THREE of the Isle of Man’s top local businessmen have been nominated for one of the most prestigious awards at the Isle of Man Newspapers Excellence Awards night on Thursday evening.
Noel Hayes of Manx2.com, Chris Stott of ManSat and John Quaye of Manx Independent Carriers have been short-listed for the award which is sponsored by Celton Manx.
Noel Hayes is an upbeat, assertive personality whose innovative approach to business has won much praise since the launch of his airline Manx2.com.
Even when most airlines were grounded due to the volcanic ash crisis earlier this year Noel Hayes managed to keep Manx2.com services intact, offering extra flights to meet demand.
The company also expanded at a time when everyone else was cutting back - creating new routes to Wales and Eire, both of which paid off. Further evidence of his astute business acumen in a volatile industry.
Chris Stott launched ManSat, pioneering the space sector in the Isle of Man, bringing huge amounts of revenue to the Island at a time of difficult economic circumstances.
He is highly regarded in the worldwide space industry and has brought respect to the Isle of Man for its innovative approach, leading to the Island currently being ranked as the 5th most likely nation to lead another moonshot. Chris has also introduced space scholarship opportunities for Manx students.
Chris is married to Nicole Stott the NASA astronaut who has also done her part in promoting the Isle of Man through her high profile.
Manx Independent Carriers recently celebrated its 25th anniversary with owner John Quaye having established the business in 1985 at a time when the Island was in recession.
He has had to face some challenging times during those 25 years, but has stood out as an innovative leader, building the company from an original team of three to its current staff of over 100.
John has kept Manx Independent Carriers at the forefront in the transport industry in the face of significant challenges, generating a major proportion of its business through UK customers, bringing valuable revenue into the Island.
Bill Mummery of Celton Manx will present the award at the Villa Marina on Thursday evening.
