All the finalists in our business awards are modern merchant adventurers. They have abandoned a safe existence to sail uncharted waters in pursuit of their dream.

Each has risked plenty: money, peace of mind, reputation. By combining innovation with determination, they have reached their goal. Their endeavour has been rewarded, and North and East Yorkshire boast ten flourishing businesses as a result.

The most remarkable aspect of the 1998 Evening Press Business Venture of the Year awards was the range of firms that made it into the final. Ancient crafts, like pottery and brewing, were celebrated alongside cutting edge technology. Our finalists sell everything from police helmets to bathrooms to ideas.

Few gatherings could match our awards ceremony for concentrated creativity. These entrepreneurs are a brilliant showcase for this region's thriving and diverse small enterprise sector.

Our congratulations go first to the overall winner, BSC Filters, from Osbaldwick, near York. The firm also walked away with the Best Exporter title.

BSC Filters is a hugely imaginative and dynamic company. Its revolutionary microwave filters are being deployed across the telecommunications and military industries. They are even used by the European Space Agency.

When the business partnership Science City was launched earlier this week, BSC Filters was heralded as exactly the sort of high-tech firm York would wish to attract.

Chris Wise, the founder and managing director of NMTV, was named as our first Business Personality of the Year. You may well have seen his firm's work, short films that have been broadcast everywhere from Yorkshire TV's Tonight programme to the Discovery Channel.

Mr Wise is living proof that an individual's passion can also become his livelihood, given enough commitment. His enthusiasm remains a key selling point of NMTV .

All our winners prove that there is a lot more to good business than a desire to make money. It is about vision, team-work and, as Ideas Management Ltd, our Trainer of the Year, demonstrates so well, knowledge.

It is also about leadership. Anyone hoping to succeed in business would do well to look at the abilities shared by the men and women behind the finalists. All have flair, drive, grit and financial sense.

The contribution of small businesses to our region's economy now matches that made by the large conglomerates. We have a lot to thank our new merchant adventurers for. Congratulations and good luck to them all.

see NEWS 'Double joy for filter kings'

see NEWS 'Osbaldwick company is given a double accolade'

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.