 restaurants and bars and three day spas the group is helping to redefine hospitality across Australia.
Website: www.crystalbrookcollection.com
Phone: 1300 00 20 50 (Reservation Enquiries)
Emerging Leader Excellence Award
The College of Business, Law and Governance (CBLG) delivers a range of future-focused business and law courses across Cairns, Singapore, Townsville and Brisbane. Under the leadership of the Acting Dean, Associate Professor Jamie Fellows, the College promotes, fosters, and delivers quality teaching and research with both a local and global reach.
Formed in 2014, the College helps develop leaders who understand the complexities of doing business and undertaking professional practices that are directly relevant to the ever-evolving Asia-Pacific region.
The College of Business, Law and Governance seeks to advance transformative business and law knowledge, and develop responsible, innovative professionals who drive positive change in our economies and societies in the Asia-Pacific region, and beyond. They partner with industry and the professions to develop future-focused, career-ready graduates, and undertake research to create impactful solutions that make a difference, locally and globally.
Website: www.jcu.edu.au/college-of-business-law-and-governance
Phone: 1800 246 446
Indigenous Business Excellence Award
Cape York Partnership is a non-profit Indigenous organisation empowering the people of Cape York to choose a life they have reason to value.
Working on areas of policy, empowerment, education, employment, health, language and culture, they co-design their initiatives with the people of Cape York so they can lead the changes they need for their communities to prosper.
Website: www.capeyorkpartnership.org.au
Phone: 07 4046 0600
Innovation Excellence Award
Cairns Regional Council delivers community infrastructure and services to more than 178,000 residents in the region. We are focused on shaping a tropical future by nurturing a community where people love to live, invest, work and play.
Cairns is uniquely placed at the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, Wet Tropics rainforest and Pacific region. It is rich in natural beauty, culture and community spirit and set to be home to 241,000 people by 2050.
Diverse industries including health, education, tourism, aviation, marine and defence contribute $12.23 billion to Gross Regional Product and provide local employment to more than 92,000 workers.
Council is committed to initiatives that support a robust economy, enhance and protect our natural assets, improve liveability and foster a vibrant community. Our approach is to deliver what’s needed today, while protecting our future for a growing population.
Website: www.cairns.qld.gov.au
Phone: 1300 69 22 47
Marketing & Communications Excellence Award
The Cairns Post has evolved from a broadsheet newspaper to a multi-media company producing Cairns' only daily newspaper, both online and in paper, along with many special publications. Cairnspost.com.au delivers to Cairns and surrounding areas the most up to date breaking news in Far North Queensland.
Part of News Corp Australia, The Cairns Post has evolved as a company to reflect the growing, cosmopolitan city of Cairns, with a continued increase in circulation and digital readership growing significantly over the years. Throughout its 141 year history, the paper has endeavoured to reflect and celebrate the community it serves.
The Cairns Post team has a long and proud tradition of covering the whole Far North region, from Cardwell to Cape York and west to the Tablelands. With dedicated journalists living and working here, residents can always stay up-to-date with the issues that affect them.
Website: www.cairnspost.com.au
Phone: 07 4052 6666
People Management Excellence Award
CBC Staff Selection have built a reputation for excellence, not only in terms of matching the best people to the best jobs, but through the exemplary service they provide.
With over 35 years experience in Far North Queensland, CBC Staff Selection take pride in their ability to match skilled candidates to your specialist recruitment requirements. With their in depth knowledge of the local employment market and an established pool of experienced candidates within various professional sectors, CBC Staff Selection can assist you in filling your temporary, permanent or contract vacancy today.
Website: www.cbcstaff.com.au
Phone: 07 4051 9699
Sustainability & Environmental Excellence Award
Kinetic is the largest bus operator in Australasia and a leading multi-modal mass transit operator globally through its subsidiary Go-Ahead. Kinetic's network includes 12,000 buses, 36,000 people and 200 depots.
Kinetic proudly operates 1,200 zero-emission buses (ZEB) across 33 ZEB depots worldwide, and is the leading ZEB operator in Australasia and the UK. Their mission is to enhance the communities in which it operates, and this is achieved through delivering on its sustainability priorities.
Website: www.wearekinetic.com
Phone: 07 4057 7411
Entertainment Sponsor
At Grant Thornton, care is just as important as capability because they believe that client experience is as important as the outcome. Grant Thornton strive to provide a strikingly different experience – one that’s more personal, proactive, authentic, and agile. To achieve that, they focus on investing in and building their relationship with their clients.
Grant Thornton Australia is a member firm of the Grant Thornton global network – one of the world's leading independently-owned and managed accounting and consulting firms. With over 1,500+ people across five states, Grant Thornton have the scale to meet changing needs – while retaining the agility required to keep their clients one step ahead.
Website: www.grantthornton.com.au
Phone: 07 4046 8888
Trophy Sponsor
Cashcor Engineering is your “One Stop Engineering Shop”. From concept to design to manufacturing, Cashcor provide tailormade solutions to meet each client’s specific needs and time restraints.
Cashcor’s diverse range of machinery and equipment, housed at their locally owned and operated workshops, enables them to carry out all jobs in-house – without the need to outsource – therefore more cost effective for every client with the added ability to maintain quality control on all works.
For more than 40 years, Cashcor has provided their industry in Cairns and the broader regions with professional and highly experienced services.
Website: www.cashcor.com.au
Phone: 07 4035 1588
Master of Ceremonies Sponsor
Join Tammy and JB for breakfast on 99.5 Triple M each weekday from 6am. It’s a show full of laughs, local stories and heaps of chances to win great prizes. When Tammy and JB aren’t talking you can sing along to the greatest hits. Tammy and JB, the best way to start your day on 99.5 Triple M.
Triple M is proud to be a partner of the Cairns Chamber of Commerce, as well as local organisations such as AFL Cairns, Northern Pride, Cairns Netball, Ironman Cairns and Savannah in the Round.
99.5 Triple M, a proud Cairns local.
Website: www.triplem.listnr.com/cairns/
Photobooth Sponsor
Star 102.7 is the radio station made for Cairns and created for those who love everything about the unique and vibrant lifestyle of Cairns and the Tropical North.
You will hear all the hits from the late 90s and today, with throwbacks to the best music and classic hits you loved back in the day. As the most listened-to station in Cairns, Star102.7 is the undisputed #1 choice, connecting with locals, telling their stories, and celebrating moments that matter.
Their announcers, Johnny & Inkie for Breakfast, Nikki in the Mornings, and Dylan in the Afternoons, broadcast live each day from their Grafton Street studios.
Committed to the Cairns community, Star 102.7 continually invests in local events and charities each year, playing an active role in the growth and vitality of the Cairns region.
Star 102.7 would like to extend its gratitude to the Cairns community for embracing their brand and tuning in every day.
Website: www.star1027.com.au
Phone: 07 4042 8000
