TENSION is reaching fever pitch as the glittering awards ceremony of the tenth annual Evening Press Business of the Year approaches.

Finalists converge on The Merchant Adventurers Hall, York, a week on Thursday (December 6) for the awards dinner, one of the most glamorous and exciting events on the business calendar in our region.

The packed event will be the climax of months of deliberation by the judges who picked finalists in eight categories from a deluge of entries, most of which were of a stunningly high standard.

And, as anyone who ever attended last year's awards at the 14th Merchant Adventurers Hall would testify, what a fitting place for this gathering of the finest business brains in North and East Yorkshire.

Below those cross-braced beams where for centuries the greatest commercial adventurers of their age dined and dealed, will be evidence of ultimate 21st century communications electronics, including climactic music, laser lights and video screens beaming out films of the finalists' ventures.

Yet again, host for the event will be the voice of the region, Colin Hazelden, producer and presenter of North Yorkshire Tonight, the two-and-a-half hour news digest which includes two business updates and broadcasts on weekdays from 5pm on BBC Radio York.

Guest speaker will be Steve McDermott, author of How To Be A Complete And Utter Failure In Life, Business And Everything.

Both he, and artist David Fisher, who again has created a breathtaking trophy - this time a painting depicting the 2001 awards theme, "Strength to Strength" - appear on these Business Press centre spread pages.

While there was a bumper number of entries, this year also boasted a record number of sponsors. They were:

Barclays Bank, who backed the competition at the outset ten years ago. and sponsors the Small Business of the Year; DE Ford (Insurance Brokers) Ltd, sponsors of the New Business of the Year; North Yorkshire Export Forum (Exporter of the Year); GNER (Progress Through People); Kingston inbusiness (Growth Business of the Year); Yorkshire Water (Best Environmental Company); Garbutt & Elliott (Business Personality of the Year); Harrowell Shaftoe (Use of New Technology); Selby & Malton Business Advice Centres Ltd sponsor the catering; and last but not least, Peter Turpin Associates, Design and Print sponsored the printing of the entry forms.

Here, at a glance is the finalists' line-up for the evening, but turn to page eight for more details...

Exporter of the Year: Sheppee International Ltd, Elvington Airfield; Tomlinsons, the antique trade warehouse of Moorside, Tockwith; and Sessions of York at the Ebor Press in Huntington

Innovative Use of New Technology: Shoe-shop.com, Clifton Moor; Hunters Estate Agents, York; and York Gift Hampers, Pocklington

Small Business of the Year: TLC Pet Allergy Testing of Bishopthorpe, York; The Wooden Horse Ltd of Easingwold; PDA (Peter Davenport Associates) of Harrogate.

Growth Business: Persimmon plc, of Fulford; IPC Archtec UK Ltd, of Dunnington, York; CPP Card Protection Plan of Holgate Park, York; and Ioko 365 - formerly known as Infocom (UK) Ltd - of York Science Park, Heslington.

Progress Through People: CPP Card Protection Plan; Pocklington Coachworks Ltd of Osbaldwick, York; and Bass Brewers of Tadcaster

New Business of the Year: Quantum estate agency, York; Gareth Owens Communications Consultancy; and The Wooden Horse nursery of Easingwold.

Environmental Company of the Year: Eco Arc, of Harton, York; Waste to Compost UK of Tadcaster; and Yorwaste Ltd of Northallerton.

Business Personality of the Year: Stuart Paver, managing director of Pavers Ltd, Upper Poppleton, York; Fran Johnson, managing director of Pocklington Coachworks, Osbaldwick; and Alison Seabrook, chairman of Riccall Regen 2000, Riccall.