ORGANISERS are hoping film boss Millard L. Ochs will be the guest of honour at the Bolton and Bury Business Awards dinner in February.

Mr Ochs, the President of Warner Brothers International, is checking his diary with a view to flying in from California to present the awards in Bolton Town Hall on Friday, February 7.

Warner Brothers run the Pilsworth cinema complex at Bury and will also be opening a new multiplex at the Horwich Sports Village development.

The cinema giant is sponsoring the marketing/publicity award in this year's new-look competition.

Organisers have decided to open it up to Bury entries as well after four successful years in which it has become established as the highlight of the Bolton business year.

Total cash prizes of £30,000 make it one of the largest non-televised business competitions of its type in the country.

The top "Company of the Year" Award carries a cash prize of £5,000 and is sponsored by Bolton Bury Training and Enterprise Council.

New sponsors for 1996/97 also include prominent local firms ACDO and Eurodis HB Electronics.

Entries - already coming in for the 10 categories - will be judged by a specially-invited panel of representatives from the sponsors.

The categories are as follows:

COMPANY OF THE YEAR - winner £5,000, runner-up £2,000. Sponsor: BBTEC.

YOUNG INNOVATORS' AWARD - £2,000, £1,000 (ACDO).

MARKETING/PUBLICITY AWARD - £2,000, £1,000 (Warner Bros).

EDUCATION/BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP - business partner and school partner £1,500 each. (Eurodis HB Electronics).

BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR - £2,000, £1,000 (Reebok).

EXPORTING COMPANY OF THE YEAR - £2,000, £1,000 (Bolton and Bury Chamber of Commerce/Barclays Bank).

ENVIRONMENTAL/BUSINESS AWARD - £2,000, £1,000 (Bolton Council).

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR - £2,000, £1,000 (Bolton Business Ventures Ltd).

ETHNIC BUSINESS - winner £1,000. Sponsored by Bolton Council and open to Bolton businesses only.

NEW SMALL BUSINESS - winner £1,000. Sponsored by Bolton Council and open to Bolton businesses only.

Shortlisted finalists will be featured in a video to be shown at the gala dinner.

Entry details and an application form are available from: Sylvia Philips, Business Awards Co-ordinator, Bol ton Business Ventures Ltd, 46 Lower Bridgeman Street, Bolton BL2 1DG. Tel: 01204 391400.

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