PERTH construction and property developer Doric is the Western Australian winner of the prestigious Australian Business Excellence Awards for 2006. Held by SAI Global, the awards involve extensive national assessment procedures that are benchmarked against similar awards schemes in several of the world’s leading economies. The Australian Business Excellence Framework was developed in 1987 in response to Commonwealth and industry calls to make Australian enterprises more effective, efficient and competitive. Key award assessment categories include: people; leadership; strategy and planning; customer and market focus; innovation; quality and improvement; success and sustainability; knowledge; and information. Doric Group business development manager Keith Somers said the award was a highly significant recognition of its endeavours over many years and was an endorsement of the people and processes behind its achievements. The award assessors adjudged that Doric had a genuine belief in its people, with empowerment a critical success factor. Founded in 1989 by Harry Xydas, Doric has had a successful track record with projects including hospitality, healthcare, retail, industrial, commercial, civil, fit-outs, residential, and engineering. Most notably, Doric was behind the Holiday Inn hotel development at Burswood as well as the Ellenbrook regional shopping centre and the City of Stirling civic building complex. The company’s turnover has increased from $4 million in 1989 to around $220 million in 2006, with Doric aiming to treble its business by 2011.