25 years of the EBA's

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CELEBRATING

DIVERSITY

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Credits ETHNIC BUSINESS AWARDS: Celebrating Diversity © Copyright 2013 Jascom International Pty Ltd Published by Jascom International Pty Ltd ABN 54 001 445 889 Level 2, 256 Norton Street, Leichhardt NSW 2040 Australia jascom@jascom.com.au jascom.com.au ethnicbusinessawards.com s

have

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry Assaf, Joseph 1944 - author

Banas, John 1949 - author

ETHNIC BUSINESS AWARDS: Celebrating Diversity ISBN 978 0 9875811 0 5 (Hardback) ISBN 978 0 9875811 1 2 (Deluxe Leatherbound Limited Edition) Includes index.

Ethnic Business Awards - History. Cultural pluralism - Australia.

Multiculturalism - Australia.

306.44994

First Edition October 2013

Proofread by Michael Ray Khoury Proudly printed by Clickpress Australia Pty Ltd

trademarks remain the property of their owners and cannot be reproduced without the taken in the research and presentation of material in this book. Readers must rely upon their own enquiries relating to any matter contained therein. research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, scanning, recording, internet or otherwise without prior written permission of the publisher.

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CELEBRATING

DIVERSITY

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If

you want

through

to

see

the

world

someone else’s eyes,

stand

beside them.

Joseph Assaf

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Genesis

L

LIFE IS A JOURNEY, and for hundreds of thousands of Australians it has been a journey to ... a new life. An act of courage.

They left their homelands and often their friends and families as well. And they set out to make that life in a new country, facing new challenges and looking for new opportunities. Many of them didn’t even speak English. For others, English was still very much a second language, or even a third. Many of them knew not a single soul in their new home. Some had no home to go back to if they failed.

Ethnic Business Awards Trophy

Some made the journey to escape hardship, or war, or oppression; some made it to join loved ones who had already undertaken the voyage; yet more were driven by the simple hope of advancement: the dream of a better life in a better place.

Refugees, business migrants, sponsored workers; the skilled and the dispossessed.

No matter who they were or how they came, they have in their thousands over the years made a massive and enduring contribution to the fabric of Australian life. They have brought their many and varied cultural sensibilities, their food,

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Hunter S Thompson

“

“

Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming Wow! What a Ride!

their music, their business acumen, their international contacts, their often unusual ways of doing things and, most importantly, their energy and determination.

For many of these people, such great determination and energy has translated into both personal reward and business success, even though a huge number of these migrants came here with nothing but a half-empty suitcase. Still, as a wise man once observed: “ ... in an empty suitcase, there is plenty of room for dreams”, and some of these New Australians have exceeded those dreams, surpassing even their wildest hopes and ambitions. They have doggedly pursued their goals, worked tirelessly to achieve success, and in the process have improved not only their own lives but also the lives of all Australians.

Migrants have enriched and uplifted us, adding new, fresh colours to our multicultural rainbow and a remarkable, compelling diversity to our cultural and economic landscapes. They operate and excel in all areas of business: food and wine, manufacturing, science and technology, agriculture, hospitality, service industries, communications and medicine. Wherever 11

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there has been a business opportunity, migrants have seized it, added their own unique qualities and innovative thinking to the equation and, in the process, changed the way Australians live.

Now, we are no longer just a meat pie nation. We can sample the cuisines of just about every country on earth. We can be entertained by a thousand different kinds of music, read newspapers in dozens of languages and understand the nuances and practices of an ever-widening and diverse international business community.

Because we have embraced people from all over the world, it has become easier to engage with the world and more attractive for the rest of the world to engage with us.

It’s also true that success attracts success, and that has been the case with business

migrants in Australia for many years. Such success deserves to be fully recognised … and celebrated.

Celebration is conceived In 1988, with many successful migrant businesses already staking claims on Australia’s increasingly diverse economic and cultural map, an award was created to recognise and celebrate success.

Joseph Assaf, himself a migrant from Lebanon, had by then been in Australia for some twenty years, having arrived in 1967, lugging that half-empty suitcase and wearing someone else’s shoes. He was possessed only of a will to work and a fierce determination to succeed. All those years ago, the dreams in his suitcase were personal, as they have to be at a new beginning. They were simple dreams: to

Joseph and Angela Assaf

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learn the language, to make a success of this new life, to perhaps even establish a business and, of course, to find love.

By 1988, like many of his fellow immigrants, Joseph had, through hard work and determination, fulfilled all of his dreams. He was happily married to Angela Bianca, his White Angel; he was highly successful in his chosen field of ethnic communications; and he was making a considerable contribution to both the business world in Australia and to the country’s ongoing multicultural debate, a debate which, almost inevitably, tended to focus upon migration.

As far as Joseph was concerned, every migrant was (and still is) a mini economic stimulus package. He knew from his own experience and his continuing observations that, quite apart from their wonderful contributions to the diversity that was more and more underpinning Australian life, migrants were (and still are) an economic force to be reckoned with. He was certainly right about that, with migrant business making a huge contribution to the Australian economy.

In the late 1980s, however, migrant business was not widely seen as very important and the immense contributions being made were, for the most part, still going unacknowledged.

Every good businessman knows that brand recognition is a significant factor in generating ongoing development.

But at that time, such recognition was not readily forthcoming, despite some amazing success stories. In Joseph Assaf ’s mind, this was both a dismaying fact and an exciting opportunity.

He decided that an annual award to recognise achievement and success in migrant business was not only a great

idea, but a social and economic necessity.

Such an award could change perceptions, promote economic growth and break down perceived cultural barriers. It could serve to highlight this expanding field of endeavour, provide role models, and generate wider and ever more committed business interest. So it was that the Ethnic Business Awards came into being.

A partner is found The establishment of the Awards was a massive task and well beyond the capacity of any one person. A charter had to be drawn up, judges had to be engaged, communication of the idea to the business community had to be undertaken and protocols and methodology had to be put in place.

All of that was carried out with much enthusiasm and alacrity. But what was soon required was a partner that also recognised just how important a contribution migrant business was making; a partner that was willing and able to promote and support that contribution. That partner turned out to be the National Australia Bank. The bank (itself founded by Scottish migrant, Alexander Gibb) agreed to join with Joseph Assaf and sponsor the Awards. But what did that mean?

Sponsorship is not a simple process of providing funds to support an otherwise unsustainable event or activity, usually with the hope of some recognition or kudos in return. True sponsorship is the establishment of a genuinely symbiotic relationship, through which both parties prosper, by which bridges are built, and from which success is shared.

So, with that principle in mind, and quite apart from any purely altruistic motivations, the NAB backed the enterprise. It made good business sense 13

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for the bank to participate in such a relationship, to help promote a key area of business and, in so doing, create an opportunity to broaden its own client base through response to such active support and encouragement.

Migrant business, it was realised, had the an already rapidly growing customer base that would increasingly require the bank’s already been fortuitously driven home by the 1986 Australian Census, which clearly showed that a large percentage of business owners in Australia had been born overseas.

It seemed obvious: the Ethnic Business Awards was a long-overdue initiative. discussion about the naming of the Awards.

To some, Ethnic was a misnomer, because it was the stated intention to make the Awards open to all migrant communities, language. After all, it was argued, people who had been born in the UK or Canada or the USA or South Africa or New Zealand and who had chosen to come to Australia to live and work and contribute were surely no less deserving of recognition than those who came here speaking a foreign tongue.

And isn’t Caucasian an ethnicity, anyway?

Agreement was quickly reached. Right from the beginning, the Ethnic Business

that all nominees had to have been born outside Australia. the term ethnic, both then and now, seems appropriate. It not only expresses the intent unique level of cultural diversity.

It was a simple formula with a modest beginning, but it nonetheless became a highly successful one.

Awards launch, the message spreads and success grows Held early in 1988 at the Sheraton Wentworth Hotel ceremony drew winners from seventy that stage a state-based enterprise, taking nominations only from New South Wales.

Nonetheless, the event was recorded and later broadcast by SBS television, managing to generate all the hoped-for media attention, along with subsequent interest from the business community at large and, not surprisingly, a massive amount of interest within migrant business quickly became apparent the following year, when it was decided to take the Awards nationwide, and over a hundred nominations were received from all over were well and truly up and running.

For NAB, this was the beginning of a long journey of its own. Along with Joseph Assaf, the bank hosted and exclusively sponsored the Awards for thirteen years.

Assaf as the major founding partners while many other corporate sponsors came on board: airlines, corporations, government departments, major companies and even Austrade and Centrelink.

Building on SBS’s initial coverage, the Awards also received growing support from a host of media outlets, providing both media partners grew from year to year until they included several foreign-language newspapers in Australia and television

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networks, both free-to-air and cable.

Continued exposure on SBS television, along with the Australia Network and the Aurora Community Channel, eventually brought the Awards presentation evenings to a wider and enthusiastic audience.

Back in 1988, no-one could have possibly imagined that the Ethnic Business Awards would one day enjoy the company of Prime Ministers and Governors-General; would become a highlight of the Australian business year and an enduring centrepiece of multiculturalism in this country; and would celebrate twenty-five wonderful years in front of an audience of political, business, arts and cultural luminaries, in Canberra in the Great Hall of Australia’s Parliament House.

Before the Awards attained that lofty peak, at their twenty-five year landmark, there were to be many significant initiatives.

The Ethnic Business Awards proved to be as innovative and enterprising as the businesses they celebrated.

Over the years, some categories have come and gone as the Awards have recognised and responded to the changing face of business in Australia, recognising and rewarding the ongoing achievements of migrants within that ever-changing climate. These initiatives have included a Business Migration Award; an Ethnic Media Award; The Arts; Women in Business; an Encouragement Award; a Recognition Award; and the popular Initiative Award.

In 2010, a permanent addition was made to the Awards program when the Ethnic Business Awards expanded their scope to embrace the business endeavours of Indigenous Australians. The argument was the same as at the very beginning.

Here was an ethnic group that was not, as yet, included in this celebration of

excellence and achievement. Of course, it could hardly be claimed that Indigenous Australians qualified as migrants. But it was considered vitally important that the Awards be as inclusive as possible; a national award to recognise excellence in indigenous business endeavour would not only be appropriate, but would complete, in the best of ways, a huge, wonderful, multicultural jigsaw puzzle that had been over twenty years in the making.

In creating the Indigenous in Business category in 2010, the Ethnic Business Awards proudly became an active participant in yet another important nationwide debate and an active partner in the process of indigenous reconciliation and advancement.

The Indigenous Award has attracted immense interest and, as with the two other categories – the Small Business category (Businesses with an average turnover up to $5 million a year) and the Medium to Large Business category (Businesses with an average turnover greater than $5 million a year), it continues to provide a unique and prestigious recognition of business achievement in this country.

Now, Australia’s migrants and their indigenous business counterparts are all able to share a place on the winners’ podium. It’s a place that has been graced over the years by seventy-five recipients in the various categories and special awards.

It’s a place in the spotlight, earned by those who have followed their dreams, overcome hardships and faced new challenges to accomplish well-deserved success. It’s a fond memory for many. It’s a prized goal for others yet to come. It’s a dream made real. It’s a celebration of migrant and indigenous enterprise in Australia.

It is the Ethnic Business Awards.

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2013 To Begin at the End (with apologies to Dylan Thomas)

O

OUTLINING this history, it would be easy and not unusual to begin at the beginning, in 1988. But the Ethnic Business Awards hasn’t come to be recognised as one of the premier business awards in Australia by being predictable

always surprising, always innovative, always compelling and always fun. So we will begin at the end or, to put it better, at this important milestone on a journey that we expect will continue for many years to come.

2013 is a landmark year for the Ethnic Business Awards as it celebrates its twentystaged its gala events in Perth, Sydney, course, it is being held in Canberra. And Australia’s Parliament House, here in the Australian Capital Territory.

It is an event that happily coincides with the Centenary of our capital city itself, as it, too, celebrates its national and symbolic roles: exactly a hundred years since Lady Denman, wife of the then Governor-General, Lord Denman, stood upon the freshly laid foundation stone and announced to the nation that the new Australian capital would be known henceforth as Canberra.

Just as Canberra in 2013 celebrates the history and heritage of one of the most enduring planned cities in the world, so too do the Ethnic Business Awards continue to celebrate the history and heritage of a multicultural spirit that is now a vital and vibrant part of Australian life.

Multiculturalism is our beating heart.

We have, over the years, come to prize our diversity, to harness the power that diversity generates; to enjoy its harmonies, tastes and colours, and to embrace the

Tracey Spicer

Parliament House, Canberra

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That dream was “the recognition and are, what we stand for, and where we are going. Stories which help all Australians lebration of the resilience and enterprise appreciate the value of diversity.” all migrants who had come here with eir own empty suitcases and who, against Michael Ebeid also announced SBS’s odds, had achieved great success.” sponsorship of another initiative in that generally generally and and in in business business as as well. well.

Indeed, Indeed, be be remembered remembered that that all all these these past past winners winners The dream had evolved into the Ethnic regard: “a 25-year anniversary book about in in this this landmark landmark year, another another function function andand finalists finalists were, were, themselves, themselves, chosen chosen from from usiness Awards.

Joseph Assaf year, thanked the Ethnic Business Awards.

Titled in in thethe Great Great Hall Hall hashas already already honoured honoured more more than than sixteen sixteen thousand thousand nominees nominees over over BS for their continued support in the Celebrating Diversity, the book collates those those who who assist assist migrants migrants in in their their quest quest to to thethe years. years.

YouYou cancan seesee a full a full listlist of of thethe past past terprise, remarking that the Awards, the incredibly inspiring stories of our come come to to Australia.

Australia.

AnAn initiative initiative of of Senator Senator Winners Winners onon pages pages 1919 andand 21.21. ght from the beginning, had been: migrant community over the history of thetheHon. Hon.Kate KateLundy, Lundy,thisthiscelebration celebration

of House, offacilitators facilitators enjoyedbroad-based broad-basedandand eat Hall, Parliament Canberraenjoyed

enthusiastic enthusiastic support support as they as they acknowledged acknowledged companies companies andand individuals individuals forfor their their efforts efforts onon behalf behalf of of migrants. migrants.

TheThe Great Great Hall, Hall, Parliament Parliament House, House, Canberra Canberra

0

In In2013, 2013,thetheEthnic EthnicBusiness BusinessAwards Awards continue continue to to celebrate celebrate thethe best best of of thethe best best in in ethnic ethnic business business enterprises. enterprises.

ButBut a more a more complex complexevaluation evaluationprocess processhashasbeen been formulated formulated to to accommodate accommodate twenty-five twenty-five years years of of winners winners andand finalists, finalists, andand because because so so many many of of thethe candidates candidates have have outgrown outgrown their their oldold categories: categories: a true a true testament testament to to their their continued continued business business success! success!

TheThe 2013 2013 Awards Awards celebrate celebrate a Champion a Champion of of Champions Champions in in each each of of three three categories: categories: thetheIndigenous Indigenousin inBusiness Businesscategory category (drawn (drawnfrom fromall allfinalists finalistsandandwinners); winners); AllAll Finalists/All Finalists/All Other Other Categories Categories over over thetheyears; years;andandAllAllWinners/All Winners/AllOther Other Categories Categories over over thethe years. years.

It should It should alsoalso

This This is is a formidable a formidable list.list.

And And thethe listlist of ofall all years’ years’ finalists finalists is is about about fivefive times times as aslong. long.They Theyhave haveall allbeen beencandidates candidates forfor shortlisting shortlisting in in 2013.

2013.

Given Given thethe sheer sheer number number of of these these candidates, candidates, deciding deciding onon finalists finalists forfor thisthis year year hashas been been a complex a complex andand challenging challenging exercise, exercise, requiring requiring months months of of research research by by thethe Ethnic Ethnic Business Business Awards Awards team team andand many many hours hours of of deliberation deliberation by by ourour panel panel of of judges. judges.

Success Success is not is not measured measured justjust in in financial financial terms; terms; it it is is alsoalso measured measured in in other, other, lessless tangible tangible ways: ways: difficulties difficulties overcome, overcome, degree degreeof ofinnovation, innovation,contributions contributionsto to society, society, level level andand scope scope of of achievement, achievement, andand future future potential. potential.

AllAll these these elements elements have have hadhad to to be be thrown thrown into into thethe potpot andand distilled distilled to to assess assess that that oneone pure pure essence essence …… success. success.

Our Our finalists finalists in in each each category category thisthis year, year, as as in in every every year, year, areare all all successes successes in in their their own own right. right.

In In nono special special order, order, other other than than alphabetical alphabetical (the (the English English alphabet!), alphabet!), these these areare thethe twelve twelve shortlisted shortlisted candidates candidates in in thethe 2013 2013 Ethnic Ethnic Business Business Awards.

Awards.

In In thethe recent recent Indigenous Indigenous in in Business Business Category, Category,thetheshortlist shortlistcomprises comprisessome some outstanding outstanding businesses. businesses.

Bradley Bradley Seafoods Seafoods Neil Neil andand hishis wife, wife, 2009 2009 Telstra Telstra Award Award Winner WinnerYvonne YvonneBradley, Bradley,give givethetheBush Bush Tucker Tucker Man Man a run a run forfor hishis money. money.

From From house house to to tent, tent, from from four-poster four-poster to to swag, swag, from from electricity electricity to to candles, candles, they they have have lived lived offoffthetheland, land,carted cartedwhatever whateversupplies supplies they theycouldn’t couldn’tsource sourceandandhelped helpedto toridrid thethe Manangoora Manangoora Station Station in in thethe Northern Northern Territory Territory of of feral feral animals animals in in thethe process. process.

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Company

Award

Yr

Humberto Urriola

Atlantis Corporation

Small Business

Theo Garcia

Small goods

Encouragement Award

1988

Raymond Bechara

Deemah Marble and Granite

Ethnic Business of the Year (< 5 Years)

Kurt Weisenberger

KW Engineering

Ethnic Business of the Year (> 5 Years)

Sang Park

Wooyong International Plastics

Encouragement Award

Ernst Stuhler

Stuhler’s Patisserie

Ethnic Business of the Year (< 5 Years)

Antonino Schiavello

Schiavello Group

Ethnic Business of the Year (> 5 Years)

Karim Obaidi

Marblo Holdings

Business Migration Program

Alex Peppas

Encouragement Award

Giorgio Gjergja

Modern European Security Roller Shutters Atco Controls

David Shein

Com-Tech Communications

Non-Manufacturing

Petronella Moonen

Ruband Wholesale

Small Business

Jonathan Huang

Britcola

Business Migration

Rocco Falcomata

Jarol

Manufacturing

Stefan Ackerie

Stefan Hair Fashions

Non-Manufacturing

Alice Lu

Lu Projects

Small Business

Sante Troiani

Wide Bay Brickworks

Manufacturing

Bob Bosnjak

Westbus

Non-Manufacturing

Fred Tan

Tixana

Product Diversity Award

David Giang

Chieu Duong The Sunrise Newspaper

Media Award

Tommaso D’Orsogna

D’Orsogna Bros

Manufacturing

Orazio Cantarella

Cantarella Brothers

Non-Manufacturing

Joey & Cheryl Pan

Pans’s Australia

Export Award

Carlos Broens

Broens Toolmaking

Manufacturing

John Da Silva

Bell-Vista Fruit and Veg Company

Non-Manufacturing

Jimmy Lu

Global Seafood Fisheries

Product Diversity Award

Teresa Crea

Doppo Teatro

Cultural Diversity in the Arts Award

Mike Koster

Jaws Buckets & Attachments

Manufacturing

Johnson Wang

Edge Technology

Non-Manufacturing

Vincent Peluso

Gamut Engineering

Small Business

Sarantos Moularadellis

Kingston Estate Wines

Manufacturing

Yoram Gross

Yoram Gross Film Studios

Non-Manufacturing

Andrew Yeo

Mastra Corporation

Special Recognition Award

Bert & Margriet Rijk

Silvandale Nursery

Small Business

George Ghossayn

Kari & Ghossayn

Medium to Large Business

Sue Ismiel

Nad’s

Small Business

Domenico Marrocco

Belmadar Constructions

Medium to Large Business

1989

Name

1990

Manufacturing

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 19

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And, while establishing their crabbing partnership, supplying these top-class delicacies to a voracious market, they have also home-schooled four little nippers of their own!

From working as a gardener and struggling to raise investment capital, Daniel has now completed contracts with AngloGold Ashanti, Barrick Gold, BHPB Nickel West, Rio Tinto, and Fortescue Metals. He employs a significant indigenous workforce as part of his company’s Indigenous Involvement charter.

Carey Mining is 100 per cent indigenous owned and managed, and creates real opportunities for Indigenous people through ABC Carey Training and the Wongatha Education Trust.

Complete Workwear Services Robert Stewart loves his homeland, describing it as “a great country, full of opportunities”. Overcoming a heart attack, he started in 1979 in the boot of a car.

Yvonne Bradley

Carey Mining Daniel Tucker describes his company as “a family company that’s not too big, not too small, and has a future”.

An understatement!

Daniel Tucker

Nicole Stewart

Robert’s company now owns and operates two factories and employs fortytwo people, including his daughter, Nicole Stewart, who manages the company’s finances. This robust company continues strong after over thirty years’ work, seven days a week, fifty-two weeks a year.

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Company

Award / Category

Yr

Ibrahim Sahin

Sleepcraft Distributors

Small Business

Mario Salvo

Delta Car Rentals

Medium to Large Business

2000

Masako Koga

La Lingua Language School

Small Business

Anthony Khouri

Bufori Motor Car Company

Medium to Large Business

Chhay Ung

Shaye Paper Products

Initiative Award

Wasim Farhart

Clean Plus Detergents

Small Business

Michael Ovchinnikov

Kelso Builders Supplies

Medium to Large Business

Peter Artemiou

Riverina Marine Centre

Initiative Award

James Lee

Pre-Uni New College

Small Business

Henry Ngai

ABC Tissue Products

Medium to Large Business

Filippo Navarra

Navarra Group

Initiative Award

Alistair Irvine

Green Sprouts

Small Business

Fred Ferreira

Wideform Group of Companies

Medium to Large Business

Mehmet Karamemis

Nu-Door

Initiative Award

Kristina Karlsson

kikki.K

Small Business

Sebastiano Pitruzzello

Pantalica Cheese Company

Medium to Large Business

Luke Nguyen

Red Lantern Restaurant

Small Business

Filippo Casella

Casella Wines

Medium to Large Business

John Du

HIMA Group

Initiative Award

Giuseppe Guigni

Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets

Small Business

Marko Franovic

The Boka Group

Medium to Large Business

Ali & Manel Hammoud

Ella Rouge Beauty

Initiative Award

Harry Xydas

The Doric Group

Special Recognition Award

Jonathan Skerratt

Silver Trowel Trade Training

Small Business

Abraham Hatoum

LookSmart Alterations

Medium to Large Business

Daniel Tucker

Carey Mining

Indigenous in Business

Michael Cejnar

Micropace

Small Business

Peter Puljich

Ruby Developments (t/a Living Gems) Medium to Large Business

Nicole Stewart

Complete Workwear Services

Indigenous in Business

Salem Sukkar

Green Valley Dairy Corporation

Small Business

Faddy Zouky

Zouki Group of Companies

Medium to Large Business

Yvonne Bradley

Bradley Seafoods

Indigenous in Business

2012

Initiative Award

2011

MEB Foods

2010

John Abou-Haila

Medium to Large Business

2009

Small Business

Therese Bechara

Gammasonics Institute for Medical Research Landria Constructions

2008

Carl Munoz-Ferrada

2007

Women in Business Award

2006

The Education Group

2005

Neda Morris

2004

Initiative Award

2003

Ian & Marion MacLaughlin Skybury Coffee

2002

Name

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Pindari WA Supplying building solutions and labour hire services that provide employment for young indigenous people in the mining sector through a carefully structured Aboriginal Participation strategy and ongoing apprenticeships and trainee programs, Pindari is aptly named: it means the high ground. The company has experience, knowledge and credibility. Its founder and Managing Director, from Dunsborough, Western Australia, is a man who really has trusted his gut and given it his very best shot: David Pidek.

Nicola Cerrone

until 3 or 4 o’clock in the morning seven days a week. His life was basically just work and sleep.

David Pidek

The shortlist for All Finalists/All Other Categories comprises: Cerrone Jewellers Nicola Cerrone emigrated to Australia from Italy. His business went from a tiny operation in his mum’s garage to the successful internationally focused exclusive jewellers it is today.

He achieved this through hard work, passion, focus and dedication, and by never forgetting the important things in life. For the first few years, he was working

With limited financial resources, Nicola decided from the outset that it was important to gain recognition through the high quality of his work and a significant element of his success can be attributed to his vast collection of jewellery design awards both in Australia and overseas: a testament to that quality. His first international jewellery design award was at the Argyle International Awards in New York in the year 1984, and he now has a collection of “around sixty awards”, including awards for business excellence, lifestyle, and entrepreneurship.

Today Cerrone is a name on the lips of the rich and famous when they need jewellery to wear to red-carpet events or special occasions in their private lives.

Nicola is determined to give back to the industry that has given so much to him. He likes employing apprentices so that young people have the same chance to succeed that he had all those years ago. “The trade,” he says, “needs to be cultivated by giving these young people an opportunity.”

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Jun Pacific After Seijiro Funayama graduated from university, he worked for a large trading company in the paper pulp industry. He was sent to work in Australia in 1961, separated from his family. “This is how many Japanese businessmen were sent out into the world back then, rather like soldiers: without their families,” he says.

It was three years before he was able to bring his wife Taeko and son Michael to Australia, where the family made their home. A daughter, Julie, was born in Sydney in 1965.

When the company Seijiro Funayama worked for merged with another, he became independent, but still in the paper pulp industry. That didn’t succeed, so he started in specialised retail in 1976.

Jun Pacific now has numerous offices and warehouses in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth, and retail outlets in Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast, with a further store due to open in Perth.

Nicheliving Starting in Perth in 2003, Nicheliving was registered as a company under its original business name of Australian Property Alliance, with Poland’s Paul Bitdorf as Managing Director and a total staff of three. In the first year, Paul spent most of his time refining and finalising his concept of developing a high quality affordable house.

The company’s first incarnation was as Tokyo Mart. This retail arm of the business grew into a wholesale and import business under the name Jun Pacific. Seijiro Funayama was importing and selling to Japanese clients and Australians in general the foods and products from Japan that his family had missed so much.

Seijiro Funayama

Paul Bitdorf

The Niche concept, designed to provide affordable housing in desirable, established metropolitan suburbs, was born in 2004.

The reason for focusing on established suburbs was to extend the affordability concept to also include the future cost of living in the home. This goal was made achievable in established suburbs because of the proximity of transport links, shops, schools, hospitals, major road networks and recreational as well as sporting facilities, and further enhanced through 23

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the introduction of sustainability features in each home and estate.

To date, the company has built more than six hundred homes in many Niche estates both in Western Australia and nationally. In late 2009, decisions were made to change the business name from Australian Property Alliance to Nicheliving, and also to establish an in-

homes that would accommodate the harsh conditions prevalent in the mining boom areas of the north-west.

Today, Nicheliving has grown into a company employing a multi-disciplinary contractors. Annual turnover has increased from $90 million to around $400 million in the past seven years.

