Nassau, Bahamas - Jerome Gomez, Fund Administrator of The Bahamas Entrepreneurial Venture Fund announced today that three pioneering organizations that have positively contributed to the development of the business community and The Bahamas particularly during the recession will be presented with the prestigious Visionary Award for Business Excellence at next week?s Wednesday?s, 2009 Visionary Business Leaders & Entrepreneur Awards Conference at The Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort on Cable Beach.

Topping the list of Visionary Award honourees announced by Mr. Gomez was The Movi Group, a video production and marketing and advertising company, which has assisted scores of local companies in getting their products or services out to the consumer through the media and who are themselves, a fine example of a visionary company that is making it during these challenging times.

Mr. Gomez also announced that The Ministry of Tourism will be presented with a Visionary Award for successfully hosting The Miss Universe Pageant in August of this year here in The Bahamas. This marked the first time that the pageant was held in The Bahamas. ?The hosting of this pageant gave The Bahamas great promotional coverage and helped to strengthen The Bahamas? position as a leading tourist destination in the Caribbean. While the benefits of this event may not be immediate, we believe that The Bahamas is better off because of it,? Mr. Gomez commented.

Also Bahamas Local.com, a new user-friendly search engine & directory which has provided a unique internet marketing opportunity for local businesses to list their companies and events for free, while at the same time providing some paid form of advertising services was named as a Visionary Award honouree. Mr. Gomez said, ?This service has greatly assisted small businesses that recognize the importance of marketing, but simply cannot afford the expense at this time.?

Mr. Gomez also announced that The Director General of Tourism, Ms. Vernice Walkine has agreed to accept the Visionary Award on behalf of The Ministry of Tourism during the Visionary Awards Luncheon and afterwards will address business owners, entrepreneurs, senior executives and managers in attendance on the topic, ?New Opportunities for Businesses 2010 & Beyond,? in which she will highlight new and on-going initiatives to market The Bahamas, as well as possible business opportunities in tourism for entrepreneurs to explore. Dr. Myles Munroe, President of Bahamas Faith Ministries International will be the keynote speaker at The Visionary Awards Luncheon.

Other speakers scheduled to address The 2009 Visionary Business Leaders & Entrepreneur Awards Conference include the Minister of State for Finance, The Hon. Zhivargo Laing; Mr. Dionisio D?Aguilar, Former President of The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and President of Super Wash & Chairman of AML Holdings (Abaco Markets) Ltd; Mr. Sandy Schaefer, President of Robin Hood; Mrs. Stacia Williams, President of Total Image Management; Mr. Tennyson Wells, President of Sanctuary Investments Ltd. and Mr. Jackson Burnside, President of Jackson Burnside Ltd and Doongalik Studios.

The Visionary Conference which is being organized by Visionaire Marketing and sponsored by The Bahamas Entrepreneurial Venture Fund and supported by The Ministry of Finance is geared to assist business owners, entrepreneurs, senior executives and managers on how to weather the recession and begin planning for the economic recovery. Other sponsors include Super Wash, Milo B. Butler & Sons, Sanctuary Investments Ltd and Audio Plus, with gift donations by Atlantis, Bahamasair and Switcha