Peter Beck takes out Supreme Award at the 2019 AmCham - DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards for companies doing business with the USA

Auckland, 22^nd August 2019 — The 20^th annual AmCham DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards were held at the Pullman Auckland Hotel last night, with Rocket Lab’s founder Peter Beck winning the Supreme Award for doing business with the United States.

AmCham was delighted to welcome the Hon Damien O’Connor as keynote speaker and presenter of the three key exporter awards as well as the newly arrived U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission, Kevin Covert presenting the Importer of the Year award.

Mark Foy, Country Manager for DHL Express New Zealand, said: “Peter Beck is an outstanding leading innovator in the space industry, who has grown his company over the last decade to a $2 billion entity today. Peter’s focus on continuous improvement and wanting to improve life on earth is a testament to his achievements. Peter has established strong relationships with the US market, a key trade lane and DHL congratulates him on his success.”

This year’s finalists came from across a variety of businesses covering gourmet pet food, eco-friendly beauty, butter, heavy equipment, aircraft engine reconditioning, technology, metals recycling, building products, tourism, education, meat, and organic feminine products.

See all photos from the night.

The Supreme Award is chosen from the winners of each of the categories presented on the night. The complete list of winners is as follows:

• ·       Bilateral Connections with the USA – Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development
• ·       Bilateral Entrepreneur/Innovator of the Year with the USA - Peter Beck of Rocket Lab
• ·       Contribution to Tourism with the USA – Regency Tourism Group
• ·       Importer of the Year from the USA – Protempo Ltd
• ·       Investor of the Year to or from the USA – ACCEL-KKR for their investment in Seequent Ltd
• ·       Exporter of the Year to the USA under $1 million – Whip Around (NZ) Ltd
• ·       Exporter of the Year to the USA $1 million to $10 million - Ethique Ltd
• ·       Exporter of the Year to the USA over $10 million – Ziwi Ltd
  
  Derek Syme, Chief Country Officer of Citibank NA NZ was presented with the Trevor Eagle memorial award as AmCham Supporter of the Year.

This year’s award finalists were some of the strongest AmCham has seen and so the judges awarded Highly Commended certificates to :
Hawai‘i Tourism Oceania
Organic Initiative Ltd
Pratt & Whitney Air New Zealand Services (trades as “Christchurch Engine Centre”)
The University of Auckland

The AmCham DHL Express Success & Innovation Awards celebrate success and innovation in the export, import and investment sectors between New Zealand and its third-largest trading partner, the USA.  Winners of the importer, exporter, tourism and bilateral connections awards categories receive an Economy Plus® Round Trip Ticket to the USA from United Airlines. 

In addition to AmCham, DHL-Express and United Airlines, the Awards are also supported by ANZ Bank, Auckland Airport, Ironside McDonald Intellectual Property, The Pullman Auckland Hotel, media partner The Business, wine sponsor Constellation Brands and event manager Lime & Soda.