The county Prima Prizes and the Prima Special Prize were awarded

The Entrepreneur of the Year and Prima Awards Gala, the biggest celebration of the country’s entrepreneurs, was held on the 9th of November at the Csokonai Fórum to a huge turnout and a full house.

The Prima Awards and the Prima Special Prize, founded by Sándor Demján, recognize exemplary public, economic, and cultural achievements.

In his welcome speech, Károly Balogh, VOSZ county president, said that world-famous companies had recently arrived in the region, and modern investments were creating new opportunities. To this end, this year, the county presidency has created the “Responsible Multinational Company” award, which aims to reward multinational companies and includes the support of local entrepreneurs in their business strategy. He stressed that the Government’s economic plans prioritise Hungarian small and medium-sized family businesses, an excellent example of which is the Sándor Demján programme to strengthen businesses.

Richárd Szabados, Minister of State for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Development and Technology of the Ministry of National Economy, the main patron of the event, stressed that Debrecen’s dynamic development over the past decade is impressive. He expressed the hope that this economic environment would create the conditions for the growth of family businesses in the region.

“On behalf of the city, I heartily congratulate all the winners of the VOSZ Prima Gala, be it in economy, sport, art or culture! We are proud that together, in a strong alliance, we can build this great city and county, which will be the strongest engine of Hungary’s development in the coming years. I wish us to work together and strengthen our alliance,” mayor of Debrecen László Papp stressed.

He, one of the main patrons of the event, also spoke about the completion of the first phase of the 14-hectare SME park in the Southern Economic Zone. The aim was to bring Hungarian businesses physically close to multinationals and to provide them with similar conditions for their development. The idea proved so successful that within 24 hours, Hungarian companies not only subscribed but oversubscribed to the opportunity, and the second and third phases of the SME park are already being developed.

This year, the Entrepreneur of the Year awards were presented in Debrecen in industry, agriculture, trade, innovation, hospitality and responsible multinational companies:

• Emil Harangi, owner and managing director of Metal-Sheet Kft., received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award of Hajdú-Bihar County in the industry category.

• Dr. Viktor Szabó, Managing Director of Bold Agro Mezőgazdasági Kft, was awarded the Entrepreneur of the Year in the agribusiness category.

• István Czírbusz, co-owner of Baromfiudvar 2002 Kft. and Mirbesz Kereskedelmi Kft, won the Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the trade category.

• The Entrepreneur of the Year in the Innovation category was Csaba Zajdó, founder and CEO of Innonic Group.

• The Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Hajdú-Bihar County went to József Boros, a large entrepreneur in the hospitality category.

• The Responsible Multinational Enterprise Award was given to the multinational group TAMA Hungária Kft., a successful and competitive player internationally and in the region. Sándor Győrfi, Managing Director, received the award.

Based on the decision of the Board of Trustees of the Hajdú-Bihar Prima Awards Foundation, three of the winners of the ten social categories received the Prima Awards at the Prima Awards Gala on the 9th of November, and one Prima Special Award was also presented.

Prima Prize category winners:

• Hungarian Literature category: literary historian, critic and editor Péter Szirák
• Hungarian Theatre, Film and Dance category: theatre artist Nóra Földeáki
• Hungarian Fine and Applied Arts category: Alexandra Grela and Ábel Kónya, visual artists
• Hungarian Science category: professors Péter Nagy and József Balla
• Hungarian Education and Public Education category: József Nemes, conductor of the Lautitia Choir
• Hungarian architecture category: designer Flóra Kőszeghy
• Hungarian education and media category: István Derencsényi, photographer
• Hungarian sports category (Prima Special Prize): football coach András Herczeg
• Hungarian Folk Art and Public Culture category: László Hutkai craftsman
• Hungarian music category: pianist Bence Péter

Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu