An innovative speech pathology service for children with communication and feeding difficulties has taken out the top gong at this year’s Lake Mac Business Excellence Awards.
Warners Bay-based A Growing Understanding was named 2023’s Business of the Year at a gala Friday night ceremony at Belmont 16s, with judges commending its innovation, contribution to the city, community support and work culture.
It was a stellar night for the company, which also won the Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award, and its founder Lauren Haskins, who took home the Outstanding Business Leader Award.
Lake Macquarie City mayor Kay Fraser said A Growing Understanding was a prime example of how passion, dedication, expertise and business nous could breed success.
“Over an extended period of time, and in many different ways, Lauren and her team have demonstrated the very best qualities of doing business in Lake Macquarie,” she said.
A Growing Understanding founder and practice director Lauren Haskins said she was humbled to receive the awards “and grateful for the recognition of my team’s hard work”.
“We’ve had a clear vision to provide industry-leading speech pathology services,” she said.
“I’ve been able to build a team of amazing humans who share our values of care, and ensure ongoing excellence in speech pathology services and client experience.”
Lake Mac’s growing reputation as a hub for allied health also echoed in the Outstanding Employee category, won by Sensational Start Occupational Therapy Practice manager Kathryn Barker.
Gateshead’s firefighting equipment supplier Fire Response took out the Excellence in Small Business Award, winning accolades for its move to transition to next-generation sustainable firefighting foam, and its drive to bring international best practices to the region.
CoastXP won the revamped Outstanding Tourism Experience – Tourism and Hospitality category for its popular small-group tours off the Lake Mac coast and around Lake Macquarie, while the non-profit Business Growth Centre at Gateshead was named Outstanding Community Organisation.
This year’s awards featured a first-ever People’s Choice Award, determined by popular vote online.
Cr Fraser said The Wholesome Collective, a social enterprise addressing poor nutrition and low home-cooking rates in disadvantaged communities, was a deserving winner.
“I’m thrilled to see such a diversity of finalists and winners for this year’s awards,” she said.
“These companies and organisations work so hard to succeed, often in very challenging circumstances. The measure of that success is not just in their financial bottom line, but in what they do to enrich and improve our community.”
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