Every business leader knows nothing is possible without dedicated employees going the extra mile – and often rather further – and taking extreme pride in their contribution to the employer s success. The award celebrates that dedication. Unusually, two of

Every business leader knows nothing is possible without dedicated employees going the extra mile - and often rather further - and taking extreme pride in their contribution to the employer's success. The award celebrates that dedication. Unusually, two of the finalists are council employees.

This year's finalists are Corrine Garbett, who is well known to many businesses as Huntingdonshire District Council's sustainable economic development manager, Cathy Inman from Cambridgeshire Trading Standards, who protects vulnerable people from rogue traders, and Lee Stubbings, who is deemed outstanding among the 67 employees of Huntingdon's Vindis Audi.

Corrine is not only supremely effective in promoting the interests of Huntingdonshire companies across the East of England and fighting for extra funding to support them, but she is also very effective in running her supporting team and in fighting business's corner within the council, her managers say.

Cathy, who is said to be passionate in her protection of vulnerable people, has developed "no cold calling zones" across the county to exclude exploitation by rogue traders, distraction burglaries and other doorstep crime to which vulnerable householders can fall victim. She oversees a rapid response team in partnership with Cambridgeshire police, and has personally intervened on the doorstep to make a rogue trader hand back £1,000 he had just taken from an 80-year-old.

Lee, who is a grandson of the company's founder, combines enthusiasm, passion and product knowledge with supreme effort, according to his general manager Paul Phelan.

"His appetite and enthusiasm are unmatched, and he has a large customer following.