On Saturday, 16th January 2010, the Music and Dance Centre (Dom Muzyki i Tańca) in Zabrze hosted the most prominent figures of business, politics and culture. In this year's 18th edition of the contest, awards were granted to extraordinary figures of the Polish social and economic life, persons who can become role models for everyone.

President of the Management Board of Energomontaż-Południe SA - Andrzej Hołda
Platinum Laurels - Ambassador for Polish Affairs

Also Prof. Jerzy Buzek, Chairman of the European Parliament, appealed to the spectators and prize winners via a video transmission. He stressed that the awards were granted to those who had managed to use the opportunities of the free market economy to the fullest extent, who had created new jobs and efficiently, yet being fair, competed against each other also in the foreign markets, who had build socially responsible companies.

The gala was hosted by the Chairman of the Regional Chamber of Economy in Katowice, Tadeusz Donocik, who was supported by a television presenter, Krzysztof Ibisz.

The most valuable Diamond Laurels were granted to Bogdan Borusewicz, President of the Polish Senate. The lauds to his honour were given by Prof. Dorota Simonides who emphasised the significance of many years of his activity in the opposition and the contribution to building a free, democratic country. Bogdan Borusewicz, on the other hand, stressed the special and nationwide nature of this regional award of distinction.

The Platinum Laurels were granted to the President of the Management Board of Energomontaż-Południe SA, Mr. Andrzej Hołda. The Platinum Laurels of the "Ambassador for Polish Affairs" are granted to the persons with special contribution in representing Poland on the European and international scale, or who, as foreign citizens, significantly support our country.
This award was granted in recognition of numerous merits, but especially for effective management of a company with many years of experience in the international power engineering market, for promotion of the Polish honesty, reliability and organisational culture, and for implementation of state-of-the-art technologies for assembly of power and industrial plants and efficient collaboration with international corporations.
President Andrzej Hołda was handed over the award by Andrzej Olechowski, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Tadeusz Donocik, President of the Regional Chamber of Economy in Katowice.
Under the same categories, the following persons were also awarded: Dr. Zbigniew Kostecki, Chairman of the Congress of Polish People in Germany within the years 1995 - 2009, Bronisław Orawiec, Ph.D. Med., Honorary President of the Association of Polish Medical Doctors in Chicago and Enrico Pavoni, President of Fiat Auto Poland SA and Fiat Polska Sp. z o.o.

The special guest of the gala was Waldemar Malicki, whose performance together with the "humour orchestra" was the main attraction of the event.

The Platinum Laurels of the "Ambassador for Polish Affairs" are a prestigious and particularly important award for the Company which, along with other awards, confirm the quality of the services rendered as well as the professionalism and abilities of the Company management.