Romeo’s Retail Group Antonio Romeo’s retail group has twice never won. Antonio Romeo himself had and a four-year building apprenticeship in Antonio Romeo

Italy. He now owns and runs a supermarket empire with nearly thirty retail outlets, developed over twenty-eight years.

Second World War prompted Antonio to contemplate his future. His eldest sister and brother-in-law had migrated some time earlier and now called Australia home. Eventually, Antonio, his parents, brother and other sister all made a family decision and followed in their footsteps. barrier, Antonio Romeo set about a career in the building industry, establishing his own construction company in 1965. After twenty-two successful years, the Romeos made another family decision – to go into

In 1987, Antonio Romeo purchased a small supermarket called Tom the Cheap at South Plympton with two of his sons: Anthony, who was studying accounting; and Paul, who was a marketing manager for an independent retail group and managing Joseph was still at school at the time. and, through the 1990s, were able to purchase and transform other retail outlets become a leading Australian supermarket chain; over the next decade, this dream would see RRG purchasing and revitalising many more retail outlets, including some struggling Coles stores. Recently, they have moved into New South Wales.

Antonio puts the success of the business down to hard work, attention to detail, family, and teamwork, along with support of local producers and suppliers, which gives the company a unique edge over its the communities they serve, considering

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each environment as a micro market, with sales initiatives like the supply of gourmet ranges in more prestigious Adelaide suburbs and Low Buy schemes in the lower socio-economic areas. genuine family business. With a unique approach to retail and a rapidly expanding outlet base, it seems the RRG dream is already well on its way to being realised.

Australia in the year 1985, Henry Ngai incorporated Cheng Kee (Aust) Pty Ltd, and then in 1986 established ABC Tissue Products. Step by step, the business grew until a block of industrial land in Wetherill Park was acquired.

In 2005, Henry Ngai invested a lump sum of AUD$65 million in building the Now ABC has over 320,000 square metres of industrial land in Wetherill Park, over 310,000 square metres of industrial land in Brisbane, over 60,000 in Melbourne, over 20,000 in Perth, and over 40,000 in New Zealand, all occupied by ABC businesses at the beginning to six hundred now.

Chieu Duong The Sunrise Newspaper When the communist North Vietnamese army invaded and took over South Vietnam in 1975, there was chaos in Saigon. Like millions of other political refugees, David Giang’s father escaped taking along him

Henry Ngai

ABC Tissue Products Henry Ngai started his business as an exporter of waste cardboard from Hong

David Giang

became an importer and wholesaler of tissue paper in Hong Kong, eventually expanding his operations into the manufacture and supply of tissue paper.

In 1982, planning his children’s future education overseas, Henry Ngai visited the USA, Canada, France and Australia.

While in Australia he lost his way in a car.

A driver stopped and said, “Please follow me,” and led him to his destination. “I was impressed by the kind-hearted nature of the people and decided to migrate to Australia,” Henry says.

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Ocean and drifted for nearly two weeks, being attacked and robbed by Thai pirates a dozen times, before finally being rescued by the crew of an oil rig. David was a refugee in Thailand for six months before being sponsored as a migrant to Australia by his uncle, who had just finished his PhD at the University of Western Australia.

David’s mother and two younger sisters also escaped as boat people and the family was reunited a few months later.

David Giang’s father had been a wellknown writer, journalist and publisher in Vietnam, and although it was much harder with very little English and with almost zero finances, the Giangs decided to establish Chieu Duong The Sunrise in Australia. With the determination and dedication of every family member and the support of friends, the daily newspaper was an unprecedented success. Chieu Duong has continued its journey from its earlier incarnation in Vietnam in 1960 to Australia in 2013.

Having established the first and only Vietnamese daily newspaper publishing throughout Australia continuously since 1980, the company also began publishing in 2003 an extra weekly newspaper called Van Nghe: the Entertainment Weekly, which has become very popular within the Vietnamese community. Chieu Duong, meanwhile, is presently expanding to the United States and to other countries in Asia and Europe.

Schiavello Antonino Schiavello migrated from Italy to Australia in 1956 because his father, who had migrated a year earlier, had been hospitalised after an accident on board the ship. As the eldest of six children, Antonino came here to be with his father.

At seventeen, the young man found a job in Melbourne and undertook to help his

Antonino Schiavello

father get well and to help his family back home in Italy.

Ten years later, married, and with his wife expecting their second child, Antonino found that his weekly earnings could not support his growing family and, on Monday 11 July, 1966, there came a life-changing moment. Antonino asked the manager of the company he was then working for (Cemac Interiors) if he could give him sub-contract labour on other projects. John Braman replied that he couldn’t because he needed Antonino to supervise another Cemac project.

“I explained to John that I was unable to meet my family commitments working for wages, and so if he had no sub-contract work for me I needed to look elsewhere.

John returned in the afternoon and gave me the plans to price the installation of toilet partitions and doors for a new project. He asked me to take the drawings home, call in on the site in the morning and give him the pricing in the afternoon.

On Tuesday afternoon, I had the pricing ready and gave it to him. The price must have been attractive, as he said ‘Come to my office to discuss.’ And that we did.

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“I went to the office; John assessed all the notes and then said: ‘The price seems to be okay. When can you start?’ I told him I would start the next morning on the proviso that he could lend me two carpenters who were working for me at Cemac: Peter Siciliano and Graziano Pisani, plus the equipment we needed!

He agreed, and on Wednesday 13 July, 1966, I started work at the SEC Building. That was the beginning of the Schiavello Group.”

Today the Schiavello Group is a multidisciplinary global organisation. It is a recognised world leader in the design and manufacture of whole-of-workplace systems and smart solutions, employing more than twelve hundred people and listed among the top 200 private Australian companies.

SI&D (Aust) In the early 1990s, Syrian-born Sue Ismiel was a married mother of three young daughters working as a Medical Records Officer in a hospital in Sydney, Australia.

To help one of her daughters, Sue became really determined to create a hair removal Sue Ismiel

product based on natural ingredients, and came up with a pleasantly scented green goo that she was eventually convinced to share with the general public. Her invention had been achieved with no scientific training but with an idea, persistence and determination and only household ingredients. Nad’s Natural Hair Removal Gel became the most popular natural hair removal product in Sydney and then, after an uncertain investment of $5,000 in a daytime national television infomercial, it took off all over Australia.

Sue realised that unwanted body hair is a global phenomenon and after spending four years building equity in the brand decided to tackle the American market and replicate the marketing strategy that had proved so successful in Australia.

Eventually, the business diversified into other problem fields such as head lice and acne.

Now operating as Sue Ismiel and Daughters (SI&D), Nad’s celebrated its twentieth anniversary in 2012 and, in October, Sue was invited by the buyer for the US giant, Walmart, to give a presentation. Today, Nad’s is doing business with the world’s largest retailers and has won several business awards along the way. It is a strong and robust brand, and through resilience, persistence and determination, is capable of withstanding almost any challenge that comes its way.

And the three Winners are … to be announced later.

Well, you were told to expect the unexpected!

2013 is our first step into the future, but there have been many steps along the way.

It’s time to retrace those steps, in words and images, and we will now go back … to the beginning.

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“

T

is a knife.

Mick Crocodile Dundee

THE YEAR of Australia’s Bicentenary, 1988 and the movie Crocodile Dundee; Queen Elizabeth opened the new Parliament House in Canberra; Seoul staged the XXIV Olympic Games; the Discovery shuttle; and Joseph Assaf and the National Australia Bank launched the Ethnic Business Awards.

• recognise and reward the contributions migrants make to the Australian economy • create understanding and harmony by highlighting the positive aspects and impacts of multiculturalism in Australia • highlight Australia as an important business destination • create and sustain business across all sectors of industry, regardless of race, colour, religion, or cultural background

Arthur Sanderson

• highlight the collective migrant spirit in Australia, and celebrate the diversity of our nation. terms of their scope and direction, but in terms of their intended reach. Right from the beginning of the Awards, this reach aspired to be nationwide.

Arthur Sanderson, the NAB’s General Manager in New South Wales, was involved

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“

1988

right from the beginning and continued to take an active part in the Awards. After his retirement, Arthur eventually became one of the judges, in 2002. John Dawson, another NAB executive, was also a very active and helpful supporter of the Awards right from their inception.

Awards took nominations only from New South Wales. Despite the obvious successes of migrant business all over the country, the Awards infrastructure wasn’t yet in place, certainly not enough to support a national award.

And as a brand new event, the Ethnic Business Awards had yet to develop a at large and within the migrant business community itself. At this time, too, advertisements in newspapers and other media had to be paid for and a national broadcaster was needed.

Another major challenge came in the form of the state and federal antidiscrimination laws of the time.

Unfortunately for migrants in South Australia, authorities there refused to grant exemption. In Western Australia, exemption was sought, but the procedure for granting it was so lengthy, it could not be granted in time for the inaugural award.

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Although it was shaping up to be a modest journey quickly turned into long strides.

Acceptances for roles on the judging panels were stellar, with Sir Nicholas Shehadie, Carla Zampatti, John Saunders and King Fong giving the enterprise immediate cachet. Judging and award functions were initially undertaken on a state-by-state maintained until the late 1990s when the single, national gala event came into being. And right from the start, excited by the vision, the NAB came to the party with its sponsorship. From inception, it was agreed that nominees did not have to be open to all, regardless. as well. In an act of faith, SBS agreed to broadcast a recording of the Awards, held at the Sheraton Wentworth Hotel, Sydney; Ethnic Business Awards were on the map.

Finalists and Winners: Awards in the year 1988 were made in two separate categories: a Small Business Award, and an Encouragement Award.

Six “multinational” finalists were chosen from more than seventy nominations from all over New South Wales.

Finalists were: Humberto Urriola, Bill Risteski, John Nick Elias.

Winner of the Encouragement Award was smallgoods proprietor, Garcia, originally from Spain. He received the Award from Peter Shergold, head of donated the prize.

Winner of the Small Business Award was Humberto Urriola, originally from Chile, who had developed an exciting new drainage system with architectural, engineering and landscape applications.

On behalf of his company Atlantis Corporation, Humberto Urriola accepted a $10,000 business assistance package from the NAB. $1,000 each from the bank.

Bill Hodgson, the NAB’s then Deputy Managing Director, praised the initiative and hard work shown by all the entrants. new language and a new style of business NAB is proud to be associated with such hardworking new Australians.”

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Small Business Business Award Awardwinner, winner,Humberto HumbertoUrriola Urriola

The bank bank also also announced announced its its intention intention to make the the Awards Awards truly truly national nationalininthe the following year, following year, with with many manyentries entriesfrom fromallall the other the other states states and and territories. territories.

Pictured Picturedabove aboveis isone oneofofour ourfirst firsttwo two major majorprizewinners. prizewinners.

And Andwhat whata atruly trulybeautiful beautifulprize prizeit ithashas indeed indeedbecome become......

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Our Prize? The World

U

Joseph Assaf In Someone Else’s Shoes

UNDERSTANDABLY, it is no accident at all that this beautiful trophy symbolises the world, held aloft. When the best principles of multiculturalism are properly applied, especially to business, the world is indeed the prize.

The Trophy

“

“

Whatever our views, we have to accept that the world is changing and realise that the next phase of development is already upon us and requires us to learn how to embrace cultural diversity on a global scale, not only for the sake of harmony, but for the sake of prosperity, joy, and ... survival itself.

The Laurel Wreath The laurel wreath logo of the Ethnic Business Awards is of particular significance, too. It is a reflection of the idea that all participants, nominees, sponsors, Original Trophy

In 1988, finalists and winners had simply received plaques marking their achievements. In 1989, a trophy was introduced. Initially, this was a simple crystal trophy made in the shape of Australia, reflecting the aspirations of the Awards to go national.

Awards Trophy

In 2002, the change was made to the current much more elaborate trophy depicting the world, in order to more accurately reflect the ethos of the Ethnic Business Awards and to signify Australia’s connection with the world.

The Ethnic Business Awards Trophy now takes pride of place in many boardrooms and executive offices nationwide, along with certificates issued to all finalists.

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Bringing the world closer One of the main ways that many migrants succeed in doing this is by maintaining contact with their homelands. They bring to this country their own unique ways of communicating and they bring a particular understanding of the thinking and practices of other business cultures.

This makes communication with foreign markets easier and more productive. And, an ongoing and strengthening interchange on the business level only can only help improve relationships in all other areas as well: cultural, diplomatic, political, social and interpersonal.

Ethnic Business Awards Certificates

finalists and organisers are all winners simply by having added their efforts and their voices as unique, shining threads to Australia’s rich multicultural tapestry.

Globalisation, in the very best sense of the word, is one of the genuine benefits of the migrant presence in Australia and of their ongoing cultural and economic contributions and connections.

The laurel wreath is, of course, a wellknown symbol of victory. In Ancient Greece, olive wreaths were awarded to victors in athletic competitions and in poetic contests; in Rome they were symbols of martial victory. In other countries, the laurel wreath has been used as a symbol of intellectual or academic achievement. The word laureate in poet laureate, for instance, refers to the laurel wreath.

The laurel has earned a place in the lexicon of excellence, and in everyday language, too. Our finalists, for example, have not “rested on their laurels”, relying entirely on past successes for continued status and recognition. Instead, they have “looked to their laurels”, ensuring that they have maintained a competitive edge in the marketplace and continue to work hard for their ongoing success.

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Contemporary AwardsTrophy Trophy Contemporary Awards

““

Fromdeep deep within, within, our our spirits spirits are From are calling callingfor foraanew new andgreater greater global global wholeness, wholeness, global and globalhealing healingand and globalopportunity. opportunity. The The voice voice isis ours, global ours, the thetime timeisisnow, now, and the the resources resources are and are what what we wehave. have.

““

Laura Teresa Marquez Laura Teresa Marquez

35

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1989 a labour nurse who told me the following …

W

WITH THE TROPHIES distributed and the 1988 ceremony deemed a success, it the stated goals, and make the Ethnic Business Awards a truly national event. hard. Keeping it on its feet can be even

the second year is often touch-and-go, the making or breaking of an idea, however good or worthwhile it may be.

In the case of the Ethnic Business Awards, the toddler barely stumbled, as excerpts from an article in Multicultural Marketing News illustrate:

Mary Kostakidis

Wales and Australian Capital Territory General Manager, Arthur Sanderson, can look back on the growth of the NAB Ethnic Business Awards, which has been so rapid that the term small has been dropped from the title after only one year.

Mr Sanderson described the bank’s attitude by saying: “We started with the idea of supporting ethnic small businesses which had struggled against the language barriers and a new environment to succeed and prosper.

Now we want to also recognise those who’ve

EBA BOOK - 2.indd 39

Jodi Picoult

“

“

grown out of the small business class and are succeeding in a larger environment.

“Next year we will seek to recognise and reward business migrants as a new force in Australian business and we will seek to support the large and vigorous ethnic media in some way.” of the bank’s Business Migration Department.

Assaf and was created for the NAB to tailor to has a National Coordinator, David Johns, based in Sydney with Managers in each state

on the ground and their eyes on future horizons, but there were still some stumbling blocks to be negotiated and they would, indeed, carry over until the Mr Sanderson indicated one of the ways the Awards will expand in 1990: “Hopefully entries from South and Western Australia will be able to be accepted. Unfortunately, the anti-discrimination laws in those states 37

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thisthis year, year, butbut we we hope hope thatthat thethe Awards Awards willwill be be seenseen andand approved approved forfor what what theythey are:are: an an honest honest attempt attempt to to reward reward those those who who may may wellwell have have suffered suffered discrimination discrimination andand who who certainly certainly started started with with disadvantages disadvantages such such as as lacklack of English, of English, andand yet yet who who have have succeeded succeeded in in improving improving themselves themselves andand helping helping Australia’s Australia’s economic economic development development as well.” as well.”

AllAllthethefinalists finalistsin inthethe1989 1989Ethnic Ethnic Business Business Awards Awards certainly certainly displayed displayed those those characteristics. characteristics.

TheThe same same could could alsoalso be be saidsaid forfor thethe many many nominations nominations from from several several states states forfor thethe three three award award categories, categories, which which thisthis year year were were designed designed to to recognise recognise notnot only only recent recent success success butbut alsoalso longer-term longer-term endeavour endeavour in in thethe migrant migrant business business field. field.

They They were: were:

Andreas Andreas Panayiotou Panayiotou (A (A Greek-Cypriot): Greek-Cypriot): Takeaway Takeaway food. food.

TheThe Winners Winners Raymond Raymond Bechara, Bechara, who who migrated migrated here here from from Lebanon Lebanon in in 1976 1976 as as an an eighteeneighteenyear-old year-oldstudent, student,won wonthetheaward awardforfor businesses businessesstarted startedlesslessthan thanfivefiveyears years ago. ago.Raymond RaymondBechara Becharahadhadlearnt learntthethe tiling tiling trade trade in in Australia, Australia, formed formed Deemah Deemah Tiles Tiles in in 1985, 1985, andand by by 1988 1988 hishis company, company, now now Deemah Deemah Marble Marble and and Granite, Granite, hadhad become become oneone of of Sydney’s Sydney’s largest largest importers importers andandsuppliers suppliersof ofmarble marbleandandgranite, granite, with with fifty-five fifty-five fullfull time time staff staff in in thethe office, office, factory, factory, andand onsite, onsite, andand a ten a ten million million dollar dollar annual annual turnover. turnover.

• Ethnic • Ethnic Business Business of of thethe Year Year (For (For a a business business started started more more than than fivefive years years ago) ago) • Ethnic • Ethnic Business Business of of thethe Year Year (For (For a a business business started started lessless than than fivefive years years ago) ago) • The • The Encouragement Encouragement Award.

Award.

Once Once again, again, thethe Ethnic Ethnic Business Business Awards Awards presentation presentationwaswasheld heldat atthetheSheraton Sheraton Wentworth WentworthHotel, Hotel,Sydney.

Sydney.They Theywere were graciously graciously hosted hosted by by Mary Mary Kostakidis.

Kostakidis.

TheThe Finalists Finalists Nominations Nominationswere werejudged judgedonontheir their innovation, innovation, creativity, creativity, andand thethe management management andand growth growth raterate of their of their businesses. businesses.

Najee NajeeImam Imam(Lebanon): (Lebanon):a aleading leading Australian Australian manufacturer manufacturer of men’s of men’s fashion. fashion.

BillBill Hodgson, Hodgson, TheoTheo Garcia Garcia andand Peter Peter Shergold Shergold

Anthony AnthonyPolykandriotis Polykandriotis(Greece): (Greece):A A Kurt Kurt Weisenberger, Weisenberger,who whohadhadarrived arrived manufacturer manufacturer of tools of tools andand plastics. plastics. in in Australia Australia from from West West Germany Germany in in 1965, 1965, won thethe award award forfor businesses businesses established established Raymond Raymond Bechara Bechara (Lebanon): (Lebanon): Marble Marble won forfor more more than than fivefive years. years.

HisHis successful successful andand granite granite importer importer andand supplier. supplier. family family business, business, KW KW Engineering, Engineering, which which Balbir Balbir Jholl Jholl (Malaysia): (Malaysia): Tourism Tourism andand waswas based based in in Queensland, Queensland, designed designed andand alsoalso hospitality. hospitality. manufactured manufactured fruit fruit handling handling equipment equipment that waswas being being sold sold in in Australia Australia andand alsoalso Kurt KurtWeisenberger Weisenberger(Germany): (Germany):TheThe that manufacture manufacture of fruit-handling of fruit-handling equipment. equipment. exported exported to to China China andand Israel.

Israel.

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1989 had lived up to all expectations, despite continuing problems in signing up Western and South Australia.

Maya Angelou

Nicholas Shehadie and Mary Kostakidis

The Encouragement Award was won this year by Sang Park of Wooyong International Plastics.

Charles de Gaulle

“

“

How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese?

“

“

It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.

SBS Television had maintained its broadcast commitments, this year going live, and the NAB remained an enthusiastic and committed partner. Nominations had increased amazingly and the interest from the migrant business community and from Australian business in general, was enormous. It was particularly gratifying to observe the tremendous variety in both the types of industry and enterprise represented and, also, the number of nations of origin that were now participating. The Ethnic Business Awards were already earning their stripes as a celebration of diversity and multicultural excellence.

Peter Shergold

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1990

F

FOR THE SECOND YEAR running, SBS Television conducted a live broadcast of the Ethnic Business Awards, being held in 1990 at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne, hosted by Geraldine Doogue. The award winners included a cake pastry wholesaler from Austria, a furniture maker from Italy and a building materials manufacturer from Iraq.

The finalists had migrated to Australia not only from these three countries, but also from Greece, Taiwan, South Korea, Brazil and Argentina. And these were but a small cross-section of the many nominations received from all over Australia.

“

“

The OECD declares Australia to be the fourth largest debtor in the world.

Nelson Mandela is released from Victor Verster prison after 27 years.

The Gulf War is looming ...

• A new award for businesses established under the Business Migration Program, as a response to the Australian Government’s initiative to promote migrant business.

Finalists and Winners In Category One: businesses established for less than five years, the finalists were: Brung Chung (South Korea): a vegetable farmer from Windsor, NSW. Walter Hung (Brazil): a variety food store proprietor, who is based in the town of Aitkenvale, Queensland.

Karim Obaidi

In only their third year, the Ethnic Business Awards were rapidly becoming an icon of Australian multiculturalism and a living tribute to the diversity of Australian business and society as a whole.

In 1990, the Awards were offered in the following four categories:

Nobby Clark

• Two categories for less than and more than five years of established business (Categories One and Two) • The Encouragement Award, presented by the Office of Multicultural Affairs

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The Winner was: Ernst Stuhler (Austria): a pastry chef from Mount Waverley, Victoria, who had established Stuhler’s Patisserie in 1986 and in just four years developed it into a business with an annual turnover of more than $2.5 million and more than fifty fulltime and casual staff.

In Category Two: businesses established for more than five years, the finalists were: Sergio Benassi (Italy): a pedal boat designer and manufacturer in the ACT. Robert Scacheri (Argentina, of Italian extraction): a cabinet maker and joiner, from Strathpine, Queensland.

The Winner was: Antonino Schiavello (Italy): an office furniture manufacturer and retailer based in Tullamarine, Victoria. The Schiavello Group of Companies started back in 1966 and, by 1990, had grown to employ five hundred and fifty people, with a turnover of approximately $70 million.

By that year, it operated factories and showrooms in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.

Finalists in the Encouragement Award: Jung Lin and Fu Lin (Taiwan): prawn hatchery aquaculture operators near Bribie Island, Queensland.

Watson Chang (Taiwan): high technology yarn manufacture in the town of Coolaroo, Victoria.

The Winner was: Alex Peppas (Greece): migrated to Australia in 1986 to make a new life and founded his company, Modern European Security Roller Shutters, operating in Sunshine, Victoria.

The Business Migration Program Award was presented to Karim Obaidi (Iraq) and his firm Marblo Holdings, manufacturing building and furnishing materials, based in Hoxton Park, NSW. In making his Award presentations, National Australia Bank’s Managing Director, N.R. (Nobby) Clark, said: “Migrants add vigour, diversity and creativity to our economy. Perhaps these qualities are difficult to quantify, but they are real and they are needed, more so now than at any previous time in our history.”

This insightful comment certainly reflected the quality and diversity of the nominations, the finalists and the winners in the 1990 Ethnic Business Awards, which were showing all the signs of becoming a well-established feature of Australia’s national business landscape.

Nobby Clark, CEO National Australia Bank, presents a finalist’s certificate

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A Symphony of Diversity

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The Judges

J

JUDGEMENT is defined in the Macquarie Dictionary as the: “ability to judge justly or wisely, especially in matters affecting action; good sense; discretion.”

Over the years, the judging panel of the Ethnic Business Awards has needed to call upon the faculty of judgement in spades. With the advent of documenting the finalists’ stories on video, the panel has, at each celebration dinner, been presented with images and personalities that finally put faces and voices to the written statements, numbers and histories they have had to work from in exercising their judgement.

Carla Zampatti

Those individual success stories are often highly emotional and their onscreen portrayal very moving. It’s perhaps fortunate, then, that the judges make their decisions about the finalists before the videos are made! Generally, they are also denied access to that material until the very night, by which time the winner has been chosen. This distancing is important, because the judging panel has to operate within very strict guidelines. They make their decisions based on ...

The success of the business in the marketplace; the potential for further growth; difficulties faced; innovation; sustainability; job creation; and contribution to community.

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Henry Clay

“

“

Statistics are no substitute for judgement.

Quite often on Awards night, the sentimental favourite among the faces and voices that the audience sees and hears does not win the category. That can be seen as a measure of the even-handedness of the judges and their unswerving adherence to the guidelines they operate within. This is, after all, a business award, albeit one with some very special areas of consideration.

Judging in this kind of event is very hard work, and requires a special kind of person.

Right from the beginning, the judging panel has attracted some of the biggest names in Australian business. Initially, there were panels in each state, with grand finalists chosen at the gala ceremony; but eventually, a central panel was tasked with making all the decisions. A huge job!

In 1988, the inaugural year, the main central judging panel comprised: Sir Nicholas Shehadie, the then Chairman of SBS, a former Lord Mayor of Sydney and Australian Rugby Union representative; John Saunders, himself an immigrant, builder of the multi-million dollar empire known as the Westfield Group and a revered member of the judging panel until his death in 1997. Then there was businessman King Fong OAM, who has now been a volunteer in the service of Sydney’s Chinese community for over forty-five years, working on the executive of more than thirty Chinese community 45

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organisations and committees. Finally, fashion icon Carla Zampatti AC AM, one of Australia’s most celebrated fashion pioneers who has herself been recognised with a number of Australian and international awards for achievement and excellence and who remains a stalwart on the judging panel to this very day.

In the intervening years, the Awards have attracted many other equally illustrious judges who have volunteered their services, time and expertise, some serving on the panel for several years, a reflection of their personal commitment to the Awards.

These are all highly-credentialed business people, extremely sought-after and very busy in their own right and sometimes their continued service on the panel has simply not been an option.

For the national panel, the Ethnic Business Awards have been very fortunate in attracting the interest and support of: Don Argus AC AO, former Chairman of BHP Billiton, the world’s largest diversified resource company Eve Crestani, a professional director and business consultant, specialising in strategic project management and business solution implementation Allan Gyngell AO, a foreign policy adviser in the office of the Australian Prime Minister, Paul Keating, and the founding John Saunders

Executive Director of the Lowy Institute for International Policy Arthur Sanderson, the NAB’s General Manager in New South Wales, who was a long-time supporter of the Awards and became one of the judges after his retirement in 2002 Michael Kiely, founding chairman and managing director of Boomerang Integrated Marketing and Advertising, who graced the judging panel with his knowledge and expertise in 1999 Ziggy Switkowski, formerly the chief executive of Telstra, Optus and Kodak (Australasia), Chairman of Opera Australia and of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation Jonar Nader, director of the Sydney College of Divinity, a lecturer, journalist, broadcaster, and author of How to Lose Friends and Infuriate People Joseph Elu AO, a relentless advocate for indigenous enterprise, past Chairman of Indigenous Business Australia and Reconciliation Australia, a recipient of the Centenary Medal and an Officer of the Order of Australia John Borghetti, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the Virgin Group of Airlines and before that, the Executive General Manager of Qantas and King Fong

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Chairman of the Board of three Qantas Chairman companies. of the Board of three Qantas subsidiary subsidiary companies.

