Businessman Dominic Hadeed was named Master Entrepreneur of the Year at the Champions of Business Induction Ceremony and Gala held at the Hyatt Regency in Port-of-Spain by the T&T Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
Hadeed, managing director of Blue Waters Products Limited, was given the nod over Michael Aboud (Amalgamated Security Services Limited), Derek Chin (Dachin Group of Companies) and Mario Sabga-Aboud (Global Brands Limited).
The Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year Awards went to brothers Christian and David Stone of More Vino Limited.
Other contenders in this category were Marcus Sun Kow of Fresh Start Limited and Lisa Wickham of Imagine Media International Limited.
David Stone said what made the award unique was that Wickham was one of More Vino's first customers and Fresh Start products were sold at the restaurant.
The Kenson Group of Companies was saluted as the Internationally Known...T&T Owned brand, while the T&T Chamber inducted Bernard Dulal-Whiteway (posthumously) and Oscar Francois of Oscar Francois Limited into its Hall of Fame.
In an interview after the ceremony, Hadeed said it was nice to see that entrepreneurs who work really hard actually get recognised.
For him, however, it was not just about the award but about being able to inspire other people that they could do it too.
"You can't do it by yourself, you have to build a good team around you and to be honest with you. You have to get people better than you in every instance to actually help you along the way," he said.
Chamber inductee Oscar Francis, 88, expressed his gratitude to the T&T Chamber for considering him worthy of being ranked among the pioneers in the business sector.
He praised th many people on his long journey who gave him advice and encouragement.
Francois said he could not have built a successful business without the foundation laid down for him during the 17 years he worked at Agostini Brothers Limited, the many doctors who guided his studies as a fledging pharmaceutical salesman and especially his wife, Alicia, who 57 years ago, gave him the maturity and strength to settle down and raise not only a successful business, but four daughters who have all gone on to become qualified and highly competent professionals in their own right.
"I still enjoy my work, my family and my friends.
"I know we live in challenging times but I have lived long enough to remember we have, as a nation, been through many tough times in our history and with the fortitude, ingenuity and commitment of each of us, this will pass," he said.
