Kenyan-born Rita Shah, founder and director of Shabra Plastics in Monaghan, has been named the overall winner of the inaugural Permanent TSB Ethnic Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.
Ms Shah received her award from President Mary McAleese last night at an awards ceremony in Dublin. As well as winning the overall prize, Ms Shah was also selected as the winner of the technology entrepreneur category.
She set up Shabra Plastics in Monaghan in 1986. Initially, the company concentrated on manufacturing plastic bags, but in 1995, it set up a recycling business. It now recycles and manufactures plastic products and is the main recycler of plastic waste in Ireland.
The company, which employs around 55 people, recycles 15,000 tonnes of plastic waste each year and has a turnover of €8 million. It is currently investing €2.7 million expanding the company.
Ms Shah described the award as a great honour and recognition of the contribution of the ethnic community to the economy.
"It's a wonderful feeling," she said. "The fact that it is being honoured by the president and is recognised by the sponsors shows the country as a whole is believing in the ethnic community and that the ethnic community is playing its part."
Speaking at the event, Permanent TSB chief executive, Denis Casey, said: "We are delighted to present Ms Shah with this award. Ms Shah is an excellent example of entrepreneurial spirit among the ethnic community and is a wonderful role model for all entrepreneurs and also for women in business."
Other award winners included Juan Jimenez of Bella Cuba Restaurant, who won the best service ethnic entrepreneur category. Emerging ethnic entrepreneur was won by Olga and Jimmy Gashi for Word Perfect Translation Services Ltd. The social ethnic entrepreneur category was won by Salome Mbugua from AkiDwA - a non-governmental network for African women living in Ireland. The best business idea of the year went to Aiyshas Spice House owner and director Hafeez Rehman.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, programme co-ordinator and editor of Metro Éireann, Chinedu Onyejelem, said: "These awards are strong evidence of the type of contribution immigrants in Ireland are making. Going by what I have seen, I am very optimistic that in no time, many ethnic entrepreneurs here will become household names."
Individual prizes at the event were sponsored by Permanent TSB, the Bowen Group, Newstalk 106-108, Tullow Oil, Communicorp and The Irish Times.