All these generous and hard-working All and these generous and the hard-working men women have, over years, taken men and overhectic the years, taken time outwomen from have, already schedules time out from already hectic to volunteer their expertise andschedules business to volunteer their expertise and business acumen and bring the most informed acumen and bringtothe informed perception possible the most judging process. perception possible to the judging process.

In 2013, on the occasion of the twentyIn 2013, on the occasion of the twentyfifth birthday of theEve Awards, the judging panel comprised: Crestani, Carla panel comprised: Eve Crestani, Carla Zampatti (again!), Don Argus, and Allan Zampatti We (again!), Donmore Argus,about and Allan Gyngell. tell you them Gyngell.

We tell you more about them later in the book. later in the book.

Suffice say, outstanding all of our judges over the years havetobeen success stories years have been outstanding success stories in their own right. They all understand that success is itself a matter of negotiating that success is itself a matter of negotiating a learning curve and a sometimes slippery a learning curve and a sometimes slippery one at that. They appreciate and articulate the value of learning lessons along the way the value of learning lessons along the way and they would probably all have agreed and they would probably all have agreed with Mark Twain, Twain, when when he he said: said: with Mark “Good judgement isis the the result result ofof “Good judgement experience and experience experience the the result result ofof experience and bad judgement.” bad judgement.”

The credibility and prestige enjoyed by the Business Awards Awardsare arein inno nosmall small the Ethnic Ethnic Business measure because, for the past twenty-five years, every one one of of our our judging judging panels panelshas has years, every shown excellent judgement. judgement. Long Long may may shown excellent that continue. that continue.

Michael Kiely Michael Kiely

Allan Gyngell Allan Gyngell

Jonar Nader Jonar Nader

JosephElu Elu Joseph

John Borghetti John Borghetti

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1991

“

The Earth is the only world known so far to harbour life.

There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit? Yes. Settle? Not yet. Like it or not, for the moment, the Earth is where we make our stand ... To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot; the only home we’ve ever known.

“

Carl Sagan Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space

N

NESTLED IN OUR OWN small corner of the pale blue dot of Earth, 1991 was to be a stellar sporting year, with the Oarsome Foursome getting into promising shape for the 1992 Olympics; victories by the Wallabies in the 1991 Rugby World Cup; a 3-0 Ashes clean-sweep by Alan Border’s Eleven; and a victory at the British Open

by Ian Baker-Finch.

John Dawson

The Ethnic Business Awards were kicking a few goals of their own, too. Separate launches were held in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne with the National Australia Bank hoping that the branch networks, through different ethnic communities and individuals, would see a record number of nominations in this fourth year of success.

Speaking at the Melbourne launch, the bank’s General Manager, (Central Zone Victoria), John Dawson, said that, despite the difficult economic climate, he expected a record number of entries.

“The Awards have been growing in

EBA BOOK - 2.indd 51

prestige and there has been a steady increase in the quality of the people and businesses nominated,” he said.

Besides an award for ventures established under the Business Migration Program, the other two major awards became three: manufacturing, non-manufacturing and businesses with six or fewer employees.

Selections were first made at state level, supplying the finalists in each category for the national presentation dinner event, televised live from the Sheraton Wentworth Hotel, Sydney by SBS on 2 October.

The broadcast was now in prime time. It featured, for the first time, film clips of the finalists at work, telling their own personal stories of success in Australia.

More than two hundred and ninety ethnic businessmen and women from more than forty countries nominated for the fourth Ethnic Business Awards, reflecting the growing support and prestige the event was achieving.

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Home ... The Pale Blue Dot

Popular SBS newsreader Mary Kostakidis hosted the ceremony which was attended

by NSW Premier, Nick Greiner, who presented the Small Business Award. Also attending were NSW Opposition Leader, Bob Carr, and the Managing Director of NAB, Don Argus, who presented the remaining awards. They were joined by representatives of ethnic businesses as well as community and media organisations and senior management of NAB.

The Finalists in the Manufacturing Category were: Dutch-born Henry Van de Beld, of the Van der Beld Furniture company, Brisbane, who started his furniture company when only eighteen years old.

Austrian-born, Werner Mookesch, of Imprestik in Sydney, manufacturing selfadhesive labels.

Be careful what you water your dreams with. Water them with worry and fear and you will produce weeds that choke the life from your dream. Water them with optimism and solutions and you will cultivate success. Always be on the lookout for ways to turn a problem into an opportunity for success.

Always be on the lookout for ways to nurture your dream.

Lao Tzu

“

“

Finalists and Winners

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And the Winner: From Italy, Giorgio Gjergja, of Atco Controls, a Melbourne-based manufacturer and exporter of lighting control equipment, energy management systems and electric transformers.

The Finalists in the Non-Manufacturing Category were: Taiwan’s Jack Yang, of MDI International, Brisbane, a novelty and giftwear importer whose company had grown from a family garage.

Also from Taiwan, Jack Chen, exporter, of J C Tanloden, Melbourne.

And the Winner: South African-born David Shein, of Com-Tech Communications, Sydney, a distributor of computer networking and open systems products. Com-Tech Communications’ turnover had risen from $1 million in its first year to $38 million just thirteen years later!

accessories. Beginning as an importer of used tyre casings for sale to local retreaders, Petronella Moonen branched out into exporting automotive components and accessories sourced from Australian manufacturers. Her principal export market was Japan.

Finalists in the Business Migration Category were: Michael Ducar, from Canada, with his Gold Coast architectural firm, DBI Design Corporation, offering integrated design services including architecture, town planning, interior design, landscaping and graphic design and including among its successes, the Sheraton Mirage complexes in Port Douglas and Gold Coast, and the Southbank , Brisbane (post Expo) site.

Heinz Corona, was originally from Germany, with Magnetic Automation, of Melbourne, a manufacturer of security systems and automatic gates.

Petronella Moonen

The Finalists in the Small Business Category were: Germany’s Niclas Wollert, of Rollit Industries located in Brisbane, manufacturing European-style window rollershutters adapted to the Australian climate.

Italian, Riccardo Pisaturo, of the Mandalong Park cattle stud, NSW. After World War II, Riccardo Pisaturo was invited back to the rural NSW property where he had been assigned as a POW and later went on to become an innovative and widely acclaimed cattle breeder on his own property, receiving an AM for his services to the cattle industry.

And the Winner: Dutch-born Petronella Moonen, of Ruband Wholesale, Melbourne, an exporter of automotive components and 51

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Fabio De Nardis, Italian Consul-General for Sydney and Carla Zampatti

Taiwan’s Jonathan Huang, of Britcola, a Sydney-based property development and construction company.

“Not all business migrants are bad,” was Jonathan Huang’s heartfelt response to his win in this section. It was a sentiment heartily shared by all present!

Nearly three hundred nominations from over forty countries, with winners of awards featuring an Italian, a South African, a Tawianese and our first female winner, from Holland. Year four continued to be a growing celebration of both business excellence and multicultural success.

The Awards, it seemed, had already cemented a firm place in Australia’s business landscape. However, there was

no time (or inclination) to rest on those laurels. There was still much work to be done as another Olympic year approached and the leadership of the Government changed hands, with Paul Keating taking the reins in December.

Meanwhile, overseas, in the wake of Desert Storm, the world was still embroiled in turmoil.

“

Keep calm and carry on.

Propaganda poster from the British Government’s Ministry of Information Spring 1939

“

The Winner:

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1992

R

REMARKABLY, in another Olympic year, Australia won twenty-seven gold medals at Barcelona. However, the old adage that triumph and tragedy go hand in hand was borne out with the loss of two of our greatest artists, enfant terrible Brett Whiteley and then, a few months later, in London, the wonderful Sidney Nolan.

Meanwhile, in the High Court, Eddie Mabo, David Passi and James Rice won a landmark native title ruling for the Meriam people. At the 1992 Ethnic Business Awards, Lebanon, Italy and Vietnam were the big winners.

A marketing monthly published in that period said:

Don Argus

A Sydney producer of interior finishes, a Brisbane hairdresser and a Cabramatta electrical goods retailer and office developer have won the Ethnic Business Awards. Not only are they successful in business but they all arrived in Australia without English skills.

The NAB Ethnic Business Awards, now in their fifth year, recognise and reward the efforts and achievements of those who have succeeded in Australia despite the added barrier of language.

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John F Kennedy

“

“

The courage of life is often a less dramatic spectacle than the courage of a final moment; but it is no less a magnificent mixture of triumph and tragedy.

Awards were presented in three categories: Manufacturing, Non-Manufacturing and the Encouragement Award.

The ceremony was held at Sydney’s Sheraton on the Park, hosted once more

by Mary Kostakidis. The event was again broadcast by SBS throughout Australia, although plans were afoot to extend that reach. It was a stellar year, with the appearance of our first finalists from Western and South Australia.

Finalists and Winners The four Finalists in the Manufacturing Category were: Walter Commins, originally hailed from Mauritius, with his company Colorpak Packaging of Victoria.

Viesturs Seja from Latvia with paint company Protec of South Australia.

Franco Santalucia from Italy with his plastic film company Polyam based in Queensland.

William Johnson, who migrated from England with his mining equipment company JLV Engineering which hailed from Western Australia.

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The Winner was:

The Winner was:

Italian born Rocco Falcomata, owner of Jarol, which manufactured and installed quality building interiors. The company had a turnover of around $30 million and employed four hundred and thirty people.

It had been founded in 1962 as a familyrun cement-rendering and subcontracting business and had grown to work on such prestigious projects as the refurbishment of Sydney’s Queen Victoria Building. A major success story indeed!

Lebanese-born Stefan Ackerie, who had developed a single hairdressing salon into a chain of seventy-three outlets, a brand of hair-care products and restaurants in Brisbane, NSW and the ACT. At the time of the Award, Stefan Hair Fashions employed over seven hundred staff, serving over one million customers each year.

The Finalists in the Non-Manufacturing Category were: Evan, Louis, Gabriel and Bill Christou from Cyprus, with the Adelaide-based chain of Pizza Haven outlets.

Colin Yow from Singapore and his WA computer company Y-Micro.

Giuseppe (Pepe) Bonaccordo from Italy, recognised for his NSW-based duck farm and processing plant.

Vincenzo Bontorno, originally from Italy, with his Victorian electrical company, Nelsan Electronics.

Stefan Ackerie

Perhaps the most moving story of the year came with the Encouragement Award, which was presented to Vietnamese refugee Alice Lu. Alice Lu came to Australia as a boat person, struggled to obtain a visa and, having finally been accepted into the country, began to work hard with her husband to carve out a life for themselves.

They opened an electrical and furniture store in Cabramatta, NSW and then moved into property development.

In 1992, Alice Lu, her husband and Lu Projects were in the process of completing a major retail and office development in Cabramatta. This project had generated employment for over three hundred people, all of them known personally to Alice Lu and many of them refugees like herself. It was a blend of dogged hard work and social awareness that greatly impressed the judging panel and deeply moved the audience at the awards evening.

Mauritius, Latvia, Lebanon, England, Cyprus, Italy, Singapore and Vietnam.

These were the finalists’ countries of origin.

But many more countries and ethnicities had been represented in the nominations, as the Ethnic Business Awards continued to promote its positive messages about cultural diversity and migrant business success throughout Australia. It was a message that was about to be taken around the world ...

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The world is your oyster.

It’s

up

to

you find the to

pearls.

Chris Gardner, The Pursuit of Happyness (sic)

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Anything is Possible ... Schiavello

I

ITALIAN IMMIGRANT and a finalist in 1990, Tony Schiavello, always says we have no boundaries, anything is possible, no project is too challenging.

His company works with that ethos in mind: his people operate as a team, known for their capacity to get the job done and for their pragmatic approach to even the biggest task. Whatever the challenge, they find ways of responding because, when you deal with the company, you deal with the Schiavello family and all their Italian passion and energy and their ingrained culture of respect.

Tony Schiavello founded the company in 1966 and, with his younger brother Joe and an expanding team of tradespeople, supplied and installed office partitions to Melbourne businesses.

Today the business, still family-owned, is a multi-disciplinary, global organisation.

A recognised world leader in the design and manufacture of whole-of-workplace systems and solutions, Schiavello now operates from twelve offices and four manufacturing plants in Australia, employs more than 1200 people and is listed among the top 200 private Australian companies.

It’s really a shining example of migrant business success!

Founded on the principles of innovation, quality and service excellence, Schiavello’s development as one of Australia’s most respected interior construction specialists is still underpinned by the family’s entrepreneurial ability and its drive to continually deliver the best possible solutions and outcomes for clients. The company is now internationally renowned for the design and manufacture of highly intelligent office systems and furniture for commercial, healthcare, hospitality, education, retail and living environments.

Crown Casino VIP Salons, Melbourne

Schiavello, Interior Construction Specialists

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1993

Sarah Dessen Lock and Key

V

VERILY, in many ways, 1993 was Year of the Family Business at the Ethnic Business Awards. The participation of families was a feature of many of the nominee businesses and many of the finalists too. There were over three hundred and thirty entries from all over the country, making it the most successful year so far. This was also a year when the Awards expanded to include a Media Award, an appropriate development given the great strides forward that were being made with the broadcasting of the now hugely successful presentation event.

“

Asia watches 1993 National Australia Bank Ethnic Business Awards presentation

“

MultiCulural Marketing News magazine highlight

A headline from Multicultural Marketing News from 1993 reads:

This great achievement was accomplished when the ABC and SBS Television, along with ethnic community radio stations, combined to bring the Awards live not only to Australia’s own general audience

EBA BOOK - 2.indd 63

“

“

What is family? They were the people who claimed you.

In good, in bad, in parts or in whole, they were the ones who showed up, who stayed in there, regardless.

It wasn’t just about blood relations or shared chromosomes, but something wider, bigger.

and multicultural population but also to Asia, via the ABC’s Asia TV network.

The ceremony, held at the Sheraton Wentworth Hotel, Sydney and hosted again

by Mary Kostakidis, could now be watched by millions across Australasia. This huge audience, along with an enthusiastic live audience on the night, witnessed the two major awards going to an Italian-born brick-maker and a Croatian-born bus company operator.

The other two awards, Product Diversity and Ethnic Media, went to a Malaysianborn soya bean processor and a Vietnameseborn newspaper publisher.

In presenting the awards on the evening, the NAB’s Chief General Manager, Allan Diplock, said that many successful migrant-owned businesses have dared to be different. “They have dared to believe Australia remains a land of opportunity for people prepared to work hard, have a go, and deal with people fairly and equitably,” he said. That was certainly borne out in the stories of the finalists, featured in film clips, as the evening unfolded.

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Finalists and Winners Finalists and Winners The Finalists in the Manufacturing CateThe Finalists gory were: in the Manufacturing Category were: Ardino Gosatti from Italy, with his Ardino Gosatti from Italy, with his woodworking business, the Inglewood woodworking business, the Inglewood Products Group, of Malaga, WA. Products Group, of Malaga, WA. Greece’s Peter Demourtzidis with Greece’s Peter Demourtzidis with door-hinge manufacturing business, Trio door-hinge manufacturing business, Trio Hinging Australia of Wingfield, SA. Hinging Australia of Wingfield, SA. Malcolm Prior, from India, with his Malcolm Prior, from India, with his plastic firm, plastic container container manufacturing manufacturing firm, Priority of Braeside, Braeside, PriorityPlastics Plastics operating operating out out of Victoria. their home home Victoria.His His family family mortgaged mortgaged their to toestablish establish the the company. company.

Nicola Nicola Cerrone Cerrone jewellery jewellery design design business, business, Cerrone Cerrone Leichhardt, Leichhardt, NSW. NSW. The TheWinner Winner was: was:

from Italy with with his his from Italy and manufacturing and manufacturing Jewellers situated at at Jewellers situated

Sante Bundaberg, Sante Troiani Troiani located at Bundaberg, Queensland, Wide Bay Bay Queensland, whose whose business, Wide Brickworks, near-derelict Brickworks, grew grew out of a near-derelict brickworks Troiani’s brickworks in in Wide Wide Bay. Sante Troiani’s initial land. initialplan plan was was simply simply to develop the land.

Butinstead instead of of demolishing demolishing the facility But facility and and sacking the the workers, workers, he used an overseas sacking overseas holiday to to learn learn about about brick-making, then holiday then returned with with new new ideas for modernising returned modernising the plant and introducing new methods the plant and introducing methods andproducts. products. and

By the time of the Awards, the company By time of the Awards, company was the manufacturing morethethan forty was manufacturing more than forty million bricks a year and had become one million bricks abrickworks year and had one of the largest in become Queensland, of theexport largest orders brickworks Queensland, with to theinPacific and the with export orders to the Pacific and the South East Asian region, including Japan.

South East Asian region, including Japan.

Innovation, commitment, community Innovation, commitment, community thinking: these were and still are all thinking: these were and still are all building blocks in their own right. building blocks in their own right.

The Finalists in the Non-Manufacturing The Finalists in the Non-Manufacturing Category were: Category were: Wilhelm and and Gabi Gabi Blocker, Blocker, from from Wilhelm Germany, with with their their horticultural horticultural Germany, business, Bothkamp BothkampAustralia AustraliaFarm, Farm,ofof business, Kununurra,WA. WA. Kununurra, ChrisKarfritsas, Karfritsas,from fromGreece, Greece,with withhishis Chris familyrun runcoach coachand andtour tourbusiness, business,Chris’s Chris’s family Coaches,ofofCampbellfield CampbellfieldVictoria.

Victoria.

Coaches, Evan,Louis, Louis,Gabriel Gabrieland andBill BillChristou, Christou, Evan, from Cyprus, Cyprus, were were returning returning finalists finalists from with their their family’s family’s pizza pizza franchising franchising with business, Pizza Pizza Haven Haven ofof Fulham, Fulham,SA. SA. business, Thebusiness businesshad hadexpanded expandedboth bothinterstate interstate The andoverseas. overseas. and Jonathan Siu Siu from from China, China, with withhishis Jonathan computer computer business, business, CTM CTM Group, Group, ofof Newstead, Newstead, Queensland.

Queensland.AABusiness BusinessMigMigrant rant entrant entrant toto Australia, Australia, Jonathan JonathanSiu Siu had also recently launched the Chinese had also recently launched the Chinese bilingual bilingual newspaper, newspaper, Queensland Queensland Asian Asian Business BusinessWeekly.

Weekly.

Happywinners winnersfrom from 1993 1993 Happy

62 62

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Croatian, Bob Bosnjak with his brother, James, and their Sydney-based company, Westbus. The business had been established in 1955 by Bob Bosjnak’s father, Simon. It serviced a major suburban area of Sydney and had grown from an original fleet of five buses to three hundred and forty buses plus forty-three coaches, making it one of the biggest private bus operators in Australia. A subsidiary company in Britain at that time also operated eight buses and twenty-four coaches. The business employed three hundred and eighty-six fulltime staff and a hundred and two part-time.

Product Diversity Award Representing the Prime Minister, Bob Hawke, Immigration Minister Senator the Hon. Nick Bolkus presented a special award to Fred Tan, from Malaysia, the Managing Director of his Sydney-based company, Tixana, which processed soya beans into tofu and non-dairy soya drinks and a range of snack foods under the Soya King brand name.

Media Award

Queensland Asian Business Weekly and Chieu Duong The Sunrise were just two examples of a burgeoning industry in multilingual publishing. Along with general news and business news, information about the Ethnic Business Awards was now being even more widely distributed and was available in many languages to migrants who had not yet mastered English.

While consistent efforts had been made to reach all levels of migrant business, the blossoming of foreign language newspapers and media was of huge assistance and it resulted in an even greater and more farreaching interest not only in the Awards themselves but also in the values of shared experience and multiculturalism that they so enthusiastically espoused.

“

Half of the American people have never read a newspaper.

Half never voted for President.

One hopes it is the same half.

Gore Vidal

“

The Winner was:

This new award recognised contributions to the multicultural media, and was presented to David Giang, who had arrived in Australia as a boatperson in 1980. Thirteen years later, his successful newspaper Chieu Duong The Sunrise was the only daily Vietnamese newspaper in the country.

He had started the paper as a weekly in Perth in 1980 and transferred its operations to Sydney in 1985 where it went daily the following year. The company had also started a newspaper in the USA and was publishing in France, which had a large Vietnamese-speaking community.

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Another AnotherBig BigWinner Winner

T

THERE THERE WAS WAS ANOTHER ANOTHER major major winner winner in 1993. in 1993.

This This waswas thethe year year in which in which oneone of of thethe most most famous famous statements statements in in Australian Australian sporting sporting history history waswas uttered uttered by by Olympics Olympics supremo supremo Juan Juan Antonio Antonio Samaranch Samaranch ……

“And “And thethe Winner Winner is ... is Syd-e-ney!” ... Syd-e-ney!”

““

Joseph Assaf with 2000 Olympics Gold Medalists Juan Juan Antonio Antonio Samaranch Samaranch

SoSo many many people people along along thethe way, way, whatever whatever it it is you is you aspire aspire to to do,do, will will telltell youyou it it can’t can’t bebe done. done.

But But allall it it takes takes is imagination. is imagination.

You You dream. dream.

You You plan. plan.

You You reach. reach.

There There will will bebe obstacles. obstacles.

There There will will bebe doubters. doubters.

There There will will bebe mistakes. mistakes.

But But with with hard hard work, work, with with belief, belief, with with confidence confidence and and trust trust inin yourself yourself and and those those around around you, you, there there areare nono limits. limits.

““

Michael Michael Phelps, Phelps, Olympian Olympian

Sydney Olympic XXV11 Olympiadcelebrations Sydney 2000 Medal XXV11 Olympiad Sydney 2000 Medal

David David Thodey, Thodey, Ziggy Ziggy Switkowski, Switkowski, Joseph Joseph Assaf Assaf andand TedTed Pretty Pretty (Telstra) (Telstra)

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1994 Viva l’Italia!

Italians scoop the pool at Ethnic Business Awards

B

Ellen DeGeneres

BOTH THE MAJOR PRIZES at the 1994 Ethnic Business Awards were won

by Italian family businesses in the food industry: one in New South Wales and one in Western Australia.

Nick Bolkus

Tommaso D’Orsogna, the founder of D’Orsogna Bros Limited, was Western Australia’s largest Italian smallgoods producer and the ultimate winner of the Manufacturing Award. Orazio Cantarella, owner of Cantarella Brothers, based in New South Wales and Australia’s major supplier of pure roasted coffee and other Italian smallgoods, won the award in the Non-Manufacturing sector.

The 1994 Awards were presented by Allan Diplock, Chief General Manager of the National Australia Bank, at a ceremony held on 26 October in the Sheraton Wentworth Hotel, Sydney, and hosted by Mary Kostakidis. Once again the Awards were televised live on SBS Television, broadcast live on community radio around Australia and televised in Asia via ABC Asia Pacific. This year, they were also filmed for later showing by Australis TV and, as always, they received widespread coverage and support from the ethnic media in Australia.

EBA BOOK - 2.indd 69

“

“

Baloney is just salami with an inferiority complex.

1994 saw the introduction of the Export Award, designed to recognise and honour outstanding export achievement by an ethnic business. This Award was sponsored by Qantas and presented by Senator the Hon. Nick Bolkus, Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister in Multicultural Affairs.

Finalists and Winners The Finalists in the Manufacturing Category were: The Militsis family, who had migrated to Australia because it “had no borders”, and “trouble happens at borders”. Hungarian, Vilom Militsis developed his company, Vili’s Cakes, into an enterprise employing nearly a hundred people. When he’d begun in 1968, at age eighteen, he had only fifty dollars to his name.

Croatia’s Mate Antolos had no money either and he couldn’t speak a word of English. However, he had a fierce will to succeed and his business, Pacific Textiles, based in Bendigo, Victoria, was the last independent textile spinner in the southern hemisphere. In an industry hardhit by international competition and tariff 67

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reductions, Mate Antolos attributed his success to consultation and trust between management and workers.

Maltese Joseph Deguara and Scot Ernest Kilpatrick seemed an unlikely partnership. But after meeting on a factory shop floor in 1981, they together developed the Nepean Rubber group of companies, a business that by 1994 had an $11 million turnover and employed sixtyseven people.

Igino Serafini, one of two Italian finalists in this category, also arrived in Australia without any money or a word of English.

But he nevertheless developed a highly successful business, Serafini Chains, which by 1994 was producing 14 per cent of all the chains sold in Australia.

The overall Winner in the Manufacturing Category, Tommaso D’Orsogna, had been confined to an internment camp from 1940 to 1944, and had been given the job of camp butcher provedore. There he continued to develop his skills and after the war joined with his brothers, Giovanni and Caesar, to found and develop their smallgoods company. By 1994, D’Orsogna Bros had become the largest supplier of Italian-style meats in Western Australia and was supplying other states and parts of South-East Asia.

They had fully integrated their business, from piggery to meat processing and distribution and employed almost three hundred people. Their motto was simple and still applies today: hard work and common sense.

The Finalists in the Non-Manufacturing Category were: Vietnamese refugee Quang Vinh set up Western Australia’s only multicultural child-care centre to teach English to children from varied ethnic backgrounds.

Fathi Shahin arrived here from Lebanon in 1984 and developed Smokemart, employing three hundred people in sixty-five outlets in South Australia and Victoria. In 1994, it was the fastestgrowing company in South Australia and the second-fastest in the country.

Netherlands-born Con Boon, owner of C & A Boon & Sons, a family company in Victoria, became Australia’s largest supplier of glasshouse roses.

From Greece, Emmanuel Drivas opened his first Coffee Club at Waterfront Place in 1969 when he and friends “couldn’t find a decent cup of coffee” anywhere in Brisbane! By 1994, Coffee Clubs were employing around a hundred and twenty full and part-time workers, rapidly increasing as franchises developed.

The Winner of the Non-Manufacturing Category, Orazio Cantarella, had migrated from Sicily in 1933 and, like Tommaso D’Orsogna, had been interned during World War II. He started his business, Cantarella Brothers after the war, trading in local markets around Sydney. An importer of Italian food products like pasta, cheese, wine, oils and marinated foods, he played a significant part in popularising those foods far beyond the Italian migrant community.

The Australian palate was being changed.

Cantarella Brothers made household names of Vittoria Coffee, Jarlsberg Cheese and Giraldo Olive Oil. The company had its own fleet of trucks, seven warehouses and employed nearly one hundred and forty workers.

The Italians had scooped the pool!

Winners of the Export Award, receiving a crystal trophy and two international air tickets, were Taiwanese-born husband and wife team, Joey and Cheryl Pan.

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Food had dominated the Ethnic Business Awards in 1994. Food, wine, hospitality: the heart of any cultural exchange.

They were also very much a part of the

celebrations. The Ethnic Business Awards were developing a reputation not only as an outstanding event on the business calendar in Australia, but also as a great night out! And it was a night that was soon to attract its first Prime Minister as a keynote speaker …

“

If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.

J R R Tolkien

“

The Pans had bought their first abattoir in Australia only to discover they could only obtain a licence to export goats.

Undaunted, they used their small capital and huge capacity for work to learn about their new product and market in order to develop a highly successful meat export business. By 1994, Pans’s Australia was exporting sheep and goat meat to Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Fiji, the Caribbean, South Africa, Hong Kong and Mexico.

Food, glorious food !

