One step closer - the finalists for the Sunderland Echo Business Awards have been revealed

From big business to sole traders and retail firms to entrepreneurs – they’re all represented in the first ever shortlist for the new-look Sunderland Echo Business Excellence Awards.
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And what a competition it has been. A huge list of 108 entries was received for the awards and we can now reveal who is through to the grand finals.

Judges met to draw up the shortlist in 10 categories, while the outcome in three others will be revealed on the night.

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Counting down the days to the Sunderland Echo Business Awards finale - and the category shortlists have been revealed.Counting down the days to the Sunderland Echo Business Awards finale - and the category shortlists have been revealed.
Counting down the days to the Sunderland Echo Business Awards finale - and the category shortlists have been revealed.
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Each of the finalists must wait until the awards night at the Stadium of Light on November 17 to find out if they have won.

But they have all done wonderfully to be chosen for the shortlists which were brimming with business excellence.

Categories include Apprentice/Trainee; Best Independent Business; Best Large Business of the Year; Business in the Community; and Employer of the Year.

A selection of the judges from this year's awards.A selection of the judges from this year's awards.
A selection of the judges from this year's awards.
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They also include Entrepreneur of the Year; Retail, Hospitality & Leisure Business of the Year; SME Business of the Year; Social Enterprise of the Year Award; and Sustainable Initiative of the Year Award.

Also on board are the North East BIC, Chilli Mangoes, Marelli, Wilf Husband, Harrison and Brown, Thompson Waste, Gentoo, Sunderland University, The Stack, BGL, Audi, North East Ambition and Sunderland College.

We thank them all for their outstanding support.

Last year's winners. Their successors will soon be revealed.Last year's winners. Their successors will soon be revealed.
Last year's winners. Their successors will soon be revealed.

Let’s take a look at those all-important shortlists.

Apprentice of the Year (sponsored by the University of Sunderland):

*Harry Forster

Guests at last year's business awards.Guests at last year's business awards.
Guests at last year's business awards.

*Holly Nell

*Lewis Purdy-Proudfoot

*Lucas Foulk

Best Independent Business (sponsored by Sunderland Council):

*BG Construction and Developments

*Clixifix Customer Care

The Sunderland Echo Business Excellence Awards.The Sunderland Echo Business Excellence Awards.
The Sunderland Echo Business Excellence Awards.

*Oculus HR

*Smart Group

*Swim City

Best Large Business (sponsored by Chilli Mangoes):

*Bradley Hall

*Maxim Facilities Management

*Ocado Retail

*Visuna

Business In The Community (sponsored by Gentoo):

*Active Families North East

*Tailored Leisure Company

*WL Distillery

Employer of the Year (sponsored by Sunderland College):

*Hays Travel

*Ocado Retail

*UK Independent Medical

Entrepreneur of the Year (sponsored by Wilf Husband):

*Mark Catterall

*Neil Hart

*Samuel Marriott-Dowding

*Scott Wilson-Laing

Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Business of the Year (sponsored by North East Ambition):

*Marina Vista

*My Delhi

*Project Fitness GB

*STACK Seaburn

SME Business of the Year (sponsored by North East BIC):

*Building Design (Northern)

*Crown Architectural Systems

*Richard Reed Solicitors

*Smart Media Group

Social Enterprise of the Year (sponsored by North East BIC):

*Active Families NE

*Media Savvy

*Veterans In Crisis

*Weights and Cakes CIC

Sustainable Initiative (sponsored by Marelli):

*Andyman Upcycling

*The Encore Group

*UK Independent Medical

Make sure you buy today’s Sunderland Echo for a supplement filled with more details on our finalists.

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We will also have a media team at the awards night itself to make sure you keep up to date with the winners in each category.

And to cap the whole competition off, there will be post awards coverage which will feature interviews and photos with all of the winners.