TheMoodieReport.com

TheMoodieReport.com: Alpha honours its super Heroes at Alpha Asia Heroes Awards 2006 – 18/09/06
Source: ©The Moodie Report
By Soharni Tennekoon
Email Print
SRI LANKA. The Alpha Asia Heroes 2006 Awards was held on Saturday night at the Colombo Hilton Hotel in a glitzy Oscars-style ceremony.

The employee recognition programme – an extension of the parent company’s award-winning Alpha Heroes concept – was launched to all Alpha Orient Lanka staff in 2004. Finalists are judged on their commitment to the business, their roles and colleagues.


Left: Peter Williams and Paul Topping congratulating Priyantha Pushpakumara, the Overall Alpha Asia Hero 2006;
Right: Paul Topping watches as Masterfoods Travel Retail International Consultant Stuart Bull opens a winning invitation

Left: Team Pragathi celebrates winning the overall Airport Team Award; Right: Paul Topping and Peter Williams in Super Hero mode

Designed to reward and recognise outstanding employees, the scheme attracted 1,299 nominations across the 400-strong Alpha Orient Lanka work force, surpassing last year's 860 nominations. 18 awards, in both individual and team categories, were presented to 115 winners who received cash prizes of over US$50,000. The Moodie Report was among the award sponsors.

The big winner of the evening was Alpha Orient Lanka Marketing team executive Priyantha Pushpakumara, who won the overall Alpha Asia Heroes 2006 award.

Pushpakumara remarked: “I have worked 17 years for Alpha Orient Lanka and I still love my job. To me, my colleagues are all heroes as well.”

Among the invitees were 20 representatives from travel retail businesses around the world which support the scheme.


Overall Alpha Asia Heroes winner Priyantha Pushpakumara: “I have worked 17 years for Alpha Orient Lanka and I still love my job. To me, my colleagues are all heroes as well.”
Over 45 firms signed up to sponsor this year’s awards and many have shown keen interest in supporting this event again in the future. “A great evening," Pernod Ricard Travel Retail Europe Regional Sales Manager Tim Hallet commented. "We are proud to support Alpha Asia Heroes once again.”

Alpha UK had strong representation at the event, headed by Alpha Airports Group CEO Peter Williams, Group Commercial Director David King and International Buying Director Martin Petchey.

Alpha Asia Managing Director Paul Topping announced happily: “I am proud of my entire team. The deafening applause extended by winners and non-winners alike was touching and fulfilling.”

A daytime carnival event was also held in honour of the nominees. Participants competed in games such as the Diageo obstacle race, Cadbury's beanbag target throw and a Chivas basketball dunk.

Alpha Orient Lanka hopes to conduct this event annually, supporting parent company Alpha which aims to extend the scheme to all of its businesses around the world by the end of next year.

FULL LIST OF ALPHA ASIA SUPER HEROES

Overall Alpha Asia Hero Individual Award
Priyantha Pushpakumara

Store Assistant Individual Award
Nevil Perera
Highly commended:
P G Jayaratne

Executive Individual Award
Priyantha Pushpakumara
Highly commended:
Lakmal Wanigasekera

Sales Coordinator Individual Award
Gayanee Jayaratne
Highly commended:
Roshani Perera

Service Support Team Award
Logistics/Wharf

Head Office Manager Individual Award
Errol Moraes
Highly commended:
Sarath Liyanage

Service Support Assistant Individual Award
Waruni Jayamini
Highly commended:
Sheen Ambrose

Operations Assistant Individual Award
Janaka Vithanage
Highly commended:
Ruwan Dayaratne

Back of House Team Award
Colombo Bond

Customer Service Support Individual Award
W H Sumith
Highly commended:
Nilantha Fernando

Airport Manager Individual Award - sponsored by The Moodie Report
Somalatha Bandara
Highly commended:
W A D N A Pradeep

Labels Customer Service Assistant Individual Award
M N J Sadique
Highly commended:
Royston Dehoon

Front of House Team Award (Labels)
Labels Outlets

Supervisor/Storekeeper Individual Award
Shanila Bolhart
Highly commended:
Damien Fernando

Beauty Advisor/Customer Service Assistant (Perfume) Individual Award
Kanchana Sriyaratne
Highly commended:
H N Darshani

Airport Customer Service Assistant Individual Award
M K Imran
Highly commended:
Nalin Fernando

Kay Tuxford ‘Big Heart’ Award
Ruklanthi Fernando

Front of House Team Award (Airport)
Pragathi