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1995

Our First Prime Minister

C

CELEBRATIONS were again broadcast internationally in 1995, at the Ethnic Business Awards, with the glittering night available to a potential television audience of millions. Two hundred and fifty guests attended a ceremony at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne and again hosted by Geraldine Doogue. In recognition of their ongoing importance and success, the Awards were this year graced, for the first time, with the presence of the Prime Minister as Guest of Honour and keynote speaker.

Prime Minister, the Hon. Paul Keating MP, was gracious and eloquent as he expressed the appreciation of both the Government and the people of Australia to migrant business people, hailing their contribution and saying:

Paul Keating

“We are taking the chance to highlight the tremendous achievements and efforts of some Australians who have come to this country, who have not started with the natural advantage of knowing it, and have done things which are special; which we can all identify with, and which we can all celebrate. And that’s really, I think, what the Ethnic Business Awards are all about.”

Paul Keating’s comments were certainly borne out by the quality of the finalists and of the eventual winners who, this year, were representative of two of the smallest but nonetheless most vibrant threads that were being woven into our living tapestry: Argentina and Portugal.

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Finalists and Winners This year awards were presented in four categories: Manufacturing, NonManufacturing, Product Diversity and Cultural Diversity in the Arts. Record entries were received from all states and the finalists were all in contention, alongside the two special award recipients. In presenting the Awards, National Australia Bank’s Managing Director, Don Argus, said ethnic businesses were creating jobs and adding to Australia’s national wealth.

To warm applause, Don Argus praised ethnic business people for their ambition, imagination, courage and hard work.

Product Diversity Award This Award was presented to Vietnamese refugee Jimmy Lu and his company, Global Seafood Fisheries. Established in 1979, Global Seafood Fisheries had grown to be Queensland’s second-largest fish exporter, opening its own processing plant in 1995.

Cultural Diversity in the Arts Award Italian Teresa Crea and her great theatre troupe, Doppo Teatro, based in South Australia, received this new award. Doppo Teatro had given performances in both Italian and English, touring Australia and performing before multicultural audiences in schools, theatres and workplaces and at open-air festivals.

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business in 1970. An emphasis on quality plus continuing investment in research and development had enabled him to keep expanding, until by 1995 he employed over two hundred people.

But the Italian triumvirate did not prevail. The Winner was:

Jimmy Lu

In both the two major awards, Italy dominated the finalists, with other contenders having been born in India, Sri Lanka, Argentina and Portugal.

Argentinian, Carlos Broens, with his company, Broens Toolmaking.

Broens Toolmaking specialised in highprecision tooling for whitegoods and the automotive and aerospace industries. It had been established fourteen years before with just two employees and had grown to employ sixty-two people with a new $7 million tooling plant recently opened in Ingleburn, near Sydney.

Teresa Crea

The Manufacturing Award featured: Carlo Miraglitta (Italy). His company, Wall and Roof Frame Systems, based in the state of Western Australia, was a pioneer in developing steel house-framing technology, which had also found a niche in ship repair and maintenance.

Steve Maglieri (Italy), who had seen his company Maglieri Wines become a top South Australian wine producer.

Maglieri Lambrusco had grown to be one of Australia’s top-selling brands, and the firm was exporting to Germany, the UK, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Canada.

John Villante (Italy), who had set up his aluminium anodising and powder-coating

Carlos Broens

In this year, the Non-Manufacturing Award featured: Yet more Italians! And, not surprisingly, a focus on food ...

Giuseppe Merenda had become one of Australia’s largest and most successful vegetable growers. Merenda Farms, based at Virginia near Adelaide, was supplying many of Australia’s supermarkets and fast food chains and had become Australia’s largest individual grower of lettuce.

Rocky Lamattina and his firm, Rocky Lamattina and Sons, was also a significant food producer. A leading

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carrot and potato grower, the business was based in Robinvale, northern Victoria, and employed cutting-edge irrigation technology, supplying the Melbourne and Sydney wholesale markets.

Sri-Lankan migrant Harold Solomons had channelled a love of cricket into a highly successful sporting equipment business.

His Kingsgrove Sports Centre in Sydney was supplying cricket and sporting gear to clubs throughout Australia.

And finally JK International, owned by Jiwan Mohan, originally from India, was a multi-product importer and exporter with a turnover of $100 million a year, working mainly between Asia and Australia.

All worthy finalists, but, in the end ...

The Winner in the Non-Manufacturing Category was: Portuguese born John Da Silva with his company Bell-Vista Fruit and Veg Company. John Da Silva and his family had purchased Bell-Vista as a small struggling wholesaler in 1986. At that time, the company was supplying restaurants in Fremantle, Western Australia. By 1995, John Da Silva had transformed the small enterprise into one of the largest fruit and vegetable wholesalers in the state and was rapidly developing fresh food exports to such destinations as Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei. Staff had grown from a humble complement of four to one hundred and the company was operating a fleet of thirty vehicles servicing the entire state.

John Da Silva

the Federal Government had announced that all government agencies would have to allocate at least 7.5 per cent of their newspaper and radio advertising campaigns to non-English newspaper and radio outlets.

An increasing awareness and acceptance of the principles and values of multiculturalism was carrying Australia forward to a position as a world leader in multicultural affairs. In April, Australia had hosted the Global Cultural Diversity Conference which had also been attended

by Prime Minister Paul Keating, along with two Ministers, Senators Gareth Evans and Nick Bolkus, and the EBA’s Joseph Assaf.

It seemed that multiculturalism was firmly on the political and social agenda.

David Downs and Paul Keating

Those mini-economic stimulus packages were all living up to their name!

The eighth Ethnic Business Awards were yet another step along the highway of success, not just for the Awards and their participants, but for Australia as a whole. Interestingly, earlier in the year, 73

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PaulKeating Keating Paul

““

Australians derive from more than one hundred and Australians derive from moreand than one hundred and fifty ethnic backgrounds overwhelmingly they fifty backgrounds they liveethnic and work happily and and overwhelmingly constructively together. live and work happily and constructively together.

The cement which holds us together, of course, is made Theofcement holds us together, course, is made the corewhich Australian values and of beliefs: a profound of the coreinAustralian a profound belief democracy values and a and deepbeliefs: commitment to the belief inideal democracy deepAustralia commitment to the of a freeand anda fair for all. ideal of a free and fair Australia for all.

Australian to the II am, we are nn am, you you are, are, wecore are Australia Australia Australian to the core EBA BOOK - 2.indd 77

““

Paul Keating Paul Keating Prime Minister Prime Minister The First Global Diversity Conference The First Global Diversity Conference

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Media

M

Allen Ginsberg

MEDIA PARTNERSHIPS have helped to bring information about the Ethnic Business Awards to an ever-widening and diverse community.

Lights!

Camera!

Action!

Z. Dalid, “Communication”

When SBS was approached to support and broadcast the Awards twenty-five years ago, it was the beginning of a strong partnership between two organisations with a shared goal to celebrate the people and stories that underpin Australia’s success as a multicultural nation.

Beyond a common vision, SBS and the Ethnic Business Awards also have shared histories. SBS was established in 1975, after the Federal Government identified a need to pre-record messages in-language to help new migrants understand the new health insurance commission, Medibank.

Messages were broadcast in six languages in alphabetical order, and the first foreign speaking voice to be broadcast was that of the Arabic liaison officer, Joseph Assaf. In the decades since, Joseph, like SBS, has worked tirelessly to advocate a harmonious and cohesive multicultural Australia.

SBS’s unique charter underpinned a will to inspire all Australians to explore and appreciate our diverse world. SBS aimed to contribute to an inclusive and cohesive society. The SBS team’s success

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“

“

Whoever controls the media, the images, controls the culture.

over the years is testament not only to their skill and determination, but also to the communities they explore and represent.

As Michael Ebeid, the current Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the broadcaster says: “Just as SBS strives to tell the best stories about humanity, the Ethnic Business Awards shine a light on the best stories about diversity and multiculturalism in our business community, showing new migrants to Australia that this is a country where they can realise their own dreams and potential.

“Many have overcome adversity to make Australia their home, building a better life for their families and, in turn, contributing to our country’s economic and social prosperity.”

Today, at the time of the Ethnic Business Awards’ twenty-fifth birthday, SBS is unique, broadcasting in seventyfour languages across radio, television and online, which is more than any other broadcaster in the world. In all its news and content, SBS seeks to promote understanding and acceptance, playing a significant part in inspiring the next generation of Australians to understand the value of diversity and celebrate its place within Australian life.

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number of foreign language newspapers SBS’s support of the Ethnic Business Awards has helped carry the message to the in Australia has grown in concert with the world. English language periodicals like increased migrant presence, which in turn number of foreign language newspapers SBS’s support of the Ethnic Business MultiCultural Marketing have has fedhas more andinmore support and energy Awards has helped carry theNews message to played the in Australia grown concert with the into the Awards themselves. world. English language periodicals like increased migrant presence, which in turn major newspapers of cities throughout the MultiCultural Marketing News have played has fed more and more support and energy partnerships and coverage country. Information, opinion and debate into Expanding the Awards themselves. majoralso newspapers of cities throughout the have been disseminated and facilitated Media partnerships of the Ethnic Expanding partnerships and coverage country.

Information, opinion and debate not only by SBS, but also by the ABC Asia Business Awards now include: SBS, Aurora have also been disseminated and facilitated Media partnerships of the Ethnic Community Channel, NITV, Australia not only

by SBS, but also by the ABC Asiaand Business Awards now include: SBS, Aurora and Aurora Community Channel, Network, TVB Australia, Community Channel, NITV, Australia aand growing number of foreign language Aurora Community Channel, and Sunrise, Tao Newspaper, Indian Link, Network, TVBSing Australia, media organisations: newspapers, radio and a growing number of foreign language NeosSing Kosmos, Top Korean Sunrise, Tao Newspaper, Indian News Link, Weekly, television and, more newspapers, recently, multi-platform media organisations: radio and El-Telegraph Newspaper, BlackBiz and organisations through the internet and Neos Kosmos, Top Korean News Weekly, television and, more recently, multi-platform Newspaper, BlackBiz and portal, the Chinese Newspaper Group’s social media.through With the the internet advent and of an El-Telegraph organisations Newspaper Group’s portal, 1688.com.au. social media. award, With the advent of anlike the Chinese Indigenous organisations Indigenous award, organisations likealso Black Pages, BlackBiz and NITV have Black Pages, BlackBiztoand have also added their weight theNITV media push. added their weight to the media push.

1688.com.au.

Increased television and radio coverage

Increased and radio coverage enjoyedtelevision by the Ethnic Business Awards can enjoyed by the Ethnic Business Awards can only add strength to Australia’s economic only add strength to Australia’s economic arm as it develops new international arm as it develops new international trading trading and business relationships throughout the and business relationships throughout the and throughout in particular. worldworld and throughout Asia in Asia particular.

2013, the Ethnic Business Awards Awards will be will be 2013, the Ethnic Business reported nationally in dozens of Englishreported nationally in dozens of EnglishSimple, straightforward Simple, straightforward information information speaking newspapers and in many more about the the event, qualifying speaking newspapers and in many more about event,nominations, nominations, qualifying criteria and, of course, results, has become criteria and, of course, results, has become feature on a wide range of radio stations a wide of radio and feature the gala on evening will range be broadcast to stations the gala evening will be broadcast to over and forty-four countries throughout the of the many and varied ethnic groups that over forty-four countries throughout the ofhave thepotential many and varied ethnic for inclusion in thegroups Awards.that have potential for inclusion in the Awards. shown, often several times, on SBS, Aurora and NITV. shown, often several times, on SBS, Aurora language papers and radio stations and so NITV. As and many media opportunities expand, on, ethnic communities celebrate their language papers and radio stations and so the world gets smaller. And then, with As many media opportunities expand, own particular identities and examine and on, ethnic communities celebrate their multi-platform and internet opportunities articulate their place in Australian society the world gets smaller. And then, with own particular identities and examine and rapidly increasing, the grand message of as a whole. multi-platform and internet opportunities articulate their place in Australian society multiculturalism so eloquently expressed interesting to note that, in 1993, the rapidly the ingrand message of as aIt’swhole. by the Awardsincreasing, is now available countless Media Award category was introduced multiculturalism sothe eloquently expressed millions of homes all over world.

It’s interesting noteVietnamese that, in 1993, and was won bytothe daily the by the Awards is now available in countless , newspaper, Media Award category was introduced millions of homes all over the world. run by Over the years, the and wasDavid wonGiang. by the Vietnamese daily more readily within our grasp.

, newspaper, 78 run by David Giang. Over the years, the 78

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The prize will not be sent to

you. You

have

to

will

win it

.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

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1996

O

The Hon. Philip Ruddock MP

ON 2 MARCH 1996, a change occurred in Australia’s national government. The Liberal/National Party Coalition had defeated Paul Keating’s Labor government and, on 11 March, the Hon. John Howard MP was sworn in as Prime Minister.

confidence in our immigration program.

But people in the public eye need to ensure it is an objective debate based on reality and fact, not on the perceptions gained from hearing half-truths or relying on racial prejudice.

This year of the national Census was also a year of turmoil: floods in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales taking lives; the tragedy of the Port Arthur massacre and much contention about subsequent gun control initiatives; Black Hawk helicopters colliding and crashing near Townsville; and, on the multicultural front, an increasingly volatile public debate about border protection, migration and the integrated society.

“If we do not have a debate based on tolerance and respect, we lose everything Australia stands for.”

Even in sport, things were not going to plan. Sri Lanka beat Australia in the final of the Cricket World Cup and the Australian Rugby League and Super-League were embroiled in bitter conflict. It was a tough time all round.

John Howard

“

“

Talk about Australia’s migrant program is cheap only when it is founded on urban myth and racial prejudice.

Still, when the going gets tough, as they say, the tough get going. And Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Philip Ruddock, stepped up to the crease, saying: “By all means, let us debate migration. We need to restore public

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A commitment to a multicultural ideal was now more important than ever, and the Ethnic Business Awards provided a highly suitable platform from which to voice support for ethnic communities and make a very public statement about the value of their contribution to Australian life and society.

John Howard became the second Prime Minister to attend the Awards. He presented trophies to the national winners and delivered a stirring keynote speech to an enthusiastic audience at the Brisbane Convention Centre, on 30 October. The Prime Minister’s speech was broadcast, along with the rest of the Awards ceremony, nationally on SBS Television and to an audience now comprising some thirtythree countries, right across Asia.

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It’s hard to quantify the positive effects that such exposure generates. Whatever the equation, the Awards continued to achieve an undeniable impact, bringing reason and passion alike to the ongoing multicultural debate and, in the process, continuing to announce to the world that Australia remained open for business to all and to anyone who would care to show an interest. Ethnic business, despite the volatile climate of the time, was as robust, innovative and exciting as ever.

development and improvement, potential growth and contributions made to society.

A special award was also made in a Small Business category.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Australia Bank, Don Argus, presented the major awards to winners and also spoke of the bank’s recognition and appreciation of the achievements and contributions that migrant business was making to the country.

He said: “The Ethnic Business Awards were introduced to the NAB nearly a decade ago to recognise the achievements of migrant business people. With their skills and perseverance many newcomers to Australia have built businesses that have contributed significantly to the development of the Australian economy.

Joseph Assaf, Joseph Chew, John Howard and Don Argus

The 1996 Awards presentation was hosted by Mary Kostakidis at a magnificent gala evening which was quoted by those present as being “full of pride and tears of joy”.

With the media engulfed in the ongoing racial debate, the Awards provided an optimistic and timely counter to the political discussions surrounding migration and the contribution of migrants to Australia. The presentation left no doubt that migrants brought culture, innovation, intellectual resources, financial gains and export markets to Australia.

Nominations, recognition and diversity More than three hundred excellent nominations came in from all over the country for awards in the Manufacturing and the Non-Manufacturing categories.

Nominees in each category were judged, as usual, on business and financial success,

“ ... The Ethnic Business Awards are designed to promote the fact that it is the collective effort of our long-established businesses and our newer businesses which ensure that Australia maintains a high standard of living.”

These newcomers have arrived in Australia from almost every country around the world. And a great many of these individuals have created many successful businesses. Notwithstanding even more diverse ethnic sources in the nominations, it is instructive that the eleven finalists and winners in 1996 came from ten different countries: China, France, Greece, Italy, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and Vietnam. All have made extremely positive contributions to the fabric of Australian society.

Finalists and Winners For the last time before being changed to a system of Best Contenders, regardless

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of State, the grand final shortlists for each category comprised the state finalists.

The Finalists in the Manufacturing Category were: New South Wales: Floriano Volpato (Italy) of Casino Hide Traders for his tannery.

Western Australia: Georges Atzenhoffer (France) from Croissant Gourmet, for their frozen pastry croissants and bread supply business.

South Australia/Northern Territory: Kevin and Rosemary Pudney (UK) of Panda Sofa Manufacturers. Quality furniture manufacturers.

Victoria/Tasmania: Nicholas Balagiannis and Nick Mitris (Greece) of Olympic Video Gaming, manufacturers of gaming machines.

The Winner was: Queensland’s Mike Koster of Jaws Buckets & Attachments. An equipment manufacturer based in Brisbane.

Mike Koster had come to Australia from the Netherlands in 1952 and then began work in the welding fabrication industry.

By 1996, Jaws Buckets & Attachments had become Australia’s premier mediumsize manufacturer of buckets and attachments for heavy machinery. The company specialised in the design and manufacture of equipment for mining, civil construction, quarrying and materialhandling industries, employing one hundred and thirty workers with nearly all products made from 100 per cent Australian materials.

A special Small Business Award for manufacturing was presented to Victoria-based Vincent Peluso of Gamut

Engineering which had become Australia’s second largest manufacturer of industrial fans, fume extractors and heaters.

Finalists in the Non-Manufacturing Category were: Queensland: Gordon Fu (Taiwan) of Yu Feng for his chain of shopping centres.

South Australia/Northern Territory: Mario Marzola (Italy) of Restoration Clinics Australia for his network of hair restoration clinics.

Victoria/Tasmania: Ruben Fried and Morry Fraid (Poland/ Hungary) of Spotlight fabric store.

Western Australia: Tan Tran (Vietnam) of Trans-Asian Food Centre, wholesale, retail and limited manufacturer of Asian foods.

The Winner was: China’s Johnson Wang, now of New South Wales, with his Sydney-based company Edge Technology.

During the 1980s in China, Johnson Wang had operated a computer manufacturing and retail business. Arriving in Australia in 1988, he soon realised that his expertise lay in wholesaling and, by the early 1990s, Edge Technology had branches in Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.

By 1996, Edge Technology was the fastest growing computer wholesaler in Australia.

Johnson Wang had offices in New Zealand, Dubai, Canada, Britain, Turkey, Lebanon, South Africa and Malaysia. The business employed three hundred people worldwide and had an annual turnover of around $600 million.

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Challenging times ahead Challenging times ahead Despite the obvious successes that were Despite the obvious successes that were so effectively celebrated and publicised by so effectively celebrated and publicised by the Ethnic Business Awards, the political the Ethnic Business Awards, the political and cultural atmosphere remained volatile. and cultural atmosphere remained volatile.

The price of democracy is freedom of speech The price of democracy is freedom of speech for everyone – and not everyone supported for everyone – and not everyone supported thetheprinciples of multiculturalism. One principles of multiculturalism. One of ofthethemost mostprominent prominent voices voices ofof the the time was that of Pauline Hanson, whose time was that of Pauline Hanson, whose provocative provocativeand andwidely widelyreported reportedmaiden maiden speech in Parliament seemed to embolden speech in Parliament seemed to embolden some somecitizens citizenstotoadopt adopta aless lesswelcoming, welcoming, even hostile, approach to people even hostile, approach to people from from other shores who, for so long, have been other shores who, for so long, have been making such making suchananenriching enrichingcontribution contributiontoto Australian Australiansociety. society.

Pauline Pauline Hanson’s Hanson’s conjuring conjuring ofof the the ghost ghostofofthe theso-called so-called‘White ‘White Australia Australia Policy’, Policy’,abandoned abandonedaround aroundhalf halfa acentury century ago, ago,eventually eventuallyled ledtotoher her views views being being publicly repudiatedbybythe thePrime PrimeMinister Minister publicly repudiated and Immigration Immigration Minister.

Minister. But But the the and undercurrents were were there there nevertheless, nevertheless, undercurrents helpedalong alongbybysome somesimplistic simplistic media media helped discussionsonontalkback talkbackradio. radio. discussions

Mary Kostakidis Mary Kostakidis

ItIt seemed positive seemed as as ifif the the abundant abundant positive evidence us was was being being evidence all all around around us disregarded conversation disregarded as as the the national national conversation was louder and and was becoming becoming increasingly increasingly louder more was clearly clearly aa lot lot more overheated. overheated. There There was ofof work continue telling telling work to to be be done done to to continue the valuable migrant migrant the inspiring inspiring stories stories of valuable contributions Australian contributions to to the fabric of Australian society society and and its its economy. economy.

Although remain strictly strictly Although determined determined to remain outside party party politics, politics, the Ethnic outside Ethnic Business Business Awards needed needed to remain strong Awards strong and and to to grow,so so that that itit could could continue to grow, to perform perform its valuable valuable and and constructive role its role in in this this challenging public public debate. challenging

John Howard and Ethnic BusinessAwards Awardsteam team John Howard and thethe Ethnic Business

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Johnson Johnson Wang Wang

“

“

Jaws Jaws Buckets Buckets & & Attachments Attachments

... when the going gets tough the tough get going ...

Mike Mike Koster Koster

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It’s hard to quantify the positive effects Johnsuch Howard that exposure generates. Whatever the equation, the Awards continued to achieve an undeniable impact, bringing It is not possible to think of the economic reason and passion to thirty the ongoing growth in Australiaalike over the past to fortydebate years withoutand, thinkingin of the multicultural the process, massive contribution of the group continuingloosely tocalled announce to the ethnic Australians to theworld that development of our country.

Australia remained open for business to all John Howard and to anyone who Prime would Minister care to show an interest. Ethnic business, despite the volatile climate of the time, was as robust, innovative and exciting as ever.

“

“

Italian Australian Queensland, 1959 Migrants building in Australia Overleaf: Ethnic Business Awards cabaret dancers

E B a b t t t

w d o s t h d 87

Joseph Assaf, Joseph Chew, John Howard and Don Argus

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1997 Ten Years On

Q

QUINTESSENTIALLY, in any life, ten years is an important milestone. By 1997, the Ethnic Business Awards were a robust, healthy, confident ten-year-old, still making discoveries, reaching out to the world, absorbing information and experience like a sponge. We had planted trees and were now looking forward to many more years of educating new generations in the principles of multiculturalism and the joys of diversity.

Philip Ruddock

The 1997 Awards were hosted again by Mary Kostakidis, the dinner being held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, slightly later than usual in the year.

Ten-year-olds are often late!

Despite the delay, the Awards were again a tremendous success, with nominations still coming in from all over the country and featuring an enormous range of nationalities and business activities. The national finalists were presented with certificates, as usual, and had been flown in to the awards by Ansett Australia, who had become the Awards’ newest sponsors.

Managing Director of the National Australia Bank, Don Argus, presented

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Confucius

“

“

If your plan is for one year, plant rice.

If your plan is for ten years, plant trees.

If your plan is for one hundred years, educate children.

Awards to the finalists, saying: “It has indeed been an honour for the bank to reward the continuing achievements of these professionals and gratifying for me personally to have met these fine and inspiring Australians.”

The Hon. Philip Ruddock, Federal Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, representing Prime Minister, John Howard, spoke of the undeniable contribution that migrants have made to this country during its history. “Australia is blessed with a wealth of resources from Australians who were not born here, but who have now enhanced this country with their rich diversity of culture, innovation, knowledge, skills and experience, in addition to their irrefutable financial contribution and providing access to export markets for Australian businesses,” he said.

Awards were made in three categories: Manufacturing, Non-Manufacturing, and a Special Recognition Award. Each Award winner received the beautiful crystal trophy, $10,000 cash and free Raffles Class international air travel, courtesy of sponsor, Singapore Airlines.

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Manufacturing Award Armenio Bento (Portugal/NSW/ACT), Game Farm. Breeding and processing of game birds.

Fred Ekbol (Sweden/Queensland), Ekbol Engineering. Towing and recovery vehicles company.

Sarantos Moularadellis (Greece/South Australia), Kingston Estate Wines. Fine wine producer.

Wally Maliunas (Lithuania/WA), from Coromal Caravans. Caravan manufacture.

Emilio De Lorso (Italy/Victoria/ Tasmania), Don Emilio’s. Pizza bases.

Non-Manufacturing Award (USA/WA), from Dome John and Nick Chapley (Greece/SA), Munno Para Foodland Shopping City.

Supermarket construction and operation.

Domenico and Michael Gambaro (Italy/Queensland), Gambaro Seafood Restaurant. Seafood Restaurant and Function Centre.

Yoram Gross (Poland/NSW), Yoram Gross Film Studios. Film production.

Sarantos Moularadellis

Non-Manufacturing Award was won by Yoram Gross Film Studios.

Having been recognised with more than eighty international awards for his film-making efforts, Yoram Gross’ films had at that time been screened in over seen Yoram Gross Studios sign with Village Roadshow to produce ten animated series Special Recognition Award was presented by the Hon. Philip Ruddock to Andrew Yeo of Mastra Corporation for Andrew Yeo

Robert Nelson (Canada/Victoria/Tasmania, Food franchise.

Sarantos Moularadellis, with Kingston Estate Wines, took out the Manufacturing Award. His winery, established in the 1950s, had become one of the largest wine companies in Australia. More than sixty per cent of all the premium wine produced by the company was exported to South East Asia, China, The Pacific Rim, the UK, Europe, Canada and the USA. 92

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his innovative developments in the area of agricultural products.

Again, all worthy winners! Still, it’s perhaps worth pointing out that success can sometimes be a flash in the pan. Not so with the Ethnic Business Awards. A headline from newspapers fourteen years later in 2011 would eventually read: “John Chapley snaps up Centro site for $35m”, and John Chapley wasn’t even a winner.

“

“

A winner is a dreamer who never gives up.

Nelson Mandela

Yoram Gross cartoon, Dot and the Kangaroo

Gambaro Seafood Restaurant Yoram Gross

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There’s No Such Thing as a Loser

A

Spotlight Catalogue 2013 Collection

A SPOTLIGHT on one of our runnersup happily highlights the fact that all our finalists are winners. This particular shining example comes from 1996 when brothers Ruben Fried and Morry Fraid were finalists in the Non-Manufacturing Category. They didn’t win the prize, even though Ruben and Morry’s fabric store, Spotlight, had already made enormous strides forward and from small beginnings had developed into a rapidly growing nationwide concern.

An Australian family business that is privately owned and operated, Spotlight had its origins back in the 1970s when the two brothers, who had come to Australia from Poland and Hungary, would work weekends helping their parents run their dress fabric stall at the Queen Victoria Markets. The support of their family coupled with their own entrepreneurial drive saw them open their first Spotlight store in Melbourne in September 1973.

The brothers were determined to offer the largest possible range of fashionable and affordable products for sewing, craft and home decorating needs, a policy that still holds today.

