Tragedy struck at the roots of the spirit of economic adventure in Oxfordshire earlier this month.

A road accident claimed the life of David McDowell, whose rubbish skip business Aasvogel has been shortlisted in the New Business category of the Oxfordshire Business of the Year Awards

Aasvogel, of Grove, near Wantage, was among almost 200 companies which entered the awards.

Others shortlisted are:

New Business: Construction firm Gilt Edge, of Abingdon; and telemarketers Advanced Alchemy, a 1998 start-up with a £2.4m turnover.

Innovation: Education software company Digital Workshop, of Banbury; Optical Filters of Thame, which makes the EmiClare computer monitor shield; and Kitch-Katch, of Longcot, near Faringdon, which markets inventor Phil Evans's new gate catch.

Business Person of the Year: Public relations owner-manager Mike Evans of the Mistral Group, Cassington, near Witney; Dr Andrew Rickman, of Bookham Technology, of Milton Park, Abingdon; and Joanna Scott-Smith, joint owner and managing director of Manners Mail Order, of Witney.

Developing People: Restaurant and hotel Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, Great Milton; printer Alden Group, of Osney Mead, Oxford; and Hagbourne Primary School

Best Website: Marston Auto Parts (caraudiodirect.com); Icon Publishing (crash.net), which produces an online magazine for motorsport enthusiasts; and Osprey Publishing, the subject of a management buy-out three years ago.

Customer care: Family-run gardening club Frosts at Milletts Farm garden centre; Child & Co, a children's nursery at Wallingford; and the Nursing Homes Fees Association in Eynsham.

The awards are sponsored by the Oxford Mail's sister paper The Oxford Times, computer firm Torex, of Stonesfield, the Learning and Skills Council for Milton Key- nes, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, radio station Fox FM, Unipart, Four Pillars Hotels, Business Link Heart of England, law firm Darbys Mallam Lewis and business adviser Grant Thornton

**Winners will be announced at a gala evening at the Oxford Thames Four Pillars Hotel, Sandford, on Friday, June 8.