A Norfolk PR, marketing and design agency is celebrating two clients winning Business of the Year awards on the same night in two counties.
EPIC International and Ivy House Country Hotel, both clients of Great Yarmouth-based TMS Media, each won the overall trophy at their respective award ceremonies in Norfolk and Suffolk.
EPIC International, an offshore engineering company that employs up to 100 people from its Great Yarmouth base, was named Business of the Year in the EnterpriseGY Spirit of Enterprise Awards at Great Yarmouth Town Hall last Friday.
Across the border in Suffolk at the same time, Ivy House Country Hotel was named Business of the Year in the Lowestoft and Waveney Chamber of Commerce Awards, at the gala event hosted by the Oulton Broad hotel in its new Ivy Hall function room.
Earlier in the evening, EPIC International, set up 15 years ago by managing director Dave Rowan, had also scooped the Spirit of Enterprise Great Engineering/Manufacturing Business and Great New Business Idea awards.
Meanwhile, Ivy House Country Hotel was presented with the chamber’s Business Investment Award for the £1.6m injected into refurbishing the 20-bedroom hotel, building Ivy Hall and Eve’s Bar by owner biochemist and entrepreneur Dr Adrian Parton MBE.
Ivy House was also among the three finalists in the EDP Visit Norfoolk Tourism Awards on November 26, awarded highly-commended.
TMS Media managing director Steve Scott said targeted award entries was an important element of the companies’ PR strategies to shape and raise profiles of both businesses in their communities and respective industries.
“EPIC and Ivy House are two very different businesses operating in very separate arenas, both with impressive achievements, which we believed the community and their industries should know about.
“We have been working closely with them to shape media coverage for their projects, business values and ambitions as well as seeking out other PR opportunities. Community and industry awards are an increasingly important part of the PR mix.”
“We are delighted that their efforts were recognised concurrently on the same night, even though it presented some logistical difficulties!”
TMS Media has worked with regional, national and international businesses for 26 years, offering PR, design, website development and exhibitions and event design and construction.
Ivy House Country Hotel is also a one of three finalists in the Best Independent Hotel category of the EDP Tourism awards.
Another TMS client, Britannia Fire, the UK’s last remaining fire extinguisher manufacturer, was among the three finalists in the EDP Business Awards Business Development category.
“Award entry writing is a new work steam for us. That independent judges spotted the excellence in our clients gives us great satisfaction.”
TMS Media clients include the East of England Energy Group, Fred. Olsen Windcarrier, the East of England Energy Zone, the Pier Hotel, Gorleston; OrbisEnergy and Great Yarmouth Tourism.