The Spotlight name has become synonymous with expertise in crafting, fabrics and home decorating products. The organisation also inspires its customers through creative class programs in studios all over Australia, with courses offered in

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craft, sewing, and quilting and through the staging of many other events like fashion parades, pop-up craft demonstrations and children’s events.

Spotlight is also a major community player through its initiative, Stitch in Time, which is run in partnership with World Vision, Mission Australia and Together for Cambodia. Stitch in Time empowers women and helps children around the world through the donation of sewing machines and the sharing of expertise. Fair Trade bags and other items made are sold through Spotlight stores, with 100 per cent of the sales helping lives in many countries. It is calculated that each sewing machine donated can sustain up to a hundred and fifty people a year.

Since 2006, over five thousand machines have been donated with significant results flowing from the program.

Spotlight, one of our runners-up, was always a winner. Now with one hundred and twenty-five stores throughout Australia, New Zealand and Asia and more than 5500 team members in its employ, it is an absolute champion. This is a success story indeed and proof of the fact that, at the Ethnic Business Awards, there really is no such thing as a loser.

Spotlight’s story is a simple tale of determination, enterprise and sheer hard work. You will find it echoed in many of the following pages.

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1998

K

P G Wodehouse Uneasy Money

KEEPING to an annual timetable, by 1998, the Ethnic Business Awards were in their eleventh year and already boasted an illustrious history. They had attracted the attention and patronage of two Prime Ministers and dozens of political figures and business luminaries, and had awarded prizes and invaluable recognition to thirtythree winners. The December ceremony was held at the National Australia Bank headquarters in Bourke Street, Melbourne, and the Awards were focused on achievements at two levels of migrant business endeavour: Small Business, with a turnover of less than five million dollars a year; and Medium to Large Business, with a turnover in excess of that amount.

Nicholas Shehadie

Sir Nicholas Shehadie, who had been the Chairman of the judging panel since the inception of the Awards, acknowledged their important role in recognising the massive contribution migrants had made to the Australian way of life.

“You go back fifty or sixty years and look at all the migrants that came to Australia in that time, and you will see that it is those people that have made Australia the great country it is today,” Sir Nicholas told an enthusiastic audience, which included

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“

“

At the age of eleven or thereabouts, women acquire a poise and an ability to handle difficult situations which a man, if he is lucky, manages to achieve somewhere in the later seventies.

many of the judging panel, dozens of media and business personalities, and Young Australian of the Year, Tan Le. Herself a migrant success story, Tan was the very embodiment of Sir Nicholas’s observations. She had come to Australia as a Vietnamese refugee in 1982 and quickly achieved success as a telecommunications entrepreneur. She would go on to cofound the highly successful Emotiv electronics company in 2003. In 1998, as well as becoming Young Australian of the Year, she was voted one of Australia’s thirty Most Successful Women Under Thirty. A winner in her own right.

For their achievements and contributions to business in Australia, the winners in the two Award categories this year each received two international business class tickets from Singapore Airlines, $10,000 spending money from the National Australia Bank and the stunning crystal trophy. Both winners were emotional when accepting their awards from NAB Managing Director, Don Argus, and both spoke eloquently and passionately about the importance of family and the generosity of Australia in providing them with their opportunities for success.

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of migrant business success and they speak to the notion of a two-way street when it comes to generating a healthy and evergrowing input by migrants to Australia’s increasingly diverse economic base. More and more, we need to widen that two-way street, to harness the energy of our New Australians and embrace their enthusiasm.

As has been said before: “A society that cannot manage its many cultures will never amount to much because it is, by the energy of its constituents.”

Finalists: Small Business Joe Vraca, of Vraca Brothers and Sons. An Italian migrant, operating his agricultural business out of Victoria and distributing Australia-wide through Safeway, Woolworths, Coles and fresh produce markets.

Iraqi-born Sabah Obaidi with his Sydney-based natural stone business, Stone Tech, one of the biggest marble companies in Australia.

Tetsuya Wakuda, owner of Tetsuya’s Restaurant. Tetsuya Wakuda had left Japan in 1982 and opened his famed Tetsuya’s restaurant in Rozelle in 1989.

Tetsuya’s had subsequently become one of the world’s most acclaimed restaurants.

Medium to Large Business Jurgen Klein of Jurlique International.

From Germany, Jurgen Klein and his wife had established a huge network of skin-care businesses spanning seventeen countries.

John Abou-Haila of Middle East Bakeries (MEB Foods) had arrived in Australia in 1969 from Lebanon with only twenty dollars in his pocket, had opened his first pita bread bakery in

Melbourne and had grown the business to supply product to Safeway, Coles and Woolworths Australia-wide, also exporting to Indonesia, Asia and New Zealand.

Jensen’s Choice Foods, a diverse food processor, exporter, and manufacturer, had been founded by Danish-born Stig Jensen and his wife Kate, after they stumbled on the idea of processing and bottling garlic in 1985. By 1998, the company was exporting twenty per cent of its massive output to Asia and Europe.

Greece’s Gerry Karidis of the Karidis Corporation had established a property development company in 1965. By 1998, current projects included shopping complexes, car parks, residential subdivisions, as well as commercial developments, and more than 3500 residential dwelling apartments.

Maltese-born Wilfred Mula of RTS Imaging had seen his company grow to become the largest re-manufacturing distributor of laser printer cartridges in Australia and New Zealand.

Diversity was again the watchword when have been more vividly expressed by the eventual choice of winners. : Small Business Silvandale Nursery (Victoria). Bert and Margriet Rijk knew nothing about Holland in 1982. Bert Rijk developed became so successful that produce from their Silvandale Nursery had come to week, Australia-wide.

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Margriet and Bert Rijk, and Don Argus, National Australia Bank

Medium to Large Business Kari & Ghossayn (New South Wales).

George Ghossayn had migrated to Australia from Lebanon in 1971, emptyhanded. Over the next two decades, Kari & Ghossayn became one of the largest demolition and excavation companies in Sydney, specialising in projects where the complexity, environmental and heritage aspects were paramount. This included projects like the construction of the M4 motorway and the new Sydney Showground Olympic site at Homebush Bay. By 1998, the Kari & Ghossayn Group had grown into a multi-service provider with a turnover in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Young Australian of presenter the Year Tan Le with Beverley O’Connor, Beverley O’Connor George Ghossayn

1998 had been a busy and exciting year, with nominations and interest continuing to build into 1999. The Year of the Tiger was almost over, and the Year of the Rabbit was almost upon us. The travelling roadshow was to return to Sydney, where the 1999 Awards ceremony would be staged at Le Montage, a harbourside function centre, and would again be hosted by Geraldine Doogue.

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Kingston Estate Wines

“

There is truth in wine and children.

Z

Plato Symposium / Phaedrus

ZEAL and enthusiasm define Kingston Estate Wines. It is a genuine migrant love story as well as a story of migrant success!

Back in the 1950s, Sarantos and Constantina Moularadellis emigrated from Greece separately. Like many migrants, they found work as itinerant labourers.

Many of our New Australians worked in orchards or cane fields. Others laboured on great national projects like the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme. Many sought opportunities in the big cities.

Fortunately for Sarantos and Constantina, they both had a passion for wine running in their veins and they gravitated to South Australia’s burgeoning wine district.

From vine to bottle In Vino Veritas

The couple met while picking grapes in the beautiful Riverland region. They fell in love, married, and along the way they planted the vines that would eventually produce top quality wines for both Australia and the wine-loving world; wines that capture South Australia’s best regional qualities, gleaning fists-full of medals and many, many accolades in the process.

In 1979 those accolades were yet to come. This was the year that Sarantos and Constantina were able to plant their first forty acres of vines and, along with them, the seeds of a family business that would reach full bloom in 1985, when son Bill Moularadellis completed his oenology

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“

A Vintage Tale of Migrant Enterprise

degree and when the Kingston Estate crushed its first commercial vintage.

Today, Sarantos and Constantina (Steve and Nina) have taken a well-earned back seat as the winery and vineyards thrive under the stewardship and care of Bill and his family. The dynasty is in place: Kingston Estate Wines has seen proud traditions devotedly handed down from one generation to the next.

In the late 1990s with typical pioneering spirit, Bill Moularadellis looked to the future, planting new varieties suited to the Riverland’s warm climate. As with all migrant enterprise, hard work is a given as a constant push for improvement and innovation drives the Estate to produce better and better wines with each and every vintage.

Along with Production Manager, Bob Wiseman; Senior Winemaker Brett Duffin; Winemaker Russell Williamson and a dedicated sales and business team, Bill and the Kingston Estate are poised to move into the future with even greater confidence, but it will always be a move forward made with a loving glance over the shoulder to the beginnings of a family enterprise that was born out of love, established with hope and is still nurtured through a fierce commitment not only to the labour itself but to the tradition.

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1999

G

GST, hailstorms, increased debate on illegal immigration, a no vote in the referendum on Australia’s becoming a republic, and world championships in cricket, rugby with Pakistan, France and New Zealand.

Republicans were disappointed, the socalled Monarchists were delighted, despite the closeness of the vote. On the taxation front, the introduction of the hotlydebated Goods and Services Tax was seen both as forward-thinking and vital by

particular to-and-fro argument heated up when, on 3 November 1999, the Reserve Bank announced a 0.25 per cent increase increase since 1994.

In sport, there seemed to be a universal tick of approval and also in the ongoing achievements of ethnic business enterprises a new government initiative: Harmony Day

Harmony Day

Coinciding with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination each year, it would become an annual opportunity for Australians across the nation, from all cultures, to come together, exchange ideas and experiences, participate in local and their shared humanity. A huge number and variety of groups including sporting organisations, community groups, local

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governments, churches, schools and businesses staged Harmony Day events in a national celebration of multiculturalism.

By 2011, nearly 6500 events would be registered nationally. business and multicultural calendar as one it was staged at Sydney’s Le Montage, and as always was enthusiastically attended and supported by people from all walks of life: business, politics, the arts, media, and many ethnic communities.

Awards were made in the same two categories as the previous year and featured enterprise and success, with the winners coming from cosmetics, and construction!

Finalists and Winners Small Business Award Valitel Commercial. In 1975, just seven years after having left his beloved Greece, a determined young Emmanuel Tsalikis had established his own drycleaning business. By 1982, one shop had expanded into a chain of outlets and, by 1999, Valitel Commercial was servicing more than forty hotels and restaurants,

Ultra Plas. Greek-born but arriving in Australia from Turkey, Pat Taptoupoulos of Ultra Plas overcame all the odds and 103

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established a company producing a range of plastic products including bottles, jars and containers. By 1999, Ultra Plas was servicing pharmaceutical organisations, fillers, packers, and distributors, and had the capacity to design and develop any product that can be blow-moulded, from initial concept to final product.

Linton Park Natural Spring Waters.

Founded by Raymond Leung of Hong Kong and established in 1990, Linton Park had already claimed a significant share of the commercial market, water cooler rentals and bulk deliveries. In less than a decade, by 1999, it had become the second largest supplier of chilled spring water services to commercial and residential customers in Victoria.

The Koala Tea Company. The brainchild of Managing Director Rubin Howard, The Koala Tea Company was conceived after this immigrant from the USA arrived in Australia to discover that a supply industry for herbal tea production in Australia did not exist.

In 1995, the first home-grown herbal tea was launched and, by 1999, No Worries Tea and Dreamtime Tea were being exported to Singapore, Taiwan, the UK and Germany.

Asian Foods Australia. Sim Hayward’s prospering Asian food company was based in Cairns. Originally from Malaysia and of Chinese descent, Sim had come to Melbourne twenty-five years earlier to study hospitality.

She saw the potential for a niche market opportunity in Asian food, growing her business from what she admitted was, initially, a hobby, to include two Cairns retail outlets as well as wholesale and manufacturing divisions, employing sixteen staff there.

And the Winner …

Nad’s. Originally from Syria, Sue Ismiel created her own natural hair removal gel, called Nad’s, to help a daughter with sensitive skin. From impressing her family and neighbours to becoming an international multi-million dollar phenomenon in less than ten years, Sue and her family company have become a dominant player in natural depilatory and skin care products. Much more about Sue Ismiel shortly ...

Medium to Large Business Award finalists Garozzo’s Agencies. Garozzo’s Agencies had been founded by Italians Sam and Alfina Garozzo, thirty-three years earlier in Cairns, The company supplied food items to retail outlets throughout North Queensland. After an initial concentration on continental foods such as olives, pasta and olive oil, the Garozzo range expanded to include gourmet, continental and Asian foods and traditional grocery items. As a strong family business, it had maintained its original credo of Total Commitment to Customer Service.

A & G Formworkers. Born in Italy, Giovanni Angelucci had arrived in Australia in 1964 unable to speak English, but had become a leader in his chosen industry, establishing his company in 1969, supplying labour and materials and performing formwork contracts throughout Sydney.

Over thirty years, the company had constructed formwork for hundreds of projects, including specialised formwork for the Garvan Institute and the Olympic Rail Station at Homebush Bay. Marathon Food Industries. Founded in 1962 by Zissis Dardalis from Greece, Marathon Foods had become Australia’s

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largest manufacturer of spring rolls and dim sims, with more than seventy fulltime staff and marketing traditional and international premium quality frozen foods throughout food service and supermarket distribution channels.

And the Winner …

Domenico Marrocco, with his large construction company Belmadar Constructions, one of Australia’s leading contractors in New South Wales and Queensland. The company was involved in many facets of the construction industry, including design/construction and civil engineering projects.

Frank Cicutto, CEO, NAB

Domenico Marrocco was only twentyone years old when he stepped off the ship from Italy onto Australian shores in 1959. For four years he picked and packed boxes in a factory, worked in the Snowy Mountains (if only for two days), for BHP and for one year with an Italian electrical company.

He eventually teamed up with a few mates he had met on the ship from Italy and together they set up their own construction company. Belmadar Constructions began its operations out of a small house in Wyong on the New South Wales central coast, but by 1999 had an annual turnover of more than $60 million.

Domenico Marrocco

Sue Ismiel and Geraldine Doogue

Domenico Marrocco was a deserving winner of the Medium to Large Business Award and was rightfully praised, along with all the other finalists, by the National Australia Bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Frank Cicutto, who said: “Over the years, we have enjoyed a high calibre of entrants, and it is indeed an honour for the National to be able to recognise and reward these businesses for their hard work and creation of employment opportunities.”

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A Magic Formula ... Nad’s

Sue won her Ethnic Business Award in 1999 in the Small Business category for companies with an annual sales turnover of less than $5 million.

Sue had migrated from Syria as a teenager in the 1970s, speaking no English, and lived with her family in Sydney. By her early thirties, she had become a married mother of three young daughters and was working as a medical records-keeper in a Sydney private hospital.

Sue Ismiel

It is said that necessity is the mother of invention. In this case, Sue Ismiel was the mother and her invention was to make her a multi-millionaire in less than ten years and result in her induction into the Australian Businesswomen’s Hall of Fame, in 2000. But how did it begin? Well, it all started with a small problem one of her daughters had with a little unwanted body hair and sensitive skin ...

Dissatisfied with existing hair-removal gels and waxes on the market, particularly for sensitive skin, this spirited woman with no scientific training set out to create her own product, using natural ingredients such as honey, sugars, lemon juice and water, among other things. She would come home after work each night and experiment in her laboratory (her kitchen!), and test her invention on her

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children and husband. “My family got fed up with me,” she said. “I would chase my husband around the house begging him to try my latest formula, crying out “this is the last time, I promise.”

In 1991, Sue finally came up with the formula that did precisely what she wanted: a pleasantly scented gel that works with body heat, does not burn the skin, yet removes hair effectively and painlessly. Sue shared it with her friends and neighbours, who were very pleased with the results.

“

It is said that necessity is the mother of invention.

“

N

NOTHING SHORT of extraordinary and an inspirational tale of innovation, determination, success, recovery and more success: Sue Ismiel’s story.

But developing a product is only the first battle. Sue’s invention, Nad’s Natural Hair Removal Gel, named after her eldest daughter, Nadine, faced much criticism and negativity along the way, especially from “the men in suits at the major cosmetic companies, who would say things like ‘here comes little Sue with her goo’.

None of them thought it would work, so no-one encouraged me to pursue it.”

In response, Sue developed her own cosmetic manufacturing company. Her brother Souhel, a mechanical engineer, built her a machine to mass-produce her product in her family garage. She then began direct selling with a stall at Flemington Markets in Sydney in 1992.

“It was quite demoralising at first. No one came near my stall,” Sue explained.

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Nad’s, a magic formula

“So after a couple of hours, I went out to the people and started telling them about my product and how I could help them.

By the end of the day, I was swamped with people. It was amazing!”

Sue continued direct-selling for a couple of years, including in some large shopping centres, but eventually the workload became too much. She then took the plunge, and in late 1993, decided to demonstrate and advertise her product on national television.

market share in Australia. Overseas, the product was becoming a major hit in the USA and then Canada. With sales continuing to soar, turnover was expected to triple in the following year, pushing the company from a small business to a large concern with well in excess of $15 million turnover by end of 2001. Nad’s has continued to conquer markets in New Zealand, Ireland, Europe, the Middle East and the United Kingdom including at the prestigious Harrod’s store in London.

The response was phenomenal. Within a few years Sue was producing and selling the Nad’s range, which featured hair removal gels, preparation lotion and soothing lotion, through more than five thousand retail outlets across Australia, including Woolworths, Coles and Big W. And it was still being produced in the family garage!

Sue’s astounding business success with Nad’s was recognised with several more national awards in 2002. She also became a passionate and dedicated philanthropist, getting actively involved in numerous national and international charities and funding important world research known as the Sue Ismiel International Study into Women’s Health and Hormones.

By 1999, when Sue won her Ethnic Business Award, Nad’s had a 40 per cent

Later in that decade, a decision Sue made to appoint an outside CEO and

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have some respite from her pivotal role in the company’s operations led to a dramatic decline in the company’s fortunes and threatened its survival. Sue returned, took the reins once more, and “turned the business around big-time”, despite having had to do so during and after the “global financial meltdown”, as she calls it.

Now widely known as Sue Ismiel and Daughters (SI&D), the company remains family-owned, and all three daughters and her husband play key roles in the business.

Substantial investment in research and development has led to new depilatory and skin care products. And the company has been diversifying its business model to include laser clinics and franchises.

Sue Ismiel’s story is one worth telling.

It’s worth telling because it is the very embodiment of the migrant business saga.

It is the story of a woman who came from other shores, learnt our language, saw a need, turned that need into an opportunity, and met that opportunity with a spirit of innovation and determination. With the Sue Ismiel

Nad’s Sensitive Hair Removal Crème

immense support and encouragement of her family, who remained involved in her business enterprise, as so often happens in migrant families, she overcame scepticism and seemingly insurmountable obstacles to achieve a tremendous level of success.

Having achieved that success, she then shared it by choosing to give back to the community on a large scale through her philanthropic activities, not just in Australia, but internationally.

And then, after a significant setback, she did it all again!

“What I don’t understand is how women can pour hot wax on their bodies, let it dry, then rip out every single hair by its root, and still be scared of spiders.”

When he said that, Jerry Seinfeld had obviously not heard of Nad’s.

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2000 The Olympic Year

“

I went down to my baby’s house And I sat down on the step Said 2000 years of Christian history, baby And you ain’t learned to love me yet?

UNRELIABLY, as the Beatles informed us, Love Is All You Need, then life in general and business in particular would be very simple. Unfortunately, love, even when locked together with tolerance, acceptance and open-heartedness, is never, of itself, enough. That’s why hard work, creativity, clever thinking, determination, sprinkled with good fortune and pure energy are so much a part of the history of success in migrant business. That’s also very true of the Ethnic Business Awards themselves.

Tony Abbott

In 2000, the job of getting the Awards to the stage, despite the task being very much a labour of love, was rendered incredibly difficult by the fact that this was Australia’s Olympic Year; much of the nation’s focus and the focus of business interests in particular, was upon that major international event. Still, the Awards team put their shoulders to the wheel and, as always, managed not only to get the Awards over the line, but to do it in great style. In fact, it turned out to be another fantastic year of remarkable nominations and stunning finalists.

Acclaimed journalist and broadcaster, Beverley O’Connor hosted the glittering

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“

U

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Murder Ballads

Awards ceremony, staged this year at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne, and again televised by SBS. Special guests included the Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business, the Hon. Tony Abbott (representing the Prime Minister, John Howard), and the Shadow Minister for Immigration, Con Sciacca (representing the Leader of the Opposition, Kim Beazley).

Awards in the Small Business and Medium to Large Business categories were presented by the National Australia Bank’s CEO Australia, Mike Pratt. Also General Manager of Business Financial Services, Mike Pratt paid enthusiastic tribute to all the winners and finalists at the Ethnic Business Awards.

“We are celebrating the extraordinary commitment migrants have made to this country and to our economic development,” he said. “Through their ingenuity and perseverance, New Australians have embraced the challenge of building successful businesses which also contribute to our very high standard of living. It is indeed an honour for the National to be able to recognise and reward these 111

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businesses for their hard work and creation of employment opportunities.”

turnover of $1.4 million per annum in 1994 to $4.5 million per annum in 2000.

Tony Abbott enthusiastically concurred.

“If migrants had not contributed so much to the building of this country,” he said, “the big loser would have been Australia.”

Armando Marcolin (Italy/Victoria), Class Plastics. A market-leading bottlemaking company, servicing more than two-hundred clients, mainly in the chemicals industry.

Hard work, ingenuity, craftsmanship and artistic genius all featured in the finals of 2000 which, as can be seen by the list of finalists, was another massive year for the Italian migrant community.

Medium to Large Business Award Nicola Cerrone (Italy/NSW), Cerrone Jewellers. Australia’s leading jewellery house. Won the 1998 De Beers Diamond International Award. In 2000, the business already spanned the globe.

Mario Dilallo (Italy/Western Australia), Cool or Cosy Group. A hugely successful home insulation manufacturer. In 2000, Mario Dilallo was on the verge of publicly listing his company in order to help fund further expansion.

Mike Pratt, CEO, NAB

The Finalists Small Business Award Sergio Miglietti (Italy/Victoria), Bervic Engineering Co. A market leader in repetition manufacturing, specialising in the production of quality machine components and sub-assemblies.

Sam and Mal Piedimonte (Italy /Victoria).

Piedimonte Supermarkets. In 1963, they had opened the first, innovative, self-service store; a forerunner of today’s supermarket chains.

Mario Salvo (Italy/Victoria), Delta Car Rentals. Employing about five hundred staff in 2000, he had over eighty branches and a fleet of over four thousand vehicles.

Con Sciacca

Ibrahim Sahin (Turkey/Victoria), Sleepcraft Distributors. Producers of pillow, blanket, quilt and mattress protectors, supplying outlets throughout Australia and exporting to China, Taiwan, and Eastern Europe.

Jim and Nick Ligakis (Greece/NSW), Crazy Jim’s Mitre 10. Both brothers had taken the hardware business from a 112

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Sebastiano Pitruzzello (Sicily/Victoria), Pantalica Cheese Company. Supplying Italian cheeses to major supermarkets in Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, South Africa and South East Asia.

Natale Riccardi (Italy/WA), Riccardi Seafoods & Cold Stores. A company ranked as one of the top five Australian exporters of king prawns.

The Winners The Small Business Award was won by Turkish-born Ibrahim Sahin, founder of Sleepcraft Distributors.

Ibrahim Sahin’s company aimed to revolutionise the world market for bed linen and quilts with some startling innovations in thermal dynamics. Those innovations bore fruit in the financial year 1999-2000, when the company’s turnover (an apt term for a bed-ware manufacturer!) was just under $4 million, with projections of $15 million by 2004.

Winner of the Medium to Large Business Award was Italian-born Mario Salvo, owner of Delta Car Rentals.

Mario Salvo had been a talented automotive mechanic before deciding to exercise his business skills by moving into Mario Salvo

Ibrahim Sahin

car rentals. He started with a small fleet of old bombs that cost $16 a day to rent and, by 2000, had an annual turnover estimated at around $60 million.

Both winners received the EBA crystal trophy, $10,000 cash and two international Raffles business class tickets to anywhere in the world flying Singapore Airlines, which had continued as a principal sponsor of the Awards for five years.

As more tales of success were celebrated and publicised, the Awards were already gearing up for the following year’s program.

But the Olympic marathon that had been undertaken by the entire country was about to generate a unique set of hurdles (to mix a sporting metaphor) and it was to result in the first (and only) stumble ...

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Tony Abbott

“

The welcome that Australians have given to people from all around the world is one of the defining features of our nation.

Together we share common goals and aspire to make our country the best it can possibly be.

“

Without migrants, the biggest loser would have been Australia.

A proud new Australian citizen

Tony Abbott Leader of the Opposition

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The Missing Year

E

Basketball great, Michael Jordan

EVERYONE IS ALLOWED at least one miss. Right?

For the Ethnic Business Awards, 2001 was it.

When we started putting this book together there was some consternation.

Had we been travelling on our journey so busily that we’d missed the milestone?

Surely it was twenty-six years since the inception of the Awards?

And it was.

Telstra Tower, Black Mountain ACT

Awards, told us that 2013 would, indeed, been presented; because we’d missed a year.

In 2001, Australia was re-gathering after the unprecedented success of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games where, by the way, Australia won sixteen Gold, twentycoming an amazing fourth on the medal tally behind powerhouses like the USA, Russia and China.

Business interests had put a great deal into ensuring the success of the Games and, in

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“

“

I’ve missed more than nine thousand shots in my career.

I’ve lost almost three hundred games. Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.

the process, making sure they maximised their own exposure in a heightened and highly competitive publicity and promotional marketplace.

While the Awards organisers were ready for business as usual, it seemed that many companies lacked the residual resources to generate the usual level of nominations, and, more importantly, sponsors were reevaluating their positions and looking for Even the National Australia Bank, the Awards’ staunchest supporter, was uncertain about its future direction with regard to sponsorships.

Up until 2000, the NAB had been superbly supportive as the exclusive sponsor of the Awards, and Singapore Airlines had been consistently supplying travel sponsorship. In the wake of the Olympics, however, the bank re-evaluated its position, and in 2001, its support was unavailable. Joseph Assaf decided to press on regardless; but if he was to go it alone, he needed to reassess the structure and scope of the Awards program. Whatever happened, as far as he was concerned, there 117

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was no way the Ethnic Business Awards would be abandoned.

Fortunately, it didn’t come to that. As Joseph was busy re-grouping for 2002, the NAB returned to the fold, agreeing to accept a non-exclusive role and welcoming aboard other sponsors such as Telstra.

Things were quickly back on track and other sponsors began to show an interest in the now non-exclusive arrangements.

Still, it was a salutary lesson for all, not only about the importance of maintaining and honouring business relationships, but about how fragile the ongoing lobby for support of migrant business could be.

Even in this new millennium, it seemed, the message needed to be driven home as much as ever: the message that in Australia, migrant business and our developing multicultural heritage go hand in hand.

To quote Joseph Assaf: “Multiculturalism is not a passing fancy. It is not a hobby. It is not a government policy. It is not a nice thing to do or a marketing opportunity.

Equally, diversity is not a choice. It is not an option. It is not a public relations exercise or an employee relations program.

In Australia, diversity is a fact of life, and multiculturalism is a way of life.”

Still, it was a salutary lesson for all, not only about the importance of maintaining and honouring business relationships, but about how fragile the ongoing lobby for support of migrant business could be.

