More than 840 business and community leaders packed the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre on Friday night for the 42nd annual Tamworth Quality Business Awards, one of the largest and most respected regional business awards programs in New South Wales.
The night’s highest honour, the 2026 Noel Park Award, went to Helen Tickle OAM, recognising an extraordinary contribution to Tamworth spanning almost four decades. Mrs Tickle served as a Tamworth Regional Councillor for 16 years, became the first woman to serve as Deputy Mayor following amalgamation and was, years earlier, the first female President of the Tamworth Business Chamber. Her contribution to the community was recognised nationally earlier this year with the Medal of the Order of Australia.
Tamworth Business Chamber President David Errington said the awards were ultimately about recognising not only successful businesses, but the people whose knowledge, commitment and initiative underpin that success.
“Tonight is about recognising the businesses and the people who make Tamworth a great place to do business,” Mr Errington said.
“We have some exceptional businesses operating across manufacturing, agriculture, construction, retail, professional services, health, hospitality and many other industries, and many of them compete well beyond our region.
“But regardless of the industry, the real strength of any good business is its people.”
Now in their 42nd year, the Quality Business Awards continue to evolve alongside the changing face of the Tamworth region’s economy. New for 2026 was the Excellence in Agri and Agricultural Services category, recognising the strength of agriculture and the many businesses supporting the sector across the region, alongside a new Excellence in Medium Business category reflecting the size and structure of businesses operating locally.
The Gala also provided the stage for the inaugural recipient of the Chamber Connect Ignite Initiative, established to support emerging businesses and entrepreneurs through mentoring, partnerships and practical business support. The former People’s Choice Award evolved into the Members’ Choice Award, giving Chamber members the chance to vote for the finalist business they believed stood out among its peers.
Mr Errington said being named a finalist was itself a significant achievement, with businesses having already progressed through a highly competitive nomination and judging process.
“Whether your name was called on the night or not, being a finalist in the 2026 Quality Business Awards is something every business and their team should be proud of,” he said.
More than 50 volunteer judges were involved in the 2026 judging process. Excellence in Customer Service finalists were independently mystery shopped to assess the customer experience first-hand, while entrants in the Business NSW-aligned categories were assessed externally against established criteria based on detailed written submissions.
“The integrity of the judging process is extremely important to Chamber. Being named a finalist should mean something, and businesses can be confident their achievement is the result of a robust and impartial process,” Mr Errington said.
Among the winners on the night were AMPS Agribusiness for Excellence in Medium Business, Kyle Ridarc as Outstanding Young Business Leader, Partner Now Property as Employer of Choice for 21 Employees and Above, Stephs Dog Grooming & Retreat for Excellence in Customer Service in Animal Services, Troy Jackson-Rose as Outstanding Business Leader for 21 Employees and Over, and Penrose Meats for Excellence in Customer Service in Retail Small business.
The Chamber acknowledged the sponsors, partners, volunteers and local suppliers whose support makes the Quality Business Awards possible, with particular recognition given to Tamworth Regional Council and the TRECC team.
“A huge thank you must go to all of our Award sponsors, with a notable mention of Tamworth Regional Council and the team here at TRECC for their unwavering commitment and contribution to making this night possible,” Mr Errington said.
“Every aspect of the Gala is made possible through local sponsors, local vendors and local volunteers.”
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