Queensland entrepreneurs recognised
Friday, 31 July 2009 — Queensland’s top entrepreneurial talent was celebrated and recognised last night in the annual Northern Region Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards in Brisbane.
Ernst & Young Brisbane Managing Partner, Jenny Parker, says the businesses recognised in the awards – including businesses in engineering, electronics, education and robotics – show entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in Queensland.
Congratulations to the 2009 Northern Region winners:
- James Burnett, ORIGO Education (Products category)
- Sean McMonagle, Sun Engineering (Services category)
- David White, Advanced Robotic Technology (Technology & Emerging Industries category)
- Vanessa Jordan, E3 Style (Young Entrepreneur category)
The Awards also celebrated the achievements of care facilities provider David Conry and property developer George Chapman AO.
David Conry was named Northern Region Social Entrepreneur Of The Year for his work with Youngcare, raising awareness of the plight of young adults with disabilities being forced to live in aged care nursing home facilities and for providing appropriate care facilities.
George Chapman AO of the Chapman Group was awarded the Northern Region Champion Of Entrepreneurship, recognising his achievements in delivering complex and innovative developments and community projects.
“Few entrepreneurs follow the same path to success but they share many of the qualities that often underpin their success – vision, passion, determination and drive,” says Parker.
“These awards recognise the significant contribution entrepreneurs make to Australian business and the broader community. In pursuing their vision, entrepreneurs create success for those around them, they create jobs and they develop their industries.”
The Northern Region category winners and social entrepreneur will go on to compete in the 2009 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year national awards in November.
James Burnett, ORIGO Education (Products)
Convinced there was a better way to teach mathematics, James Burnett took leave from a secure teaching position to write a series of teacher reference books with his mentor, Dr Calvin Irons. Working from home to publish and distribute his first books, it took James several years to land a big US publishing contract. Eventually, in 1999, he received a big enough order to employ a handful of full-time staff, and ORIGO Education was born. Today ORIGO dominates the Queensland mathematics market and is quickly building its brand across Australia with representation in WA, NSW and Victoria. In 2004, ORIGO incorporated in the US, where it plans to be the number one supplier of supplemental math resources within 10 years. ORIGO currently has distribution agreements in Canada and New Zealand, where it plans to set up companies within three years. ORIGO’s success depends on a balanced combination of products and professional development support and it differentiates itself by using a team of presenters who focus on communicating the approach to teaching rather than on selling products.
Sean McMonagle, Sun Engineering (Services)
In 1991, after 16 years working in his family’s company, Sean McMonagle took over as Managing Director of Sun Engineering. Sean’s mission was to keep the strengths of a family business, yet turn it into an international player. He was particularly keen to develop global manufacturing and delivery capabilities. Sean’s strategy was to take Sun’s ethos and work ethic into overseas markets. While continuing to build the Australian business, in 2005 Sean established a manufacturing plant in China, creating competitive advantage and enabling the business to reach as far as Iceland, Israel and Madagascar. In 2008, Sean strengthened alliances in the Middle East, giving Sun access to projects in an important growth market. In the same year, the company secured a $50 million contract for PNG’s Hidden Valley Gold Project. This project served to cement Sun’s track record in delivering projects in PNG. During this time, Sun’s Australian operations won the $12 million Suncorp Stadium roof contract and became an accredited supplier for Main Roads Queensland. Today, Sun has the alliances and capabilities to deliver projects anywhere in the world. It also has a global reputation for delivering “impossible” projects on time and on budget. Despite the current economic conditions, Sun is continuing to deliver strong growth.
David White, Advanced Robotic Technology (Technology & Emerging Industries)
In 1991, a friend persuaded inventor David White to turn his passion for robotics into a business. David set out to design a single machine that could cut foam, cement, steel, fibreglass, aluminium and timbers with the utmost precision. David had a vision for his company, Advanced Robotic Technology (ART), to manufacture world class, computer numerical controlled cutting machines, but persuading manufacturers to change their minds about production processes that have been used for generations was challenging. His strategy was to take the time to really understand his customers’ businesses, often identifying manufacturing issues the customer did not even realise they had themselves. David then developed custom-designed solutions to address these issues and improve profitability. His new machines and processes enabled manufacturers to reduce production time and waste, lower costs and increase profits – customers reported yields of up to ten times the efficiency of older techniques. Today, ART supplies machines to manufacturers in the US, Europe, Malaysia and Russia and is developing distribution relationships in Taiwan. The business has its own consumable sales company and recently acquired a New Zealand-based tool machine manufacturer, giving ART access to further international customers and a new range of automation products.
