One of the Hunter’s leading industrialists and a foremost business advocate, Neville Sawyer, has been named Hunter Business Person of the Year.
Hunter Business Chamber President Karen Howard said today that Mr Sawyer’s career achievements were admired throughout Australia and for many in the Hunter represented what could be achieved by determination and commitment.
Neville Sawyer co-founded a small electrical and electronic business Ampcontrol in 1968 and went on to gain success internationally from an Australian reputation for excellence in service and products. Ampcontrol now employs more than 800 people in Australian locations and in China, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Ms Howard said Mr Sawyer had been the President of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the peak business body, and had been named among Australia’s Top Most Influential Engineers.
He established the Neville Sawyer Scholarship in Business and Law for residents of the Hunter. He was awarded the AM in 2006.
Ms Howard said the young lawyer, Marissa Dimarco was named Young Achiever of the Year at the Annual Awards dinner tonight at Wests Club.
Ms Dimarco is a Senior Associate at Moray and Agnew, a national company with an office in Newcastle of 27 lawyers and more than 30 support staff. She had developed a niche mining practice within the company and supervises three other lawyers and paralegal support staff.
Newcastle Port Corporation won the President’s Award for its contribution to the economic prosperity of the region through it commercial and social activities.
Ms Howard said the corporation had not only made the port the centre of business but the heart of the regional capital. Its support of business had been outstanding.
Newcastle Airport Ltd was awarded the prestigious Contribution to the Region award for its outstanding growth and innovation in customer services.
Ms Howard said the airport’s growth to about one and half million passengers a year had brought a direct economic impact of more than $450 million in 2008 including $150 million in tourism spending and $32 million in construction. In total this created and sustained more than 3000 jobs.
Ms Howard said Coal & Allied won the award for Environmental Sustainability. As one of the Hunter’s largest landowners the company had made significant contributions to sustainability in a range of areas including greenhouse gas emission reduction, water use, land use and amenity impacts on neighbouring communities.
Pettigrew Family Funerals won the Award for Small Business Excellence. The company began operations in 1969 and conducts more than 1000 funerals each year and is the largest provider of services in the Hunter.
Communications-Electronics Solutions (C-E Solutions) won the award for Business Achievement. Ms Howard said the company had three notable achievements, an airship management support system demonstration for defence, a contract for a mobile rocket impact scoring system and its growth from six to 12 employees in the past 12 months. The company is located at Taylors Beach in Port Stephens.
The Maitland based Alliance People Solutions was named winner of the Customer Service Award.
Ms Howard said the company had developed unique systems and support for people seeking employment and had won significant new clients as a result.
Ms Howard noted that winners of the awards came from throughout the Hunter with Singleton, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens, Maitland and Newcastle located companies recognised.
“Their outstanding contributions to business and employment in the region reflect why it is that the Hunter continues to contribute to the national and state economies in ways beyond what might be expected.
Ms Howard paid special tribute to the companies and organisations that sponsored the award. They are the University of Newcastle’s Grad School dot Com, Telstra Country Wide, Newcastle Permanent Business Solutions, Newcastle Port Corporation, Westfield Kotara, EnergyAustralia, CPA Australia and Macquarie Generation.
For further information: Karen Howard 0413 123 258