Celebrating our success stories.

Byline: By Rob Irvine, editor, Daily Post Wales

THRIVING businesses live in the future. Today's successes and failures are only important in terms of what they tell us about where and how to capitalise on the opportunities of tomorrow.

But even the most go-ahead businesses are entitled to a moment basking in the glory.

And very soon the spotlight falls on the success stories of North and mid Wales as we gather to celebrate the Daily Post Achievement Wales Awards for 2007.

Entrepreneurs are the engine room of our economy's success. And that's why the Daily Post was so delighted this year to help two people with the chance of a lifetime - the opportunity to win a scholarship to study for an Executive MBA at North Wales' prestigious pounds 14m Management Centre.

The Daily Post and Bangor University ran a Business Master Competition to find two high flyers to study at the new Management Centre at the university's Bangor Business School. The two successful candidates from North Wales were each awarded a scholarship worth pounds 6,500 towards the Executive MBA course.

The Management Centre is an innovative venue that will serve the high level learning and management needs of individuals, businesses and organisations within North Wales and beyond. It is a fantastic asset for our business community.

We've had a busy year ourselves at the Daily Post with substantial development of our online brand at dailypost.co.uk.

Already hundreds of thousands of people are visiting the site to enjoy breaking news and additional content to what can be found in the paper each day.

In a more traditional marketplace, Flintshire-based frozen food retailer Iceland has secured its place as Wales' biggest private company ranked by latest sales and the 15th in Britain, according to a Sunday Times and KPMG poll.

Or take a firm like builders merchant Huws Gray Ltd. This Anglesey-based firm has continued a rapid programme of expansion across North Wales and the North West of England, creating a business with a pounds 50m-plus turnover.

And never forget the importance of tourism to North Wales. This is worth an estimated pounds 1.6bn to our economy thanks to holidaymakers and day trippers from around the UK - plus a rapidly developing market of tourists from abroad.

So it is great to see enterprising people such as the owners of Tre-Ysgawen Hall, near Llangefni, who have invested millions in luxury visitor accommodation.

And there's another team from Anglesey I'd like to mention, who are also on the fast track to success.

That's the folks behind the superb new pounds 4.5m racing circuit Trac Mon, at Ty Croes, Bodorgan, which is a fantastic addition to the attractions of North Wales for the leisure and corporate travel markets.

You will hear lots more about our region's success stories at our awards ceremony and dinner on November 30 at the Prichard Jones Hall at Bangor University. I am delighted to say that HSBC Bank and the Welsh Assembly Government are once again our co-sponsors.

It will also be a pleasure to welcome our guest speaker, Sir Roger Jones, an eminent North Wales entrepreneur who has built businesses from start-ups to multi-million pound status.

We will also be welcoming a new host for the evening, Declan Curry, who is the Business Presenter for Breakfast on BBC1.

Finally, I look forward to seeing you on the night - and the best of luck to all who are competing for honours.

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Rob Irvine, editor, Daily Post Wales Picture: RICHARD WILLIAMS