Vanessa Jordan, E3 Style (Young Entrepreneur)
As a National Account Manager for a large electronics business, Vanessa Jordan was aware that products were not marketed from a consumer-centric viewpoint. She identified a gap in the market for a supplier that was not tied to a particular product or manufacturer, whose product line was instead driven only by the requirements of retailers. Vanessa founded E3 Style with two business partners, Jillbert Mulder and Richard Chen. Vanessa’s strategy was to offer retailers the option to stock products in one of E3 Style’s registered brands or under the retailer’s own label. By eliminating the need for warehouse space, E3 Style minimised costs and passed the savings onto the retailers. In 2007, E3 Style signed an exclusive distribution agreement with SAKAR International, the largest children’s electronics supplier in the US market. In 2008, E3 Style was chosen as a development partner for Dick Smith. Today, E3 Style is a multi-million dollar company, built from a zero base, representing international brands, including Philips, A4 Tech and G-Cube. E3 Style is the only supplier in its industry to offer a complete product development and sourcing service. It supplies every major retailer in Australia and sources and develops electronic products for major retailers and distributors worldwide.
David Conry, Youngcare (Social Entrepreneur)
David Conry was inspired to set up Youngcare after supporting his wife through an illness made him aware of the plight of young adults with disabilities being forced to live in aged care nursing home facilities. For many of the 6,500 younger Australians who need residential care it has been the only option. Youngcare provides care facilities for young disabled adults and creates awareness of the issue, demonstrating how collaboration with the private sector, community and government can provide sustainable solutions. Youngcare was a key driver behind the Federal and State governments’ recent pledge of $244 million to address the issue of care for young adults with disabilities. In 2007, Youngcare opened its first apartment complex in Sinnamon Park, in Brisbane, to provide full time care to 16 residents. Construction on a Gold Coast apartment development will begin this year and apartments in New South Wales are planned for 2010. Within the next seven years, David plans to have Youngcare apartments in each State and Territory in Australia.
George Chapman AO, Chapman Group (Champion Of Entrepreneurship)
George Chapman could be described as a born entrepreneur. He set up his first business, a surveying practice, as a 23-year-old in 1962, where he learnt about the practicalities of surveying and the day-to -day running of a company. Seeing huge opportunities in land subdivision and town planning in Cairns, in 1967 George began his first development project. While Cairns had a population of just 35,000 at the time, he calculated the population growth rate and implemented a strategy of purchasing and developing land, project by project. George went on to develop several thousand allotments in the Cairns region, the Gold Coast and Brisbane. His ability to deliver complex and innovative developments and community projects, such as Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, Tiapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park and Harbour Lights Apartments, demonstrates his determination in overcoming challenges and his entrepreneurial spirit. He co-founded the Cairns Regional Development Bureau, which encouraged employment, industry and population growth in the region. George was appointed a Board Director of Telecasters North Queensland Limited (TNQ) in 1990 and Chairman from 1992 to 1998, and subsequently a Board Director of Ten Network Holdings Limited from 1992-1999. Other board appointments include Chairman of TAB Queensland, becoming Tattersall’s Limited in 2006 where he was a director until 2008. George remains Chairman of the Chapman Group, including the family’s 100% owned company Skyrail Pty Ltd.
About the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award program
Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year is the world’s most prestigious business award for entrepreneurs. The unique award makes a difference through the way it encourages entrepreneurial activity among those with potential, and recognises the contribution of people who inspire others with their vision, leadership and achievement.
As the first and only truly global award of its kind, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year celebrates those who are building and leading successful, growing and dynamic businesses, recognizing them through regional, national and global awards programs in more than 135 cities in 50 countries.
Since Ernst & Young’s global program began in Australia in 2001, more than 800 leading Australian entrepreneurs have been recognised for their entrepreneurial spirit. Entrants are assessed by a leading panel of independent judges on their innovation, integrity, influence, strategic direction and national/global impact. Their relationships with their local communities are also taken into account.
The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year program is conducted across five regions in Australia with these winners progressing to the national awards ceremony in November. Independent judging panels, drawn from a broad range of successful Australian businesses, assess the entrepreneurs on their innovation, integrity, influence, strategic direction, and national or global impact.
The Australian Entrepreneur Of The Year is invited to represent Australia at the Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of the Year Award held annually in Monte Carlo. Former Australian winners have included Peter Farrell of ResMed Limited (2001), John Rothwell AO of Austal Limited (2002), David Bussau AM of Opportunity International (2003), Robert Gerard AO of Gerard Corporation (2004), Tony D’Antonio and Peter Hosking of Global Machinery Company Worldwide (2005), Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar of Atlassian (2006), Shane Yeend of Imagination (2007) and Rod Jones of Navitas (2008).
In Australia the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year program is sponsored by Westpac (primary sponsor), Qantas and supported by the Federal Government through Austrade.
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