THE founder of funeral director Anderson Maguire has won recognition for his outstanding contribution to the family business sector.

Dominic Maguire, who has run the Glasgow company for decades, took home the prize at The Herald's Scottish Family Business Awards last night.

Mr Maguire had already seen Anderson Maguire be commended in the small and medium family business of the year category although it narrowly lost out to jeweller Laings of Glasgow.

Barrhead Travel was named large business of the year with Crieff Hydro commended in the category. There was another win for Barrhead in the business innovation category with Shotts company Healthcare Environmental Services being commended by judges.

Crieff Hydro won the large rural family business of the year title and picked up another commendation in the customer service excellence category. It was A Hume Country Clothing, which has its base in Kelso in the Scottish Borders, which took home the overall prize for customer service.

In the small and medium rural family business category Stornoway based Stag Bakeries was the winner with the Oak Tree Inn at Loch Lomond receiving a commendation from judges.

The Auchrannie Resort on Arran won the commitment to the community award.

Lockerbie based industrial equipment merchant Process Plant and Machinery came out on top in the international growth award and also won the fastest growing family business prize with Gas Call Services commended in the latter category. Law firm Macdonald Henderson was named the leading adviser to family businesses.

The awards ceremony - in association with Business Gateway and supported by Campbell Dallas, Burness Paull, TL Dallas, Clydesdale Bank and Craig Corporate - was held at the Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow.

The BBC's Catriona Shearer hosted the awards with the keynote address coming from Mactaggart & Mickel chief executive Ed Monaghan, who gave his perspective on being a non-family member running a family business.

An in-depth report on the nominees and winners will appear in The Herald on Monday.

www.herald-events.com/familybusiness