A diverse range of companies and several well-known figures from across the business community have made the shortlist at The Herald Scottish Family Business Awards.

Bill Munro of Barrhead Travel, Crieff Hydro's Stephen Leckie and Dominic Maguire from funeral director Anderson Maguire are nominated for the outstanding contribution they have made to the family business sector.

The awards ceremony - in ­association with Business Gateway and supported by Campbell Dallas, Burness Paull, TL Dallas, Clydesdale Bank and Craig Corporate - is held at the Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow on December 4. The nominees will be hoping to emulate the winners from the inaugural event last year at which Boyd Tunnock was guest speaker.

This year's large family business of the year category, supported by Craig Corporate, is between Barrhead Travel, Crieff Hydro, North Lanarkshire based Healthcare Environmental Services and Paisley's Spectrum Solution Services

The fastest-growing family ­business award, sponsored by Business Gateway, is being contested by Barrhead Travel, Glasgow's Gas Call Services, Lockerbie based Process Plant and Machinery and Selbrae House in Kirkcaldy.

Barrhead Travel is also ­shortlisted in the innovation category, supported by Campbell Dallas and is joined by retailer A. Hume Country Clothing and Healthcare Environmental Services.

The international growth award, supported by Burness Paull, sees a second nomination for both Process Plant and Machinery and Selbrae House with the PG Paper Company also in the running.

In the customer service ­excellence category, supported by TL Dallas, Morton of Pitmilly Countryside Resort is alongside A. Hume, Crieff Hydro and Anderson Maguire.

Arran's Auchrannie Resort, 3b Construction and Stornoway based Stag Bakeries are up for the commitment to the community award, supported by the Grand Central Hotel.

3b Construction and Stag ­Bakeries are also nominated in the small and medium rural family business category along with Glendoick Garden Centre in Perth and the Oak Tree Inn at Loch Lomond.

Auchrannie Resort and Crieff Hydro are up against each other to win the large rural family business award.

The small and medium family business category, supported by Clydesdale Bank, has Anderson Maguire, Abercromby Vending, Gas Call Services, Glendoick Garden Centre, A. Hume and Laings of Glasgow all vying for the title.

Hugh Lightbody, chief officer at Business Gateway National unit, said: "Business Gateway is delighted to have the opportunity to again sponsor The Herald Family Business Awards.

"Business Gateway provides support to both start-ups and existing businesses and many of those existing businesses are family run. Having taken part in the judging process, I am very impressed by the number and the quality of the businesses that have applied which made judging both challenging and rewarding and I look forward to seeing the finalists at this year's awards which I am sure will be even better than last year's excellent event."

Ian McConnell, business editor of The Herald and chairman of the judging panel, said: "This year's Scottish Family Business Awards attracted an impressive array of entries from businesses operating in a wide range of sectors. These entries highlight the huge contribution which family businesses make to local communities and to the broader Scottish economy. The quality of entries ensured that categories were hotly contested."

For more information on the awards evening please contact Lyndsay Wilson on 0141 302 7407 or visit www.herald-events.com/familybusiness.