Call for nominations for export awards

Innovation, Trade and Rural Development Minister Kathy Dunderdale today called for nominations for the 2006 Newfoundland and Labrador Exporter of the Year Award. Three finalists will be selected and one will be named Newfoundland and Labrador Exporter of the Year at an awards ceremony to be held in St. John�s on March 10, 2006.

"The Newfoundland and Labrador Exporter of the Year Award formally acknowledges the outstanding success of local entrepreneurs and businesses that have achieved commercial export success," said Minister Dunderdale. "The recipients of this award have contributed significantly to the province�s economic growth and have excelled at competing and succeeding in the global marketplace."

Eligible companies must be registered in Newfoundland and Labrador and have been exporting goods or services outside Canada for at least three years. The nominees will be evaluated on Newfoundland and Labrador content; the range of market penetration; the company�s ability to hold market share in the face of strong external competition; the ratio of export sales to total sales; the uniqueness of the company�s products and services; the extent to which the company has been innovative in its approach; and the level of research and development leading to the expansion of the company�s products and/or services. The deadline for nominations is February 10, 2006.

Finalists will be selected through an assessment process involving the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters - Newfoundland and Labrador Division, the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Technology Industries (Nati), the Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industries Association (NEIA), the Newfoundland and Labrador Organization of Women Entrepreneurs (NLOWE), and provincial and federal departments responsible for export development.

Previous recipients of the award include ICAN, Rodrigues Winery, Lotek Wireless Inc., and Rutter Technologies.

"It is an honour to be acknowledged for the work we do every day to advance our company and our industry, while contributing to the economic development of our province," said Neil Chaulk, ICAN President. "Being named the 2005 Exporter of the Year was particularly satisfying because it acknowledged the great strides ICAN has made breaking into new markets internationally."

Beginning in January, advertisements will appear in several publications across the province calling for nominations for the Newfoundland and Labrador Exporter of the Year Award. For more information, or to obtain a nomination form, please visit our Web site at www.gov.nl.ca/intrd/exportawards or e-mail your request to exportawards@gov.nl.ca.

Media contact: Lynn Evans, Communications, (709) 729-4570, 690-6290

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