FIVE dynamic men from our region have been named in the latest business "Oscars".

In recognition of their undoubted success, they have all become North East regional finalists in the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards.

Three of the success stories hail from York, including childhood friends Warren Hobden and Chris Matson, who are joint chief executives of the city-based Medcom Ltd.

Their firm, which won the 2004 Venturefest York Business Awards competition, has taken the world of surgical training by storm with its 3D techniques on the internet to assess surgical skills.

The ground-breaking venture was born out of an idea to create a website to help postgraduate surgical trainees learn how to carry out operations through virtual operations.

Kevin Hollinrake was selected for his success with York-based property services company Hunters, which he co-founded in 1992 and has built into a ten-branch £6 million turnover service.

He now harbours plans to develop Hunters into a £300 million business over the next ten years.

Victor Buchanan, who is managing director of waste-to-energy firm Bioflame Ltd, also joins the line-up of regional finalists.

His Pickering company has been recognised for inventing an efficient steam turbine generator, which turns biomass and green waste into enough electricity to light up 100 homes.

It won this year's Venturefest York business awards and Mr Buchanan has since turned down millions of pounds with offers from would-be investors in his determination to maintain equity.

Completing the bill is Ian Townsend, who lives in Great Ouseburn and is chief executive of The Medical House Plc. Among his Sheffield company's products is a needle-free insulin injection system, which is becoming a hit around the globe as a safe alternative for the growing number of people suffering from diabetes.

The five businessmen were among 19 people from Yorkshire to win places in the north region final.

Joanna Robson, head of entrepreneurial growth markets for Ernst and Young, said she was not surprised go-getters from the Yorkshire region represented more than 40 per cent of the regional finalists. She said: "Yorkshire has a long tradition for nurturing entrepreneurial talent and this continues to be the case."

The winners will be announced at a ceremony at Leeds Town Hall on Tuesday June 21.

Updated: 10:52 Wednesday, May 18, 2005