Meet the local antithesis of the stereotypical shonky tradie or dodgy used car salesman.

Joanne Harding-Smith has a new accolade to keep on her work desk after her business dealings received official praise from the Samford community.

The owner-manager of Travelscene Samford was recently announced as one of two winners of a Rotary Club of Samford Valley’s Ethics in Business award.

The Arana Hills resident, who was worked in the industry for 22 years, attributed her win to treating clients and staff the way she likes to be treated herself.

“All I can say is that you do the best you can do and it is flattering to be appreciated and noticed for doing something I enjoy,” Ms Harding-Smith said.

“It (the award) caught me by surprise because Rotary invited me to a meeting to talk about travel deals … and it was a ruse to get me out there to receive the award.”

Ms Harding-Smith said her grounding in positive dealings with travellers came from doing business with “eastern Sydney socialites” for eight years.

“When I was 17 I went to Sydney and worked for a high-end travel agency … and our clients wanted the best of everything,” she said. “It taught me to look out for your clients, get the best possible deal for them, and to not get blasé about your work.”

Ms Harding-Smith said she hoped the award would reinforce to customers “the conduct and community-minded attitude we try to deliver every day”.

The award now sits proudly beside two Best Australian Travel Agency Group NTIA Awards, which Travelscene Samford received in 2006 and 2008.

Samford Valley Golf and Country Club’s Gail and Ken Waldock also received a Rotary Club of Samford Valley Ethics in Business award, while Samford State School music teacher Michelle Adams and Samford Village Newsagency’s Nicky McCaul won Pride in Workmanship awards.