By Rufino T. Magbanua

For its immense contribution to the housing and real estate development, A Brown Group of Companies has been awarded the rare distinction as one of Mindanao’s top business leaders in ceremonies held last July 26, 2014 at Centrio Ayala Mall in Cagayan de Oro City.

A Brown was among the 14 top business entities and firms in Mindanao selected to receive the prestigious 2014 Business Leaders Awards.

Now on its third year, this recognition dubbed “Celebration of Business Successes in Mindanao” is being spearheaded by Mindanao Business Week Group of Publications in partnership with the City Government of Cagayan de Oro, Provincial Government of Misamis Oriental, Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro, Personnel Management Association of the Philippines, Oro Bankers Club, Ayala Centrio, Veterans Bank, Asian Hills Bank and Steag Estate Power.

Other awardees include: Sumifru Phils Corp for agri-business, Ist Valley Bank for banking and finance; FICCO for cooperative banking; Alrose Group of Companies for food manufacturing and marketing; Royal Mandaya Hotel for hotel industry; Dahilayan Adventure Park for resorts and tourism development; Phoenix Petroleum, mega entrepreneur; Salay Handmade Paper Industries, social entrepreneur; JCA Realty, service entrepreneur; Anakciano Inc (Lechon Manok ni San Pedro, business entrepreneur; Yulo Tee GTY Marketing, trading entrepreneur; Oro Asian Automotive Corp for transport industry and Italpinas for alternative energy.

This annual business awards aims to value and recognize the outstanding achievements of business firms and entrepreneurs that helped propel Mindanao’s economic growth by way of sustained leadership, innovations, creativity, entrepreneurship, application of best practices and people empowerment.