Leading Business NW was the key theme of the Chamber of Commerce's 50^th Annual Dinner held this week in the Everglades Hotel. The event, sponsored by firmus energy, was a spectacular affair with a host of high profile guests from the public and private sector, joining with over 300 chamber member companies.

IN his opening address, President Ian Crowe spoke about the changing landscape of the city and region in the last 50 years and paid tribute to a wide range of business leaders and economic champions that had made an impact on the success of the city and region. He made a number of key points in relation to successful cities forcefully repeating the point that "Successful Cities Need a Strong Infrastructure" and finished on pointing to the need for a highly skilled workforce. He concluded:

"but most importantly, we must work constantly at producing a knowledgeable and skilled workforce.

No matter what may lie ahead, this is the most important and most enduring thing that we and successive generations should be working for.

A skilled workforce is at the heart of every successful City. The dream ticket must be to have a high proportion of our people in employment, earning high wages, working in profitable firms and contributing economically to society.

This poses a major challenge and one which this Chamber firmly believes must be addressed as a priority. No matter what the future may hold this is a challenge which must be grasped or all the infrastructure in the world will be of no avail.

Whatever we do in the next 50 years - let us put developing our people to their fullest potential at the very top of our list. Only then will our region be the very best that it can be."

Leading global entrepreneur Denis O'Brien won the hearts and minds of the audience by firstly praising the actions of Minister Margaret Ritchie in what he called a tough week in Politics and then going on to praise the business community in the City and Region. He urged businesses to look forward and look ahead instead of looking to the past. He suggested less emphasis on the remembrance of the battle of the Boyne and the Easter rising and more focus on developing and growing international markets for our businesses.

VISION, LEADERSHIP, EXCELLENCE, COMMITMENT, QUALITY, DEDICATION AND INNOVATION

One of the highlights of the evening was the Business Awards, introduced to recognise and celebrate members' huge contribution to the economic and social development of the North West Region and to the Chamber. Janice Tracey, Chamber CEO, introducing the awards said: "We were delighted at the high level of responses we received which were of such diversity, volume and quality that we had to shortlist a great deal before deciding on an overall winner.

Each of the individuals and companies short listed has made a massive contribution to our economy and to the development of our great Chamber. Key words used in the nominations were vision, leadership, excellence, commitment, quality, dedication and innovation."

There is no doubt that the show stopper was the announcement of the winner in the individual category. Up against heavy hitters such as Alan McClure, Ian Doherty and Richard Sterling, when Ian Young was announced as the winner, the judges' decision was noisily endorsed by the entire membership in the room. Ian was recognized for his early and visionary work with Derry Boston Ventures and Derry Investment Initiative, his pioneering vision and leadership not only for this region but also for the Chamber, his enormous contribution behind the scenes in various roles in the peace process, and his much understated work with various charities. In his acceptance speech, Ian Young challenged the newly formed Assembly for Northern Ireland to take seriously their responsibilities and move Northern Ireland forward. DuPont won the company award for their contribution to the economy, beating off stiff competition from Singularity, Pakflatt and Perfecseal. Tom Bolleart, the new man in charge of the DuPont operation in the NW accepted the award and stressed their ongoing commitment to the city.

Celebration was the flavour of the evening with less focus on speeches and more on business.