Jacqui Miller MBE receives top regional award

The cream of female entrepreneurial talent turned out in force to celebrate the achievements of the North East’s top women business leaders.

The 14th Annual North East Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Awards brought together high-flying women from a variety of sectors across the North East to see sales and marketing specialist, Jacqui Miller MBE claim the honour of North East Best Woman in International Business 2013.

Judges this year shortlisted women who excelled at providing focused, clear leadership abilities in running or playing a key role in business. The standard of entries eclipsed previous years with numbers of applications reaching a record high.

Speaking from Australia, where she was working to secure more orders for the newly formed Miller Australia operations, after being told of her success, Jacqui said: ‘Considering the calibre of the business women who were nominated in these awards I am both humbled and honoured to win the award.

‘As a company we have worked very hard for over 35 years to make the business the success it is today. Anyone who succeeds in business cannot do so without having made substantial sacrifices and I have been no different, spending countless weeks attending exhibitions and visiting customers in new markets all in the pursuit of developing and growing Miller to be the international brand it is today. This has meant lots of time away from my husband and two children who have been a magnificent support throughout my journey.

‘I was taught from a young age that whatever you put into something is exactly what you will get back out of it, applying this has paid off being recognized in the 2013 New Year’s honours list for my services to industry and international trade and ending the year by winning this award is testament that hard work, determination and never taking no for an answer really is a winning formula. I have been blessed to work with my two older brothers throughout my entire career and be surrounded by a truly tremendous team at Miller, I could not have won this award without their hard work and support, and for everyone in the company I accept this on their behalf as well as my own.’