“

“

National Australia Bank, Lithgow NSW

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“

... in this new millennium, it seemed, the message needed to be driven home as much as ever: the message that in Australia, migrant business and our developing multicultural heritage go hand in hand.

“

Telstra: the right connection !

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2002

Editorial in MultiCultural Marketing News

R

RIGHT BACK on their feet after the missing year, the Ethnic Business Awards were themselves a living tribute to perseverance and the absolute determination to never give up, whatever the obstacles.

2012 Ethnic Business Le Montage, Sydney Awards at Le Montage, Sydney

The Gala Presentation Banquet was hosted by Geraldine Doogue and staged beside the water at Le Montage, in Sydney.

It was proudly sponsored by the National Australia Bank, Telstra, Western Union, Singapore Airlines, Kari & Ghossayn and Le Montage, and, of course, by Joseph Assaf, who had somehow managed to keep his dream alive.

“

“

The Awards brought to light wonderful tales of rags to riches and the strength of the human spirit in overcoming adversity.

or constraints defined by race, religion, or culture. The Ethnic Business Awards were determined to fly the flag of multiculturalism and all the mutual acceptances this implies; and this fourteenth anniversary would steadfastly take that message to the world.

As was later pronounced in MultiCultural Marketing News: “The Awards brought to light wonderful tales of rags to riches and the strength of human spirit in overcoming adversity.” It seemed an appropriate and moving message.

Happy moments at the 2002 EthnicGeraldine Business Doogue Awards Ian Macfarlane presenting the Initiative Award to Chhay Hua Ung

The event this year was tinged with sadness, as Australia was still coming to terms with the terrible events in Bali, in October. In that one horrific terrorist act, two hundred and two people from twenty-three different nations tragically lost their lives. Somehow, it really seemed to make a celebration of ethnic diversity and achievement even much more relevant and important.

When evil seems not to discriminate, it is even more vital to show that openheartedness and generosity of spirit exist in even greater measure, and that they are seen to be applied without any limits

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The Awards this year were covered by many media outlets, including: SBS, World Media, TVB Australia, Chieu Duong The Sunrise, Sing Tao, Neos Kosmos, ElTelegraph, Weekly Top Korean, 3XY Radio, Galaxias Radio and Middle East Radio.

Awards were made in three categories: Small Business, Medium to Large Business and the Initiative Award, which was available to all finalists in both categories.

The Finalists and Winners Small Business Award Anastasios (Stan) Tsepralidis (Greece/ Victoria), with Ktena Knitting Mills.

Anastasios came to Australia with his wife and two children and found everything he could want, except for thermal underwear.

So with borrowed funds, an old sewing machine and determination using a tiny room as his workshop, he set out to make and design his own. Many years later, Ktena Knitting Mills was producing some of the finest quality undergarments ever spun in Australia.

Akira Isogawa (Japan/NSW), with Akira Design. Arriving in Australia on a working visa with very little English, Akira fell in love with the country and opened his flagship store, Akira Design Studio, in 1993. In 1996 he presented his collection at the first Australia Fashion Week, to rave reviews. Akira enjoys a high profile and enormous success throughout the fashion world, but lists winning the Australian Fashion Designer of the Year Award among his proudest achievements.

And, the Winner ...

Masako Koga (Japan/NSW), with La Lingua Language School. Masako Koga was presented with the Small Business Award by Telstra CEO, Dr Ziggy Switkowski. In 1995, Japaneseborn Masako had completed her Master

of Arts in Applied Linguistics, only to realise that her bank account had only two dollars left in it. But she did have her language skills and a strong belief that she could change and improve language tuition in Australia. With those two dollars, Masako printed twenty flyers and posted them around Sydney University. So it was then that she started La Lingua Language School with one student! In six months, however, she had expanded her student base to forty. By 2002, through Masako’s sheer determination and perseverance, La Lingua Language School was teaching across five levels to more than four hundred students and employing over seventy staff.

Medium to Large Business Award Khalil Eideh (Lebanon/Victoria), with Bluestar Logistics. From humble beginnings as a local family transport company, Bluestar had grown into a modern, efficient transport organisation with all the infrastructure and systems in place to handle thousands of consignments daily.

Providing a highly personalised transport service for customers and building on a solid foundation of loyalty and close relationships, Bluestar was poised for a great future.

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Wayne Khouri and Ziggy Switkowski WayneRees, Rees,Craig CraigMark, Mark,Chhay ChhayUng, Ung,Ian IanMacfarlane, Macfarlane,Anthony Anthony Khouri and Ziggy Switkowski

Sam Sam Harb Harb (Lebanon/NSW), (Lebanon/NSW),with withSam Sam the the Paving Paving Man. Man.At Atthe theage ageofofnine, nine,Sam Sam had had to to leave leave school school toto help help support supporthis his poverty-stricken family.

In 1977, he and his poverty-stricken family. In 1977, he and his two two brothers brothers left lefttheir theirwar-torn war-tornhomeland homeland for for Australia Australia with withjust just$50 $50between betweenthem. them.

Sam Sam quickly quickly found found aa job job asas aa labourer labourer and in 1983 decided to put the skills and in 1983 decided to put the skillshehe had had learnt learnt into into creating creatinghis hisown ownbusiness. business.

With borrowed tools, nightly letterbox With borrowed tools, nightly letterbox drops drops and and his his wife’s wife’sendless endlesssupport, support,Sam Sam the Paving Man became one of the biggest the Paving Man became one of the biggest paving paving contractors contractorsininAustralia.

Australia.

Chhay Chhay Ung Ung (Cambodia/NSW), (Cambodia/NSW), with with Shaye Paper Products.

Chhay Ung Shaye Paper Products. Chhay Ungdid did not take out the prize in this category, not take out the prize in this category, but she did win the Initiative Award, but she did win the Initiative Award, which was presented by the Hon. Ian which was presented by the Hon. Ian Macfarlane, Minister for Industry, TourMacfarlane, Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources. Ian Macfarlane was ism and Resources. Ian Macfarlane was representing the Prime Minister and representing the Prime Minister and was delighted to present the Award was delighted to present the Award in recognition of dynamic and rapid in recognition of dynamic and rapid development in business. development in business.

Chhay Ung’s story was truly inspiring.

Ung’sthe story was truly InChhay 1969 when Vietnam War inspiring. widened In 1969 when the Vietnam War widened to engulf Cambodia, Chhay Ung and her to engulf Cambodia, Chhay Ung and her

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family familymanaged managedtotoescape escapefrom froma aslave slave camp. camp.They Theythen thenfled fledtotoa aThai Thairefugee refugee camp, forfor three years camp,where wherethey theyremained remained three years before migrating to Australia in 1982.

They before migrating to Australia in 1982. They had of of clothes hadarrived arrivedwith withonly onlytwo twobags bags clothes between betweenthe thefour fourofofthem. them.Determined Determined totoestablish country, establisha alife lifeininherheradopted adopted country, Chhay Chhay had had eventually eventuallyfounded foundedShaye Shaye Paper Products which, after years of hard Paper Products which, after years of hard work, manufacturer work,had hadbecome becomea leading a leading manufacturer ofof a a wide range of paper wide range of paperproducts, products, supplying major retailers and wholesalers, supplying major retailers and wholesalers, and andexporting exportingtotocountries countriesininthetheSouth South Pacific region.

This was a genuine Pacific region. This was a genuinetaletale ofofhardship, hardship,determination determinationand andsuccess success against the odds. against the odds.

The fourth finalist in this category, and The fourth finalist in this category, and ultimately the Winner, was Anthony ultimately the Winner, was Anthony Khouri (Lebanon/NSW), with Bufori Khouri (Lebanon/NSW), with Bufori Motor Car Company.

Motor Car Company.

The award was presented by Wayne The award was presented by Wayne Rees, NAB’s General Manager of Business Rees, NAB’s General of Business Financial Services for Manager NSW/ACT, who Financial Services for NSW/ACT, who said that the story of Bufori Motor Cars saidalso, that truly the story of Bufori Motor Cars was, inspiring.

Despite being was,byalso, truly inspiring. being told car experts around theDespite world that toldwere by car experts around theproducing world that they wasting their time in they were wasting their time in producing 123 123

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Shaye Paper Shaye PaperProducts: Products: environmentally sustainable environmentally sustainable Bufori:exclusive exclusive handcrafted Bufori: handcrafted carscars

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handcrafted cars and would never succeed in putting a car on the road, Lebaneseborn Anthony Khouri and his brothers had pursued their dream. The business had started out as a hobby, with the brothers building and handcrafting sports cars for their own use. It had evolved into a leading customised car manufacturing business.

In 2002, Bufori Motor Car Company was already producing three different models of exotic handmade sports cars. It was the only designer and manufacturer of full production handmade cars internationally and, in that year, over three hundred (expensive) Bufori cars were being driven in countries around the world. They had, literally, been driven to succeed.

The Ethnic Business Awards banquet had proved to be another tremendous success, and all the finalists, whether they had won a prize or not, went home with a sense of having been celebrated and appreciated.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, the whole complex process of bumping out continued into the early hours.

It’s hard to appreciate exactly how much work goes into one of these events …

Book the venue. Start with a bare Craig Mark, Chhay Ung, Ian Macfarlane and Anthony Khouri

Ed Thian, Richard Fink, Nick De Marzo, Joseph Assaf and Roland Nicholson

room. Establish diplomatic and dignitary protocols, obtain permits and clearances (parking, music and so on), work out transport and seating arrangements. Develop promotional material and gifts for guests. Arrange menus and beverages with regard to individual’s cultural requirements guest by guest.

To the room, add … Overhead and floor-stand lighting. Speaker systems.

Microphones. Cameras. Cranes and booms. Lighting console. Sound console.

Vision mixing console. Autocues. Outside broadcast links. Hair and makeup and dressing room gear. Outside broadcast trucks. Grip trucks. Support vehicles.

Stage rostrums, screens, decorations, musical instruments. Tables and chairs for the audience, tableware, table decorations, place cards, flowers. Food and drink. And, finally, people. You’re ready to go! Have a great evening. Go home happy.

Meanwhile, everything that goes into that room has to come out. It requires quite a team, as does the whole year between the bump out and the next bump in.

And what a team it has been ...

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“

It takes ten hands to score a basket.

F

John Wooden, legendary basketball coach, named Coach of the 20th Century

FOR YEARS, a huge number of people have worked together, putting their shoulder to the massive wheel that is the Ethnic Business Awards. We’ve already mentioned the many judges who give so much of their time and the various hosts who have graced the gala stage over the last twenty-five years. We should also mention some other people: the Assaf family and, in past years, the staff of NAB, the staff of Etcom and, currently, the staff at Ethnic Business Awards HQ (EBA), and also at MultiConnexions, the advertising agency led by CEO, Sheba Nandkeolyar.

Ethnic Business Awards mementos

Joseph Assaf, the founder of the Awards, and his wife Angela have been the beating heart of the enterprise since its inception.

The Ethnic Business Awards Advisory Board also deserves a huge vote of thanks.

Current members are Anne DeSalis, Tracey Spicer, Paul Newman, Dr Agu Kantsler, Phyllisse Stanton, Kate Keenan, Andrew and Dominique Robinson, Derryn Webster, Peter O’Byrne, John Banas and Tom Gericke, ably helped by Maria Tzovaras and Sheba Nandkeolyar.

Then there’s the film crew who have been capturing the wonderful and often moving vision about finalists. Initially, that was Tony Zajko and his crew, then Missy Stvens and the Entertainment Alliance and, more recently, Tom Gericke and his team at Worldwide Pictures.

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“

The Team Behind the Scenes

They’ve all had to travel far and wide in pursuit of those stories. They have, in turn, employed film technicians to edit, grade and cut together the clips and the broadcast material from the gala evening itself. There’s also a massive crew required on the night of the Awards presentation: cameramen, sound operators, technicians, technical staff and assistants.

Gifted screen writer John Banas has scripted the gala evenings for many years.

John also worked closely with Joseph Assaf to write the text for this book, which was designed and taken through to publication by a team of leading publishers, editors, consultants and printed by Clickpress Australia Pty Ltd with the assistance of EBA’s Maria Tzovaras.

As the earlier comments about the gala event itself indicate, there are countless other behind-the-scenes activities: catering, travel connections, sporsorship and fundraising goverment liaison, printing, hospitality and much more. EBA owes particular thanks to all those who have helped with the day-to-day management that the operation has required in everincreasing amounts.

Without all these people, the Ethnic Business Awards would still be an idea ... an unrealised dream in an empty suitcase.

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2003 The Fifteenth Year

S

Theme from Neighbours. Lyrics: Jackie Trent

Eric Abetz

SARAH HENDERSON, Walkley Award winner and our gracious host in this fifteenth year of the Ethnic Business Awards said: “We live in a world where xenophobia and uninformed fear could so easily dominate our thinking. Yet, on the ground, most people still live, grow and talk to their neighbours, whatever their origins. They share meals, ideas and work together harmoniously and the thought of excluding any group on the basis of race is never an issue. It’s all just part of this big neighbourhood we call Australia.”

The Awards continued to support that notion. The idea of a multiracial, multicultural neighbourhood had been enthusiastically spruiked to children worldwide through the 1970s and 1980s

by Jim Henson’s loveable Sesame Street characters. But in the USA and many other countries, even in the new millennium, the multicultural/multiracial community was still very much an ideal to strive for.

Here in Australia it had become, as Joseph Assaf was to frequently remind us, a fact of life.

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“

“

Neighbours, Everybody needs good neighbours.

With a little understanding You can find the perfect blend.

Neighbours ... should be there for one another.

That’s when good neighbours become good friends.

In Australia, even now, that tendency of ethnic groups to gather in communities where mutual support and shared faith and values make life simpler is also a fact of life. But the free flow of ideas and cultural mores among those communities, and the ever-increasing osmosis of the various communities into one another make Australia a uniquely cosmopolitan, highly-integrated nation.

Freedom to succeed The 2003 Ethnic Business Awards, held at Sydney’s Le Montage and, as always televised to an ever-growing audience, featured finalists hailing from Italy, South Korea, Cyprus, Croatia, Lebanon, Sicily, and Russia (by way of China). A truly cosmopolitan mix!

Senator the Hon. Eric Abetz, Special Minister of State, was one of our VIP guests. Having migrated from Germany as a boy with his family, Senator Abetz later became the first Minister in the Australian Government to have been born in a nonEnglish speaking country.

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He commended the finalists, saying: “They have done a superb job in what must have been supremely difficult circumstances. To be able to achieve in difficult circumstances is something that we must salute.”

“Australia,” he said, “is that little pocket of freedom in the world. We have wonderful freedoms of speech, of religion, and also the freedom to succeed. That is what we are celebrating tonight.”

And there was plenty to celebrate.

Nominations had once more been nationwide and Awards were again to be made in three categories: Small Business; Medium to Large Business; and the Initiative Award. Winners would receive two Raffles business class return tickets from Singapore Airlines, presented by Mak Wah, a Telstra smartphone and a $5000 cash prize from the National Australia Bank.

“

The early bird gets the worm.

But the second mouse gets the cheese.

“

Willie Nelson The Finalists Small Business Award

Walter Antonucci (Italy/Gold Coast), with Fresco Cheese Company. As part of the Italian taste revolution that was to change an Australia used to the British traditions of cuisine, Walter Antonucci of Fresco Cheese Company blended Australian raw materials with his Italian knowledge of what a good cheese should taste like. But it was Walter’s experience as a microbiologist that lifted the cheese

above the ranks of the ordinary. Corfinioborn but an Aussie through and through, he claimed his best business qualification was good old common sense!

James Lee (South Korea/NSW), with Pre-Uni New College. South Koreanborn James Lee, a computer scientist, had arrived in Australia in 1979. Observing the lengths that Asian parents went to for their children’s education, he was determined to find an easier way. A combination of computer savvy, modern business principles and high support levels for students saw his creation, Pre-Uni New College blossom beyond expectation.

Yet this was no hothouse: it was, rather, education in tune with modern needs.

Peter Artemiou (Cyprus/NSW), with Riverina Marine Centre. Situated in Wagga Wagga, inland NSW, the Riverina Marine Centre’s slogan was “just add water.” Peter Artemiou, a Cypriot motor mechanic, was used to taking the rough roads. When he came to Australia in 1976, bureaucracy had him pulling cappuccinos in his sister’s Wagga cafe. Re-educating himself to handle a new language and obtain fresh qualifications, Peter then got a toehold in this competitive industry.

Wasim Farhart (Lebanon/NSW), with Clean Plus Detergents. Sometimes the best way to repay a favour is to do one for someone else. This was the policy of Lebanese-born food and agriculture engineer, Wasim Farhart, who had moved to Australia and created his company, providing employment opportunities for many other migrants of numerous origins.

Clean Plus Detergents made cleaning chemicals for the hospitality, commercial and industrial sectors. Thanks to a very vibrant export business, they were cleaning up in Russia, New Zealand, Fiji and the Philippines.

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determined nature had seen him through an apprenticeship which stood him in good stead when he arrived in Australia.

He worked his way up from being a diesel mechanic to creating Mining Equipment Spares in the year 1998. M.E.S. had blossomed as a massive family company, relatively well in scale with the mining industry it serviced.

Peter Artemiou

Medium to Large Business Award Ivan Erceg (Croatia/Western Australia), with Mining Equipment Spares. Ivan, the only boy in a family of eight, had lost his mother when he was ten. But with the support of his sister, his feisty and Wasim Farhart

Michael Ovchinnikov (Russia-China/ NSW), with Kelso Builders Supplies.

Raised in China but of Russian parents, Michael Ovchinnikov had migrated to Australia in 1971 and worked as a builder in rural NSW. Gradually his skills in sourcing products had taken over and he had focused on supplying builders, expanding the operation to an impressive level. Kelso Builders Supplies was comfortably competing with the giants in the hardware business.

Sebastiano Pitruzzello (Sicily/Victoria), with Pantalica Cheese Company. A second time finalist, Sebastiano (Sam to his mates) had migrated in 1963 along with so many other Sicilian boys with dreams of success. Forty years passed before he took a holiday to return to the land of his birth. The traditions he had brought here laid the foundations for a massive business. Pantalica Cheese Company was making tonnes of Italian style handmade cheeses, from bocconcini to pecorino, supplying supermarket chains and exporting worldwide.

Carlo Travaglini (Italy/Victoria), with Alepat Taylor. In 1978, Tuscan-born Carlo Travaglini and his business partner had bought and merged two existing wine companies: Alexander & Patterson, and Taylor Ferguson & Co. These wine merchants were already well established in the Melbourne wine scene, but survival had demanded radical change. Keeping 131

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remnants of the old names, the new owners had set out to expand the range, bottling accessibly priced local and Italian wines.

The latter business had grown rapidly.

With a third partner, they had then bought shelves with exotic and pretty liqueurs.

Initiative Award, for outstanding determination, growth and potential, was presented by Senator Eric Abetz to Cypriot Peter Artemiou, of Riverina Marine Centre.

Small Business Award was presented by Telstra’s Bill Scales, who pointed out that: “Collectively the small business sector contributes around one third of the nation’s GDP. And of the 1.6 million small business operators in Australia, 29 per cent were born overseas, an absolutely remarkable achievement.”

Michael Ovchinnikov

Wasim Farhart, with Clean Plus Detergents. In accepting his prize, Wasim Farhart described Australia as “a country

All the way with EBA

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Mak Wah, Singapore Mak Wah,Airlines Singapore Airlines

“ “

of wealth.ofNot wealth. onlyNot wealth onlyofwealth nature,ofbut nature, but of humanofdignity. human Adignity. country A of country political of political and economic and economic stability. stability.

And, forAnd, us, afor us, a that country ofcountry opportunity.” of opportunity.”

In Australia, In Australia, even now, eventhat now, tendencytendency of ethnicof groups ethnic groups The Medium The Medium to Large to Business Large Business Award Award to gather to in gather communities in communities went to went Michael to Michael Ovchinnikov, Ovchinnikov, from from Russia, his with business his business Kelso Builders Kelso Builders where mutual where mutual supportsupport and and Russia, with Supplies.

Noting Noting that he that was heverywas very shared faith sharedand faith values andmake values makeSupplies. proud ofproud his Russian of his Russian heritage, heritage, Michael Michael life simpler life simpler is also aisfact also a fact Ovchinnikov Ovchinnikov said: “I said: am grateful “I am grateful that that had beenhad so good been to so me good andtomy me and my of life. But of life. theBut free the flowfree flow Australia Australia my business” and my business” and that Australia and that Australia of ideasofand ideas cultural and cultural mores mores family andfamily “is a great“is nation a great that nation accepts thatmigrants accepts migrants and and among among those communities, those communities, tries to treat tries everyone to treat everyone equally no equally matterno matter and theand ever-increasing the ever-increasing what is their whatcountry is their of country birth.”of birth.” osmosis osmosis of the various of the various These words These paralleled words paralleled those of Awards those of Awards host Henderson Sarah Henderson that “onthat the “on the communities communities into oneinto one host Sarah ground, people moststill people … talk stillto…their talk to their anotheranother make Australia make Australia ground, most neighbours, neighbours, whatever whatever their origins”. their origins”. a uniquely a uniquely cosmopolitan, cosmopolitan, 2003 had2003 beenhad another beenhighly another successful highly successful highly-integrated highly-integrated nation.nation. year and year another and jewel another in jewel the crown in theforcrown for

“ “

these increasingly these increasingly prestigious prestigious business business awards. And awards. ... speaking And ... speaking of jewels of ... jewels ...

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Life is Precious ... Cerrone Jewellers

One of Australia’s most successful and awarded jewellers, Nicola was born in Lanciano, a small village on the east coast of Italy, his family emigrating to Australia when he was twelve years old.

After becoming an apprentice to a master jeweller in Sydney’s central shopping district, Cerrone became a master jeweller himself, starting in a small terrace house in Leichhardt over forty years ago.

A purveyor of true beauty and style, Nicola Cerrone’s distinctive and individual designs have won worldwide acclaim, including the De Beers International Award in Paris. He describes his workshop as “an orchestra, where all instruments come together to create a melody”. That analogy has often been used at the Ethnic Business Awards to describe Australia’s multicultural heritage.

“

... an orchestra, where all instruments come together to create a melody ...

“

L

LIFE IS PRECIOUS are the catchwords of Cerrone Jewellers, Nicola Cerrone’s exquisite company, a finalist in both 1993 and 2000.

in order to guarantee the highest standards.

Most materials are sourced from Australia, including gold, South Sea pearls and sapphires. Diamonds are sourced from the Argyle mine in Western Australia, the world’s largest diamond supplier.

Cerrone’s is a story of international success and of local employment and industry. Its unique and beautiful creations can be seen all over the world.

Nicola Cerrone

Argyle diamonds

In 2013, with three Sydney stores, Cerrone’s has a world reputation for design excellence. As well as creating exquisite, personalised pieces, the company provides cleaning, repair and restoration services, redesign services for dated heirlooms and older jewellery, and valuation and engraving services.

Cerrone’s dedicated artisans include diamond setters, jewellers, model makers, polishers and designers, each specialising

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2004 The Ghan railway finally links Adelaide and Darwin.

Jennifer Hawkins is crowned Miss Universe.

Australia’s cricketers win their first subcontinental test series against India since 1969.

And ...

G

GERALDINE DOOGUE hosts the sixteenth Ethnic Business Awards, again staged at Sydney’s Le Montage.

In a glittering evening of entertainment, kicked off by a full Bob Fosse-style jazz dance line-up, the Awards again showcased the amazing stories of Australian migrant achievers. In addressing another illustrious gathering, Joseph Assaf said: “My intention when I founded these awards sixteen years ago, was not to give a pat on the back to ethnic business people. They are much more resilient than that. They push on, and they drive on, regardless of who pats them on the back.”

Joe Hockey

He continued: “I did not instigate these awards so that we could recognise the achievements of hard-working migrants.

They would work hard, regardless of who recognises their efforts. They have a dream and they pursue their passion. They don’t need recognition to keep going. Please,” he said, “give us more of your creativity and passion.”

The 2004 Awards featured plenty of creativity and passion. The finalists came from South Korea, India, Israel, Italy, Romania, Portugal and Hong Kong.

EBA BOOK - 2.indd 139

The Finalists Small Business Award Seashells. Labels. Learning. Bread. What a mix!

Henry Kim (South Korea/NSW), with Ko Aust International. A new and impressive shell collection weighing tonnes every year! Shell art and the international export of decorative shells like abalone and mother-of-pearl. A knockout player, worldwide.

Francis Mathias (India/Victoria), with Fantastick Label Company. A family business where everyone sticks together!

Manufacturing myriad adhesive labels for food, cosmetic and industrial clients.

Inventiveness and stickability.

James Lee (South Korea/NSW), with Pre-Uni New College. Helping Asian parents in Australia with their children’s education. Now expanding into the Asian educational marketplace.

Zvi Shachar (Israel/Victoria), with Aroma Bakery and Catering. Israel’s loss was Australia’s gastronomic gain. Wholesale bakery lines, hot food retail, catering and cafes. A little United Nations.

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Medium to Large Business Award

The Winners

The finalists in this category were described by Geraldine Doogue as having given “the Big Boys in the playground of industry a pretty decent hiding!”

The Initiative Award was presented by newly appointed Small Business Minister, the Hon. Joe Hockey. He said: “35 per cent of all Australia’s small business people were born overseas. Of the 1.2 million small businesses in Australia, seven hundred and fifty thousand operate from home and it’s this culture of enterprise and innovation that is making a very real difference to Australia’s industry.

Antonio Romeo (Italy/South Australia), with Romeo’s Foodland. Chain of supermarkets that “makes customers feel like family” and thriving on that sentiment.

Filippo Navarra (Italy/NSW), with Le Montage. The flagship of several hospitality and event centres. Superb venues for weddings and other important special occasions.

Valentine Loumbos (Romania/NSW), with Loumbos. A secure paper recycling facility, with its own pick-up service and shredding/baling plant.

Antonio Cerqueira (Portugal/NSW), with Oporto Franchising. A high quality, traditional Portugese chicken outlet, with over sixty franchises across Australasia.

Henry Ngai (Hong Kong/NSW), with ABC Tissue Products. Tissue products right across the range. A rapidly growing company with its own paper mill and manufacturing plant.

Filippo Navarra

“Australia,” he said, “is on the threshold of a most amazing period because, for all of our history, we have been constrained by our distance from markets.”

He continued: “Now, with the internet and also mobile communications, the world is your oyster. Australian business has never had a better opportunity.”

Joe Hockey presented the Award to Filippo Navarra and his Le Montage.

Italian born Filippo Navarra had arrived in Australia in 1962 to pursue his dreams in the hospitality field. In 1973, he had opened the wedding function centre, Conca D’Oro Lounge. In 1997, Le Montage had been established as one James Lee

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of Sydney’s premier waterfront venues and, in 2004, Curzon Hall had been recently acquired. All venues catered for conferences, banquets, weddings and all types of celebrations, including these Ethnic Business Awards!

The Small Business Award was presented by David Thodey from Telstra, who remarked upon the “tremendous and inspirational stories that are told, and it is just great to see such hard work and commitment ...”

The Medium to Large Business Award was presented by the National Australia Bank’s Chris Ferris and Gulf Air’s James Hogan, who provided first class tickets as part of the prize. Winners in both categories also received the beautiful EBA crystal trophy and a $5,000 cash prize from NAB. Chris Ferris proclaimed the Awards “an inspiration” and congratulated all the finalists before announcing the winner as Henry Ngai and ABC Tissue Products.

On migrating from Hong Kong in 1985, Henry Ngai had set up his own tissue manufacturing business, with a tiny factory and a minute task force: himself, his wife and two children! By 2004, ABC Tissue owned premises in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne and employed

Henry Ngai

over four hundred and twenty people. The company’s signature brand Quilton was one of the AC Nielsen Top 100 Brands in 2003. Interestingly, Henry Ngai went on to become a significant sponsor of the Awards and a major philanthropist in many levels of Australian society, giving back to the country that had nurtured his once fledgling enterprise.

In closing, Geraldine Doogue thanked the judges, and the sponsors of the Awards, saying: “… without the creative and fresh input, and enthusiasm of Australia’s migrants no matter why they came or where they came from our companies and our culture would be much duller indeed …” This observation was greeted with enthusiastic applause as another successful ceremony drew to a close with a whole world of new opportunities.

“

If we can learn to communicate with migrants in our own country, does not this pave the way for us in other countries?

“

The Award went to James Lee and his Pre-Uni New College. A finalist for the second year in a row, James Lee was delighted to have won this time! He said: “I believe any organisation is only as good as the people who work there. Therefore I would like to thank my hard-working and committed staff, who have made my business as successful as it is today. I hope that my example can be repeated by other young people from ethnic backgrounds, because it is through the hard work and vision of migrants that Australia will become a great nation.”

Joseph Assaf In Someone Else’s Shoes

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The Bedouin Tent

H

Antoine de Saint-Exupery Wind, Sand and Stars

HOSPITALITY, the great Bedouin tradition, is often embraced as a part of the way of doing migrant business, and so it has been with the continued celebration of that enterprise. The Ethnic Business Awards has been something of a travelling road show over the years. It has pitched its tent in many places, far and wide, in order to stage its celebrations.

Geraldine Doogue

Any successful event, from the most intimate dinner party to the biggest gala, is dependent upon many things, but chief among them are good company and a great host. At our celebration dinners, the multicultural company is always, by definition, certain to be diverse and interesting. And it has often been illustrious.

That also applies to the wonderful people who have, over the years, taken on the task of running the events. As C S Lewis said in The Four Loves: “Let us not reckon without our Host.”

“

“

You, Bedouin … You came towards me in an aureole of charity and magnanimity bearing the gift of water … And I felt I had no enemy left in all the world.

fortunate in their choice of hosts and in the quality they have brought to each and every presentation event.

Over the years many supremely talented hosts have graced the Ethnic Business Award’s stage, engaging both the captive audience on the night and an ever-widening television audience beyond, with charm, wit and gracious, seemingly effortless commentary. They are, themselves, icons of Australian broadcasting, journalism and business.

George Donikian

An Awards Presentation Host can make or break an evening. Just ask Hollywood.

We’ve all been to events where the MC tries too hard, or not hard enough; where that guiding light is so dim that things get lost and chaos ensues. The Ethnic Business Awards, however, have been incredibly

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From 1991 to 1994, much-loved SBS presenter, Mary Kostakidis, flawlessly hosted proceedings, returning again in both 1996 and 1997.

Mary was followed in 1998 by the outstanding Melbourne journalist and broadcaster, Beverley O’Connor, who also took us into the new millennium by hosting the 2000 event.

Sarah Henderson, Walkley Awardwinning journalist, took a firm hold of the reins in 2003 …

Mary Kostakidis

With the exception of the widelyacclaimed television newsreader, George Donikian, in 1988 and 1989 … … our hosts have always been hostesses.

Broadcasting legend Geraldine Doogue, took over from George Donikian in 1990, and then again graced our stage with skill and talent in 1995, 1999, 2002 and 2004.

... before The Today Show’s compere Lisa Wilkinson became our sixth host and brought her considerable charm and energy to the stage for three years, from 2005 to 2007.

Most recently, from 2008 to this twentyfifth birthday in 2013, the indefatigable and delightful Tracey Spicer has hosted the Ethnic Business Awards, fulfilling her role with enormous commitment, verve and energy.

As with all of us, this is, for Tracey, a labour of love.

nal Australia Bank Beverley O’Connor

Wales). ed to emptys, Kari largest panies where and . This tion of Sydney mebush ossayn

Lisa Wilkinson

Beverley O’Connor, presenter 142

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Editorial in MultiCultural Marketing News

The Gala Presentation Banquet was hosted by Geraldine Doogue and staged Henderson beside theSarah water at Le Montage, in Sydney.

It was proudly by the National Apartsponsored from being excellent in their roles,Western all these women Australia coordinating Bank, Telstra, Union,have unique sparkle Singaporebrought Airlines,their Kariown & Ghossayn and and glamour to the Le Montage, and, of presentation course, by evenings.

Joseph But make no mistake, this is a marathon, one Assaf, whothat hadhas somehow managed to keep most often been run in heels and his dream aalive. formal gown!

Le Montage, Sydney

The eventAnd thisas year wasevents tinged with with all of Olympian deserves medal! to sadness, asproportions, Australia itwas still acoming terms with No themedals terrible events in Bali, but in the have been awarded, of thishorrific celebratory history does October. publication In that one terrorist provide a perfect opportunity celebrate act, two hundred and two peopletofrom and honour thesenations outstanding people who twenty-three different tragically have, collectively, made sure that the Ethnic lost their lives.

Somehow, really seemed Business Awards it presentation evenings to make ahave celebration of ethnic diversity always been nights to remember. and achievement even much more relevant and important.

“

or constraints defined by race, religion, or culture. The Ethnic Business Awards were determined to fly the flag of multiculturalism and all the mutual acceptances this implies; and this fourteenth anniversary would steadfastly take that message to the world.

As was later pronounced in MultiCultural Marketing News: “The AwardsTracey brought Spicer to lightThey wonderful tales dealt of rags to the riches have deftly with oddand thehiccup strength of human spirit in overcoming (like a power failure, or the delayed arrival of an important dignitary,and adversity.”

It seemed an appropriate for example) and have always managed, moving message. somehow, to avoid the kinds of mishaps Geraldine Doogue Geraldine Doogue and embarrassments that have from time to time plagued Hollywood. No wardrobe malfunctions here! They have also made the celebrations lots of fun.

The Awards evenings, thanks to our accomplished hosts, have always had a sense of both intimacy and scale: highly personal events with enormous resonance.

F Scott Fitzgerald would have loved them; or, at least, his most enduring character Jay Gatsby would have …

like large parties. They’re so intimate.

When evil seems not to Idiscriminate, it is even more vital to show At that smallopenparties there isn’t any privacy. heartedness and generosity of spirit exist in even greater measure, and thatF Scott theyFitzgerald The Great Gatsby are seen to be applied without any limits

“

R

RIGHT BACK on their feet after the missing year, the Ethnic Business Awards were themselves a living tribute to perseverance and the absolute determination to never give up, whatever the obstacles.

“

“

The Awards brought to light wonderful tales of rags to riches and the strength of the human spirit in overcoming adversity.

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2005 The Seventeenth Year

“

Whether seventy or sixteen, there is in every being’s heart the love of wonder, the sweet amazement at the stars and star-like things and thoughts, the undaunted challenge of events, the unfailing child-like appetite for what next, and the joy and game of life.

Table booklet, Ethnic Business Awards 2005

The Hon. John Cobb, Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, officially opened proceedings by reading a statement from Australia’s Prime Minister, John Howard, in which Mr Howard said: “Our lives are enriched by the mosaic of cultures that collectively form our modern

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E

ETHNIC BUSINESS AWARDS number seventeen marked the first of four consecutive years in which acclaimed television presenter Lisa Wilkinson would host the Awards ceremony, which would be broadcast to over forty different countries.

Over its first sixteen years, the Awards had seen thousands of nominations, more than a hundred finalists and dozens and dozens of winners, from more than fifty countries, all of them living and working here in Australia. On this particular night, Australia was described by Joseph Assaf as “The World Bank of Languages”, languages spoken by migrants looking to make the most of their opportunities.

There was praise for the ongoing political regimes and for a system of government that had embraced those people on the migrant journey.

Samuel Ullman

society. Our cultural and ethnic diversity is a deliberate choice and one which delivers enormous advantages in this fastchanging world. The Awards are symbolic of the hard work and dedication of the millions of migrants who have chosen to call Australia home.” He continued: “Our cultural and linguistic diversity not only contributes to the vibrant social fabric of our communities. It also delivers significant and tangible benefits to Australian workplaces.”

In a startling example of just how tangible those benefits really are, an interesting statistic was presented to yet another rapt audience, who were told that the four finalists in the Medium to Large Business category had started out in Australia with a collective capital of only two thousand two hundred and fifty one dollars. In 2005, the same four were collectively trading upwards of three hundred and fifty million dollars per annum, with future projections on growth reaching one billion dollars per annum in the following decade.

An accomplishment on an epic scale! With such levels of success, a winner was already 145

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clear clear andand that that winner winner waswas Australia Australia itself itself ! !

Nonetheless, Nonetheless, thethe winners winners onon thethe night night stillstill remained remained to to be be chosen. chosen.

Mehmet Mehmet Karamemis, Karamemis, FredFred Ferreira, Ferreira, Barry Barry O’Dwyer, O’Dwyer, Alistair Alistair Irvine Irvine andand PaulPaul Green Green

The The Finalists Finalists Small Small Business Business Award Award In In presenting presenting thethe 2005 2005 Small Small Business Business Award, Award, Telstra Telstra Group Group Managing Managing Director Director (Telstra (Telstra Consumer Consumer andand Marketing), Marketing), David David Moffatt, Moffatt, said: said: “I’m “I’m delighted delighted to to be be at at a forum a forum where where thethe entrepreneurial entrepreneurial spirit spirit is is so so strong. strong.

I I have have four four favourite favourite words,” words,” he he continued. continued.

“Dream.

“Dream.Build.

Build.Inspire.

Inspire.Lead.

Lead.Dream Dream great greatdreams. dreams.Build Buildthings thingsthat thatmatter. matter.

Inspire Inspire others others to to exceed exceed their their expectations expectations of ofthemselves. themselves.And AndLead.

Lead.AllAllof ofthethe others others areare nothing nothing without without thethe lastlast one: one: leadership. leadership.

And And every every person person recognised recognised here here tonight tonight deserves deserves to to be be recognised recognised forfor their theirleadership, leadership,their theirinspiration, inspiration,what what they they have have built built andand forfor having having a dream a dream in in thethe firstfirst place.” place.”

Finalists Finalistsin inthetheSmall SmallBusiness BusinessAward Award were: were: From From China: China: Michael Michael Wu, Wu, with with Miracle Miracle Bookbinding.

Bookbinding.

“We “We thought thought only only a miracle a miracle could could save save us us …”…”

Bookbinding Bookbinding services. services.

From From Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe: Roger Roger Green, Green, Alistair Alistair Irvine Irvine andand Barry Barry O’Dwyer, O’Dwyer, with with Green Green Sprouts.

Sprouts.

“Everything “Everything works works in in Australia!”

Australia!”

A family A family business business growing growing andand distributing distributing

healthy healthysprouts sproutsof ofalfalfa, alfalfa,bean beanshoots, shoots, snow snow peas peas andand mung mung beans. beans.

From From Lebanon: Lebanon: Samir Samir andand Rima Rima MaarMaarbani, bani,with withAustralian AustralianChemical ChemicalRe-Research. search.

“We “We hadhad nono English English whatsoever. whatsoever.

WeWestarted startedfrom fromscratch scratch…”…”Chemical Chemical research, research, tailored tailored chemical chemical inventions inventions forfor thethe automotive automotive industry, industry, defence, defence, medical, medical, andand commercial commercial use.use.

From From China: China: Josephine Josephine Lam, Lam, with with TKTK Pacific Pacific Marketing.

Marketing.

“I “I amam proud proud to to create create Australian Australian products. products.

Australia Australia is our is our home home now.” now.”TheThecreation, creation,promotion, promotion,import import andand export export of of men’s men’s gifts. gifts.

Large Large Business Business Award Award Finalists Finalists were: were: From FromLebanon: Lebanon:Mark MarkMerhi, Merhi,with with Southern Southern Cross Cross Rigging Rigging && ConstructConstructions. ions.“I “IliveliveandanddiedieforforAustralia” Australia” Drafting, Drafting, manufacture, manufacture, sandblasting, sandblasting, andand sitesite installation installation of of construction construction framing. framing.

From FromPortugal: Portugal:Fred FredFerreira, Ferreira,with with thetheWideform WideformGroup Groupof ofCompanies.

Companies.

“Being “Being oneone of of thethe Top Top 500 500 companies companies in in Australia Australia is aisgreat a great feeling feeling forfor us.”us.”

Started Started in in 1974.

1974.

ByBy 2005, 2005, thethe largest largest provider provider of of construction construction formwork formwork in in Australia.

Australia.

TheThe company company alsoalso undertook undertook building building design design andand construction. construction.

From From Greece: Greece: Nicolas Nicolas Athanasopoulos, Athanasopoulos, Grigoris GrigorisStamboulidis, Stamboulidis,Ben BenPanotis, Panotis, with with Stambo’s.

Stambo’s.

“It’s“It’s thethe best best country country in in thetheworld. world.

YouYoucouldn’t couldn’tdodowhat whatwe’ve we’ve done donein inother othercountries.” countries.”TheThelargest largest distributor distributor of of school school canteen canteen supplies supplies in in Australia: Australia: a best a best practices practices company company with with a a huge huge multicultural multicultural workforce. workforce.

From FromTurkey: Turkey:Mehmet MehmetKaramemis, Karamemis, with withNu-Door.

Nu-Door.“We “Wecame cameto toAustralia Australia forfor a reason: a reason: that that waswas to to work work hard hard andand make make a living a living forfor ourselves.” ourselves.”

Cabinetry, Cabinetry, shopfitting, shopfitting, local local retail retail andand export. export.

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The Winners The Initiative Award was presented by Cramer Ball, of Gulf Air, once again a sponsor. This Award recognises outstanding determination, growth and potential, and was presented to Turkish-born Mehmet Karamemis, Managing Director of NuDoor. Mehmet Karamemis started the company in 1996 with poor English skills, a limited understanding of borrowing and a family to support. Today, the company is the premier manufacturer of vinyl wrap doors and post forming of laminates for bench tops.

The Small Business Award went to Green Sprouts and was accepted on behalf of the company by Roger Green, who said: “It is a proud moment to be recognised in your adopted country. To be nominated was an honour enough, but to win is absolutely awesome.” He went on to say that he couldn’t find any words of wisdom from Zimbabwe’s president so would quote instead from Nelson Mandela’s inaugural speech: “ ‘If we allow ourselves to shine, we inadvertently give permission to those around us to do the same.’ ” The winner of the Large Business Award was announced by the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Australia Bank, Ahmed Fahour, and the prize went to the Wideform Group of Companies, which in thirty-one years had grown to become Australia’s largest provider of construction formwork for the building and construction industry.

Accepting the Award, Fred Ferreira told the audience that he had arrived here from Portugal in 1970 and started his company in 1974 with three employees and that five of the first six employees were still there.

Fred Ferreira graciously said: “Our growth and success and the achievement of this Award have only been possible due to the

professionalism, dedication and loyalty of our hardworking employees.” He added, “It is an honour to be recognised for our contribution to the Australian community and economy.”

Ahmed Fahour, CEO, National Australia Bank

In closing on the night, Lisa Wilkinson summed up the spirit of the evening, saying: “This evening represents not only past achievements but future possibilities and hopes: the hope that future generations of Australians and migrants alike will know and understand that within this great country, anything is possible and that the journey, however long and arduous, is always worth the struggle.”

John Cobb

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2006

“

So here we make our home We plant the seeds of hope and work so they can grow So here with a strong resolve We build a better tomorrow …

SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE, itself which was designed by someone from another land, speaking another tongue, was a fitting venue for the 2006 Awards. Interestingly, the Opera House car park was built by Wideform Group of Companies, last year’s winner in the Medium to Large Business category. Migrant business in action!

The spectacular gala event was again hosted by Lisa Wilkinson and this year featured four award categories with the addition of the Women in Business Award, which recognised the contribution of migrant women in business.

Michael Jeffery

His Excellency the Governor General, Major General Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC, graced the Awards ceremony with his presence and observed that: “… bilingual Australians will play an increasingly important role, not just in business but in developing and enhancing political and cultural linkages between nations.”

Ethnic Business Awards founder, Joseph Assaf, stated that: “In this country, diversity is a fact of life, and because of that, multiculturalism has become a way of life. These awards give recognition not

EBA BOOK - 2.indd 151

“

S

From the opening song 2006 Ethnic Business Awards

only to the participants but to a wider ideal; to the notion that our differences are one of our greatest strengths and that we must honour and embrace them in every aspect of our lives.”

The entire evening would illustrate vividly both of those observations, as the finalists once again proved how valuable a contribution New Australians make to their adopted country.

This year’s judges were the indefatigable Carla Zampatti, Eve Crestani, King Fong and Arthur Sanderson, and they were faced with some very difficult choices.

Small Business Category In presenting the Small Business Award, Deena Shiff, Telstra Group Managing Director, saluted the migrant business community, saying: “Their collective contribution has fuelled the economy and shaped our nation to make it the uniquely rich and diverse country it is today.”

Finalists in this category were: Luxin Newman (China), with Thimblelady. “Knowledge is the Golden House …”

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From the Chinese Army to the creation of a specialised thimble for quilting, Luxin Newman had seen both her invention and her books snapped up by the huge American market. “Australia respects intellectual property, which is the basis of my success.”

Ian and Marion MacLaughlin (South Africa), with Skybury Coffee. “How hard can farming be anyway …!” The MacLaughlins had never farmed before but were forerunners in Australian coffee farming and roasting. They exported to Europe, Japan and the UK, where Skybury was the coffee choice of the Houses of Parliament. “ … we wanted something unique, something rich, something bold, something Australian.”

Women in Business Award “Australia strives to be a country where women are celebrated and recognised for their most significant contributions.” So said Lisa Wilkinson in introducing the Women in Business Award. The three female finalists in the Small Business category were all eligible to win this new award, which was, appropriately, presented by the former Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Pru Goward. She congratulated all the finalists on their success and the contributions they were making both to Australia and to the communities they came from.

Kristina Karlsson (Sweden), with kikki.K. “I learnt the hard way, by just doing it. Which I think is the best way.”

This Swedish backpacker had started her stylish stationery and office supplies chain from scratch and was selling her creations through a chain of kikki.K shops both in Australia and internationally. “The sky is the limit!”

Neda Morris (Macedonia), with The Education Group. “… always wanted to be in business. It was my dream.” Neda established four educational colleges with a focus on teaching English as a second language: one of the needs within migrant communities. “It’s great for Australia to keep adding more and more cultures. It makes it an interesting country to live in!”

Winner of the Small Business Category was Swedish-born Kristina Karlsson with kikki.K. In accepting her prize, Kristina said: “I love this country and the opportunities I have had here. I don’t know if we all realise what a lucky country we are.”

Pru Goward

Winner of this Award was The Education Group’s Neda Morris. A fitting choice, given her heartfelt observations about the frequent impositions placed on women within many ethnic cultures where, often, the expectation is that men will run businesses and women will run the home. She pronounced the award “a personal one for me” and a recognition of “the struggle to be a woman in business in ethnic communities”.

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The worthy Winner was Skybury Coffee the Queensland-based coffee producer owned and run by Ian and Marion MacLaughlin, originally from South Africa.

The Large Business Category was an all-Italian affair and featured four great and colourful finalists.

His Excellency Dr Saeed Al-Shamsi with Governor-General Michael Jeffery

The Initiative Award was presented by the Hon. Fran Bailey MP, Minister for Small Business and Tourism. She praised all the nominees and finalists for “ … always having a belief in their own ability, a belief to succeed and that passion driving them forward”.

All of the 2006 finalists were, of course, eligible for this award but …

Peter FitzSimons and Lisa Wilkinson

Domenico Pizzinato (Italy), with General Beton. “I landed in Sydney with only five pounds.” From one wheelbarrow and a concrete mixer to a major building contracting company constructing skyscrapers, Domenico Pizzinato had reached for the sky … and touched it. “Australia is now my home country. I really enjoy being here …”

Sebastiano Pitruzzello (Italy), with Pantalica Cheese Company. “If you don’t start, you don’t get anywhere … ” Following in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps, Sebastiano Pitruzzello’s Pantalica Cheese Company was named after the place of his birth and produced Italian style cheeses for the domestic market. “Australia, for me, is the best country, for people who want to work. If you want to work, you have got a lot of opportunity.”

Franco Forte (Italy), with Assetlink. “It’s a love story. It has been and it continues to be.” With no English and no trade, Franco Forte turned to cleaning and eventually security and other building services.

In 2006, his company was employing over 1200 people, 85 per cent of them immigrants. “I emigrated here and it was as if I was born again.”

Vince Lubrano (Italy), with Sandhurst Fine Foods. “I couldn’t speak English when I arrived in Australia. I can do it a bit better now.” Starting out with only a mobile continental grocery store and then moving into manufacturing, Vince 151

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DeenaShiff, Shiff,Ian IanMacLaughlin, MacLaughlin,Marion MarionMacLaughin, MacLaughin,Kristina KristinaKarlsson, Karlsson,Sebastiano SebastianoPitruzzello, Pitruzzello,Fran FranBailey, Bailey, Deena Silvio Pitruzzello, Neda Morris and George Frazis Silvio Pitruzzello, Neda Morris and George Frazis

Lubrano’s Sandhurst Sandhurst Fine Fine Foods Foods had had Lubrano’s become aa national national leader leader in in continental continental become foods. “We “We have have aa beautiful beautiful country country here, here, foods. we can can grow grow anything. anything. So So why why should should we we we import from from Europe?”

Europe?” import The Award Award for for the the Medium Medium to to Large Large The Business Category Category was was this this year year presented presented Business byGeorge GeorgeFrazis, Frazis,National NationalAustralia AustraliaBank’s Bank’s by Executive General General Manager Manager (Business (Business Executive and Private Private Banking, Banking, Australia), Australia), who who and was delighted delighted to to announce announce the the winner winner was as Sebastiano Sebastiano Pitruzzello’s Pitruzzello’s Pantalica Pantalica as Cheese Company.

Company. George George Pitruzzello Pitruzzello Cheese was equally equally delighted delighted to to have have won won this this was prestigious award award and and promptly promptly and and very very prestigious generously donated donated the the NAB’s NAB’s $5,000 $5,000 generously cash prize prize to to the the Children’s Children’s Spastic Spastic Centre Centre cash in Melbourne.

Melbourne. in

The 2006 2006 gala gala evening, evening, yet yet another another The resounding success, success, was was closed closed with with aa resounding stirring song song by by the the cast cast of of Titanic.

Titanic. In In aa stirring moving introduction introduction to to the the performance, performance, moving Joseph Assaf Assaf said said that, that, on on this this night, night, we we Joseph would hear hear “the “the story story of of immigrants, immigrants, would like the the ones ones who who came came to to Australia.”

Australia.” He He like said: “You “You have have heard heard the the stories stories of of many many said: of them. them. AA dream: dream: they they get get on on aa boat boat of with no no money, money, no no language, language, no no family, family, with but they they have have aa vision vision and and they’re they’re full full of of but determination. And And this this performance performance will will determination. remind us us about about that that vision, vision, that that dream, dream, remind and the the journey journey of of many many immigrants.” immigrants.” and And, indeed, indeed, itit did. did. The The Titanic, Titanic, of of And, course, was was headed headed for for America America but, but, course, replace just just one one word, word, the the name name of of the the replace destination, and and the the stories stories are are the the same. same. destination,

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“

I aspire to heights of glory In the new world that can be!

In that grandest nation I’ll stand tall Reach my highest hopes Of all ...

Where my dreamin’ And my hopin’ and my schemin’ And my payin’ and my wishin’ to be happy Will come true enough And ...

Better place for me and you ...

Better land to start anew ...

Excerpts from the closing song 2006 Awards

“

I want to rise above myself ...

In America!

Lyrics by Maury Yeston The cast of Titanic

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Michael Jeffery

“

... Bilingual Australians will play an increasingly important role, not just in business, but in developing and enhancing political and cultural linkages between nations. Meaningful and properly understood communication across national and cultural boundaries is growing in importance.

Bilingual Australians EBA BOOK - 2.indd 157

“

Michael Jeffery Governor-General

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Let Me Entertain You

“

With the lights out, This is dangerous.

Here we are now, Entertain us.

I feel stupid and contagious.

Here we are …

Now entertain us.

BEDOUINS may be celebrated as wonderful hosts, but hospitality is, in fact, a central pillar of almost every culture in the world. To share one’s table, to break bread, to eat and drink: these things sit at the core of human interaction. Food and drink are part of one’s cultural identity, and to share them is also to open a door to shared experience and understanding.

Circus Oz juggler

Food and drink have certainly been abundant at the annual Ethnic Business Awards presentations. Not surprisingly, the menus have highlighted the amazing diversity of gastronomic experiences now available in this country, thanks to the increasingly ubiquitous influence of migrant tastes and techniques.

Besides food and drink, entertainment has also been a key element of the Awards evenings. Dance, music, even juggling and exciting circus acts have featured from year to year, with the performers themselves chosen as shining examples of multicultural excellence.

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“

B

Kurt Cobain

The entertainment has been an ongoing tribute to diversity and a celebration not only of individual accomplishment but of the indelible and continuing contribution the performing arts make to Australia’s vivid cultural landscape.

We have been entertained by the world.

We have enjoyed an Italian crooner, a Croatian pop star, the complex melodies of exotic instruments such as ud and req, divas, a multinational troupe of acrobats, an Aboriginal dance group, choirs of children of all ethnicities drawn from Australian schools … to name but a few.

The entertainment at these evenings has been a constant reminder of how rich and beautiful a tapestry we are weaving in this country: full of changing patterns and surprises, colourful textures and astonishing variety.

In 1991, we were entertained by Chicago-born violinist Martin Lass and brilliant songstress Jeannie Lewis, and in 157

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1993, 1993, by by thethe young young andand astounding astounding piano piano prodigy, prodigy, Simon Simon Tedeski.

Tedeski.

After After having having been been an an important important part part of of Sydney’s Sydney’s Olympic Olympic bid, bid, Felicity Felicity Urquhart, Urquhart, accompanied accompanied by by thethe young young Sydney Sydney Singers, Singers, captured capturedeveryone’s everyone’shearts heartsat atthethe1994 1994 Awards Awards in in a performance a performance that that tapped tapped into into thethe very very essence essence of of being being Australian.

Australian.

Then Then in in 1995, 1995, wewe were were knocked knocked sideways sideways by by Marty Marty Roe Roe with with a real a real showstopper showstopper from from thethe musical musical Jekyll Jekyll andand Hyde.

Hyde.

1996 1996 hadhad another another Olympic Olympic touch touch with with a astunning stunningperformance performancefrom fromTracey Tracey Ellis, Ellis, thethe singer singer of of thethe Olympic Olympic Anthem.

Anthem.

SheShe waswas followed followed by by a truly a truly cosmopolitan cosmopolitan entertainment entertainmentline-up line-upin in1997, 1997,which which featured featuredBatuke BatukeRioRiodrumming drummingandand dancers, dancers,thetheBulgarian BulgarianWomen’s Women’sChoir, Choir, andandArte ArteKanela Kanelawith withsome someabsolutely absolutely breathtaking breathtakingflamenco. flamenco.Hands Handsclapped, clapped, skirts skirts swirled, swirled, guitars guitars sounded sounded ……

Olé!

Olé!

1998 1998 featured featured thethe group, group, Adoration Adoration onon thethe Gospel Gospel Train, Train, andand thethe bigbig music music theme theme waswas encored encored in in 1999 1999 with with thethe huge huge retro retro

sound soundof ofJohn JohnMorrison’s Morrison’sSwing SwingCity, City, along along with with more more multicultural multicultural dancers dancers to to addadd their their own own particular particular spice spice to the to the event. event.

As As wewe hithit thethe new new millennium, millennium, thethe hithit performances performanceskept keptcoming. coming.People Peoplelikelike Monica Monica andand Mano Mano e Mano, e Mano, Fabio Fabio Roble’s Roble’s Back Back to Back to Back International International Dancers Dancers troupe, troupe, Ryan Ryan Mortimer, Mortimer, thethe wonderful wonderful Markham Markham Gannon Gannonfrom fromthethemusical musicalCats, Cats,thethe Australian AustralianYouth YouthOrchestra, Orchestra,thetheLoreto Loreto Senior Senior Choir, Choir, Leslie Leslie Bell, Bell, Brett Brett Rosenberg, Rosenberg, andand thethe brilliant brilliant Toni Toni Lamond Lamond AM, AM, oneone of of thethe legends legends of of Australian Australian entertainment. entertainment.

Another Another musical musical great, great, Rob Rob Guest Guest OBE, OBE, headlined headlined thethe Awards Awards in in 2005.

2005.

HeHe waswas followed followedby bysome somewonderful wonderfuldancers: dancers: Csaba Csaba Szirmai Szirmai andand Luda Luda Kroitor Kroitor ballroom ballroom dancers dancers andand thethe Tappers Tappers dancers dancers who, who, youyou guessed guessed it, it, tapped tapped themselves themselves to to a frenzy. a frenzy.

Stage Stagemusicals musicalswere wereagain againfeatured featuredin in 2006 2006andand 2009, 2009, with with thethe castcast of of Titanic Titanic delivering delivering a stirring a stirring andand entirely entirely apposite apposite chorus chorusnumber numberabout aboutthethehopes hopesandand dreams dreams of of immigrants immigrants andand Jemma Jemma Rix, Rix, as as

Oliver Oliver Dragojevic Dragojevic

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In 2008, Michael Turner & The Peaceful Stars with the band Dan Rumour & The Drift entertained, along with the Newtown Public School Choir and, adding an international flavour, the acclaimed exotic belly dancers, Sahara and Shiva.

The international theme and a focus on music continued through the years 2010 and 2011, with the contemporary sounds of Phillip Stack, the beautiful soprano of Jennifer Barrington, accompanied by the West Australian Opera’s Principal Repetiteur, Tomasso Pollio, and the delightful young recording ingénues Simone and Girlfunkle, a contemporary duo.

It is impossible to adequately convey the scope of all the entertainment we’ve enjoyed, or to communicate the stellar reach of the talent that has graced our stages over the years. The Ethnic Business Awards’ celebration of cultural diversity would have been incomplete without these wonderful entertainers, many of them immigrants themselves. They have truly added their notes to the harmony.

“

Maybe this is a characteristic of happy people.

An ability to be entertained by the world.

Clare Morrall The Language of Others

“

Elphaba from Wicked, delivering a fantastic ballad to round off the 2009 evening. Also featured that evening were Joel Sarakula and the MLC Ladies’ Choir, some amazing jugglers and acrobats from Circus Oz and the delightful and much celebrated French chanteuse, Caroline Nin.

Caroline Nin

Then there was acclaimed Croatian pop star Oliver Dragojevic, who took time out from a national tour to appear at the Awards alongside eleven-year-old musical prodigy Yannick Koffi and songstress extraordinaire, another Australian legend, Maria Mercedes.

In 2012, the juxtaposition of Yidaki Yulugi, one of Australia’s most celebrated indigenous entertainment groups, with Joseph and James Tawadros, Egyptianborn musicians, and Alfredo Malabello, Australia’s great Italian crooner, was in its way an affirmation of the spirits of both reconciliation and multiculturalism which have been celebrated together since the original introduction of the Indigenous in Business Award in the year 2010. The 2012 entertainment program was really remarkable, culturally very eclectic and extremely moving.

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2007

P

“PRECISELY EVERY three minutes and eleven seconds a new migrant arrives to our shores. From the year 1996, the numbers of permanent migrants to Australia increased by a staggering seventy-two percent.

Around dinner tables across Australia this evening, one out of every four families will speak a language other than English.

With one quarter of our population born in a country other than Australia, we can proudly say Australia is the most culturally diverse nation on the globe.”

Anthony Albanese

These were the opening remarks of the popular Lisa Wilkinson who, in 2007, was hosting the Ethnic Business Awards for the fourth time. The gala event was staged at the Hilton Sydney on 14 November, and was attended for the second time running by His Excellency the GovernorGeneral of Australia, Major General Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC and his wife, Marlena Jeffery.

Lisa’s remarks were endorsed by Joseph Healy, the Regional General Manager (Corporate and Private Banking) for the National Australia Bank, when he said: “Your success stories remind me of the famous words of Louis Pasteur, the French biologist, who said, ‘Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity.’ Well, to be here tonight, included in this remarkable group of business people, you certainly have demonstrated tenacity: to never give in, but to keep on pursuing your aspirations regardless of the challenge.”

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In fact, Joseph Healy was so impressed with the whole event that he instigated a return by the NAB in 2008 to the status of major sponsor; a move that saw the bank being designated as a founding partner in the Awards. The bank’s commitment was once again unequivocal.

In a very moving keynote speech, the Governor General further noted that: “The exceptionally harmonious and tolerant society we enjoy today is one of the great success stories in our nation’s development and increasing prosperity. Each ethnic group has made a distinctive and valuable contribution to our cultural vibrancy and to our business and commercial life.”

The speakers were addressing a group of remarkable finalists, who were competing for Awards in the Small Business and Medium to Large Business categories, as well as for the 2007 Initiative Award, which had been sponsored by Emirates and was to be presented by their New South Wales Sales Manager, Tim Harrowell.

The finalists came from New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria. They also happened to come from Albania, China, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Morocco, Poland and Spain: one of the most diverse groups in the Awards’ history.

The Finalists Small Business Category S A Industrial Services, with chemical engineer Mohammed Haddadi, from 161

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Carl Munoz-Ferrada, Michael Jeffery, John Abou-Haila and Therese Bechara

Carl Munoz-Ferrada, Michael Jeffery, John Abou-Haila and Therese Bechara

Morocco, providing cleaning services

Morocco, providing cleaning services in ventilation ducting for restaurants, in commercial ventilationkitchens, ductingmajor for restaurants, hotels and commercial kitchens, major hotels and large venues. large venues.

Diversity Arrays Technology, with Diversity Arrays Technology, with genetic analyst Andrzej Kilian, from genetic Andrzejcharter Kilian, Poland.analyst The business he from had adoptedThe was to eradicatecharter poverty through Poland. business he had technological in sustainable adopted was toadvancements eradicate poverty through food initiatives. technological advancements in sustainable

Designer Rugs. Eli Tal, originally from Designer Rugs. Eli Tal, originally from Israel, he produced exclusive rugs for Israel, hehotels, produced exclusive rugs for embassies, corporate buildings embassies, hotels, setting corporate and private customers, trendsbuildings and and private customers, setting trends and pushing design barriers.

pushing design barriers.

M E B Foods, with John Abou-Haila E B Foods, with John Abou-Haila fromM Lebanon.

Middle East Bakeries produced flat breads,Middle Lebanese from Lebanon.

Eastbreads, Bakeries Turkish breads, souvlaki breads and produced flatand breads, Lebanese breads, imported Middle Eastern groceries.

Turkish breads, and souvlaki breads and

foodThe initiatives.

Guard Dog Training Centre. Fred

imported The WinnersMiddle Eastern groceries.

The Guard Dog Training Centre. Fred and Italy. Their cutting-edge centre had andplaced Luanna Osmani were from Albania protective and police guard-dogs andonItaly. cutting-edge centre nearlyTheir every continent on the globe.had placed protective and police guard-dogs Gammasonics’ Carl Munoz-Ferrada, on nearly every continent on the globe.

Small Business Category The Winners

and Luanna Osmani were from Albania

from Spain undertook research, design, Gammasonics’ Munoz-Ferrada, and manufacture Carl of radiation detection equipment for diagnostics, radiotherapy, from Spain undertook research, design, medicine and industrial radiation. andnuclear manufacture of radiation detection

equipment diagnostics, radiotherapy, Medium tofor Large Business Category nuclear medicine and industrial radiation.

Landria Constructions and Investments, with Lebanese-born BechMedium to Large Business Therese Category ara. A developer of top quality residential Landria Constructions and premises, high-rise apartments and Investblocks ments, with Lebanese-born Therese Bechof villas and townhouses.

ara. A developer of top quality residential GMP Pharmaceuticals and Karl Ye, premises, high-rise apartments and blocks from China, with research, development of villas and townhouses. and manufacture of natural foods, dietary supplements, complementary GMP Pharmaceuticals and medicine Karl Ye, and natural skin and cosmetic products. from China, with research, development

and162manufacture of natural foods, dietary supplements, complementary medicine and natural skin and cosmetic products.

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162

Carl Munoz-Ferrada, originally from Small Business Category

Spain, was a unique hero; a normal Munoz-Ferrada, originally day Carl at the office for the doctor was from Spain, cancer, was adeterring unique terrorism hero; a and normal fighting day at the homeland office forsecurity. the doctor strengthening Since was 1977, Gammasonics had been blazing and fighting cancer, deterring terrorism trails of discoveryhomeland through thesecurity. research,Since strengthening design manufacture of 1977,and Gammasonics hadtechnology, been blazing including radiation detection equipment trails of discovery through the research, fordesign diagnosis, medand radiotherapy, manufacturenuclear of technology, icine, industrial radiation, and national including radiation detection equipment and homeland security.

for diagnosis, radiotherapy, nuclear medThe professor hadradiation, revolutionised the icine, industrial and national treatment of breast cancer with the and homeland security.

Gammaprobe, reducing the need for The surgery professor had revolutionised radical amongst thousands of the treatment of breast cancer woman worldwide and was the with first the technology companyreducing in Australia Gammaprobe, theto sign needa for technology agreementamongst under thethousands Australia of radical surgery - US Free Trade Agreement.and was the first woman worldwide

technology company in Australia to sign a technology agreement under the Australia - US Free Trade Agreement.

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Construction and building had largely been considered a man’s business, until Therese Bechara decided to transform the industry in Australia. The genius behind Landria Constructions and Investments, Therese was a premier property developer specialising in top quality residential premises, high-rise apartments and blocks of villas and townhouses, for both the private and public sectors.

Therese revolutionised the luxury market using her innate sense of style and business savvy and brought dignity and comfort to the public housing market. Born in Lebanon, she arrived in Australia when she was five and after being widowed at the young age of thirty-eight, this single mother built her family business and became one of the most respected property developers in the country.

Initiative Award This Award went to John Abou-Haila and M E B Foods. One of fourteen children, John had arrived in Australia as a young man searching for a better life for himself and his family back in Lebanon.

He worked at two labouring jobs, often only catching a nap on the train in between shifts. Then his work at a bakery opened his eyes to the growing interest by Australians in pita bread and he set out to make this everyday Middle Eastern staple a norm for Australian consumers.

South Korea, New Zealand, Indonesia and Malaysia. M.E.B. Foods had become a market leader after transforming a niche product into a mainstream food enjoyed by most Australians.

For yet another year, the evening had hosted a worthy group of finalists and seen some very popular winners. They had all come to Australia with very little to their names and had all delivered a great deal, overcoming enormous challenges in order to succeed. Particular credit, surely, had to go to Therese Bechara, who had chosen not only to make her mark in another country, but also in a field of endeavour that had generally been considered to be a man’s world. Neither gender, adversity, the challenges of language, the problems of starting from scratch, nor the hard work required to grow their businesses had deterred any of these men and women and the country had profited enormously as a result.

“

How wrong is it for a woman to expect the man to build the world she wants, rather than to create it herself ?

Anais Nin

“

Medium to Large Business Category

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells

By 2007, M E B (Middle East Bakeries) was one of the largest manufacturers of flat breads, Lebanese breads, Turkish breads and souvlaki breads in Australia and was also importing Middle Eastern groceries and nuts. From humble beginnings with a small bakery, John Abou-Haila was servicing every state in Australia and was exporting to China, 163

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Driven to Succeed ... Bufori

X

X MARKS THE SPOT for 2002 winners, the Khouri brothers and their drive to succeed which has resulted in a uniquely successful ride.

Bufori is a clever acronym: Beautiful, Unique, Funtastic, Original, Romantic and Irresistible.

Inspired by American 1930s coupes, this remarkable brand of hand-built automobiles evolved from a family garage in Sydney, where Gerry Khouri, a young man from Lebanon, pursued his dream and hobby and crafted and constructed his

then built another for each of his two older brothers, Anthony and George.

Bufori Geneva

cars attracted so much public attention and acclaim that the brothers decided to form a company, commission a factory and an R&D facility, employing highly skilled craftsmen, to start producing more cars and new models for sale to other buyers. All the cars were designed and built to comply with the stringent Australian Design Rules.

Originally, Bufori Motor Car Company conducted all its manufacturing and sales operations in Australia. But its rapidly increasing success in several export markets led to an invitation from the Malaysian Prime Minister to transfer Bufori’s full production and headquarters to Malaysia.

After nearly a decade of production in Australia, Bufori relocated its core operations to Malaysia in 1994.

EBA BOOK - 2.indd 167

and service facilities, turns out three hundred customised vehicles per year. It employs over a hundred skilled craftsmen, who build each vehicle by hand using composite materials, but using traditional fabrication techniques.

Every Bufori is made to order. How many Australian-designed automobiles feature a rear centre console that can accommodate tea set with instant boiling water, a fridge, a cigar humidor or a mini-bar, along with rear lounge seats that are electrically adjustable and feature heating and cooling as well as a pneumatic massage device?

Bufori cars are now sold around the world to enthusiasts of classic-looking luxury automobiles, directly or through the Khouri brothers’ constantly expanding dealer network: now in China, the Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Russia, the USA and the home countries of Malaysia and, of course, Australia, proudly acknowledged as the company’s roots.

Bufori has also produced and raced a modern sports car and is planning future new models. Every car will continue to be built by hand to customer order by proud, passionate and highly skilled artisans to the company’s stellar quality standards.

A contemporary high-powered success story indeed!

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2008 The GFC House of Cards world, and vice versa.

Joseph Assaf In Someone Else’s Shoes

M

MANY ILLUSTRIOUS guests, including representatives from consulates and embassies, members of both state and the Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon. Kevin Rudd MP attended the twentieth Ethnic Business Awards which were staged at the Grand Ballroom of the Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney.

Also present were representatives of the National Australia Bank, now back as the major sponsor and founding partner.

We meet our new host

Kevin Rudd

2008 saw the debut of a new host for the Awards, someone who would continue until the present day. Tracey Spicer is one of Australia’s most respected journalists and newsreaders. She has a Bachelor of Business Communications degree from the Queensland University of Technology and was chosen as the new face of the Ethnic Business Awards because of her passion for egalitarianism, multiculturalism and for social diversity.

As a columnist for The Daily Telegraph, a travel writer for Holidays with Kids magazine and an anchor on SkyNews, Tracey’s work takes her to the four corners of the globe. She has reported and presented the

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“

“

Australia is a cohesive society wherein the

news on Network Ten, Channel Nine, and radio stations 3AW and 4BH, and is currently a radio host on 2UE. Tracey has written and produced documentaries on the work of World Vision and the Worldwide Fund for Nature in Bangladesh, Kenya and Papua New Guinea.

She is an Ambassador for: World Vision, the National Breast Cancer Foundation, the NSW Cancer Council, the Royal Hospital for Women’s Newborn Care Centre, Penguin Foundation, National Premmie Foundation and QUT’s Learning Potential Fund. Tracey recently travelled to Uganda to produce and present a video diary on the work of the charity ActionAid in combating famine in the Horn of Africa.

Tracey’s debut at the 2008 event coincided with the imminent release of Joseph Assaf ’s book, In Someone Else’s Shoes, which became something of an unintended focus for the evening.

She labelled it “a parable that may be used to access and understand the Australian immigrant experience as a whole” and featured during the evening by saying: “Every three minutes and eleven seconds, a new migrant arrives in this country.

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the journey is hard, but it makes the arrival all that much more fulfilling.”

Words from the PM and our Founder The Prime Minister, it seemed, had also somehow snaffled and read a pre-release copy of the book and spoke about it at some length.

“This book, In Someone Else’s Shoes is a great story, writ large, about the lives of so many who have come to this country from afar and made this country great,” he said.

“Each one of you,” he continued, “from whichever community you come, brings to this great land, Australia, something new and something different. Something quite wonderful.”

He made a further suggestion that “were it not for the arrival of so many of the EBA Exotic belly dancer

ethnicities represented in this room, this nation, in its second century and its third century, would have been condemned to a future based entirely on English cuisine”.

This was met with enthusiastic laughter and applause. He continued on a more serious note.

“In these days,” he said, “when we are confronted with a global financial crisis, becoming a global economic crisis, becoming in turn a global employment crisis; the passions and the talents and the abilities and the capacities of the women and men of commerce represented in this room become even more important for the nation and for its future.” Kevin Rudd concluded with the observation that “In Australia, diversity is a fact of life and multiculturalism is a way of life,” a quote from Joseph’s book.

“May it ever be so,” he said.

In his own speech, Joseph Assaf also contemplated the global financial crisis, in the grip of which most of the world was struggling, noting that Australia’s multicultural model could well serve as an example to world leaders.

“It seems to me,” he said, “that if you build a house of cards all of the same suit, all of the same form, all carefully interlocked in the same way, it only needs one card to fall for the whole thing to totter and possibly collapse. But in a multicultural model, where diversity is the watchword, where diverse solutions are sought through diverse means, the house of cards can be more robust.”

Finalists and Winners With entries from every state and territory, and representing twenty-four different ethnic backgrounds, the Awards were living proof of that assertion.

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AsAsTracey TraceySpicer Spicerpointed pointedout: out: from fromhumble humble beginnings, beginnings, just just like like the peoplewhose whoseendeavours endeavours they they celebrate. celebrate. people aboutpeople peoplewho whohave have come come to to aa new new about land, seeking seeking out out new new opportunities, opportunities, land, overcomingobstacles, obstacles, shouldering shouldering aside aside overcoming sometimeseven evenbeyond beyondtheir their own own hopes hopes sometimes andexpectations. expectations. We We are are here here tonight tonight and celebratethat that contribution, contribution, not not just just totocelebrate this twentieth year but for the years forforthis twentieth year but for the years that have gone before and those that are that have gone before and those that are yet to come.” yet to come.”

And what a great contribution it is! In And what a great contribution it is! In Schiavello Schiavello Group (Italy), Stefan Hair Fashions Group (Italy), Stefan Hair Fashions (Lebanon), (Lebanon), newspaper (Vietnam), Nad’s (Syria), newspaper (Vietnam), Nad’s (Sweden).

(Syria), Bufori (Lebanon), and kikki.K Bufori (Lebanon), and kikki.K (Sweden).

Small Business Award Small Business Award John Du (China/Victoria), with HIMADu Group.

International with education John (China/Victoria), and migrant visaInternational services. “Australia to me HIMA Group. education is migrant fantastic.visa It isservices. freedom.

You cantohave and “Australia me your dream come true.” is fantastic. It is freedom. You can have yourTeresa dream come true.”(Italy/NSW), with Somma Paesenella Cheese Manufacturers Teresa Somma (Italy/NSW), with

Paesenella Cheese Manufacturers

TraditionalItalian Italiancheesemaking, cheesemaking,selling selling Traditional through supermarkets, supermarkets, restaurants restaurantsand and through delicatessens. “And “Andthen, then,after aftera alittle littlebitbit delicatessens. time, they they started startedtotolearn learnhow howtotoeateat of time, the the cheeses.” cheeses.”

Luke LukeNguyen Nguyen NSW), AnAn NSW),with withRed RedLantern LanternRestaurant.

Restaurant. intimate, intimate, stylish, stylish, Vietnamese Vietnameserestaurant restaurant established by a Vietnamese boat established by a Vietnamese boatperson. person.

“In my family, food is our language.

Food “In my family, food is our language. Food enables enables us us to tocommunicate communicatethe thethings thingswewe Lakshman Ratnayake from (Sri Lanka/ Lakshman Ratnayake from (Sri Lanka/ Victoria), with S M L Suppliers AustVictoria), with S M L Suppliers Australia. Manufacture and distribution of ralia. Manufacture and distribution of rubber mats, for industrial, commercial, rubber mats,and for domestic industrial,use. commercial, agricultural, “I saw agricultural, and domestic use. saw scrap rubber mountains, waiting for“I the scrap mountains, waiting for the tip … rubber I have found our gold!” tip … I have found our gold!”

Prizes in all categories included a BlackPrizesfrom in allTelstra, categories berry twoincluded businessa Blackclass berry tickets from Telstra, two onbusiness class return to anywhere the Etihad return tickets to aanywhere Etihad Airways network, cash prizeonof the $10,000 Airways network, $10,000 (doubled this year abycash the prize NAB)ofand, of course, thethis stunning EBAthe crystal trophy. (doubled year by NAB) and, of course,Winner the stunning EBA crystal by trophy. was announced the

Hon. Anthony Ministerbyforthe Winner Albanese, was announced Infrastructure, Local Govern-for Hon. AnthonyTransport, Albanese, Minister ment, and Leader of the Government in Infrastructure, Transport, Local Governthe House. ment, and Leader of the Government in the House.

Red Lantern Restaurant and Luke Nguyen. the Red Accepting Lantern Rest-

aurant and Luke Nguyen. Accepting169the 169

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on all the opportunities and successes that have been given to me when becoming an Australian. I have had the good fortune of retaining my language, my heritage and my links to the Vietnamese community and, of course, the all-important relationship that all Vietnamese people hold with food.”

Opening its doors in 2002, Red Lantern was the result of a young boy’s dream.

Serving authentic Vietnamese cuisine in an intimate and relaxed atmosphere in the Sydney suburb of Surry Hills, Red Lantern was using only premium Australian

producer and exporter, making customised milk powders to suit special requirements.

“Australia is the best place in the world to do business.”

John De Margheriti (Italy/ACT), with Micro Forte (Bigworld). Multiplatform computer game designers and game hardware manufacturers for the international market. “In Australia, the opportunities are enormous.”

wines. Venturing into the tourism sphere, Luke Nguyen was also hosting a thirteen day culinary discovery tour of Vietnam.

Red Lantern had also released cookbooks, and was working with SBS Television to produce a travel series about Vietnamese culture and cuisine.

Medium to Large Business Award Filippo Casella (Italy/NSW), with Casella Wines. “I landed in Sydney fruit-picker to celebrated wine-producer, retailer, and exporter to forty countries.

“Australia is a forward thinking country.

It’s a country with the right attitude, the right work ethic and the right eye for opportunity.”

Larissa Vakulina (Russia/SA), with Expo-Trade. Exporters of Australian agricultural products to the Russian market: frozen meat, lambskins and sheepskins, and live cattle. “In Australia, if you are hard-working and believe your vision, then, of course, it’s possible.”

Rakesh Aggarwal (India/Victoria), with Longwarry Food Park. A milk products

Peter Jamieson

Business and Private Banking for the NAB, that “small acorns to big trees grow”. His Scottish brogue drew more laughter as he asserted that “as you can detect from my own accent, I qualify as an ethnic!” Echoes, perhaps, of “Ich bin ein Berliner!” Joseph Healy left the presentation of the Medium to Large Business Award to Anthony Albanese, who was delighted to announce the Winner of the Award.

Filippo Casella and Casella Wines. In a moving speech, Phillip Casella accepted the Award on behalf of his grandfather, who was too sick to travel, saying that Filippo Casella was an immigrant who had come with nothing but a dream and, despite

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hardship, retained retained his his vision. vision. He He had had hardship, sacrificed “his “histoday todayfor forour ourtomorrow”. tomorrow”. sacrificed With aa long long family family history history ofof grape grape With growing and and wine winemaking makingininItaly, Italy,Casella Casella growing Wineshad hadbeen beenestablished establishedininthe theRiverina Riverina Wines region. After After purchasing purchasing the the vineyard vineyardinin region.

1965and andselling sellinggrapes grapestotolocal localwinemakers winemakers 1965 for three three years, years, Filippo FilippoCasella Casellahad hadbegun begun for producing wine winein in1969.

1969. producing In 2008, 2008, Casella Casella Wines Wines prided prided itself itself In in blending blending the the historical historical art art ofof wine wine in making making with with the the latest latest technology technologyand anda a unique unique appreciation appreciation and and understanding understanding of of Australian Australian conditions. conditions. Their Their flagship flagship brand, brand, Yellowtail, Yellowtail, was was being being exported exportedtoto over over forty forty countries, countries, its its launch launch having having been been recognised recognised asas the themost mostsuccessful successfulofof any any local local wine winebrand brandininAustralia’s Australia’shistory. history.

Initiative Initiative Award Award The The final final Award Award ofof the the evening evening was was presented by Telstra’s Peter Jamieson, presented by Telstra’s Peter Jamieson, who who praised praised the the passion, passion, determination, determination, courage and ingenuity of all courage and ingenuity of allthe thefinalists. finalists.

The The Winner Winner of of the the Initiative Initiative Award Award was HIMA Group and John Du. was HIMA Group and John Du.John John Du thanked Australia for giving him Du thanked Australia for giving himthe the McDonald College Choir McDonald College Choir

opportunitytotoaccomplish accomplishhishisdream dream…… opportunity theplace placehehenow nowcalled called home. ininthe home.

Foundedinin1989, 1989,thetheHIMA HIMAGroup Group Founded was providing providing education education services servicesto to was internationalstudents. students.With Withcampuses campuses international in in Melbourne,Sydney Sydneyand andGosford, Gosford,Magill Magill Melbourne, English College Collegeprovided providedinternational international English studentswith withEnglish Englishlanguage languagetraining training students andananintroduction introductiontotothethe Australian way and Australian way life,while whilethe theMelbourne-based Melbourne-basedLayas Layas ofoflife, EducationGroup Groupalso also provided vocational Education provided vocational training trainingforforinternational internationalstudents. students.

Through ThroughitsitsDream DreamOverseas Overseasdivision, division, the additional theHIMA HIMAGroup Groupalso alsosupplied supplied additional support visa application, social, supportthrough throughitsits visa application, social, entertainment and travel services. entertainment and travel services.

What been Whatbetter betterway waycould couldthere therehave have been totoend endthe theevening eveningbybyrecognising recognisingand and rewarding rewardinginitiative: initiative:thethevery verything thingthat that lies at the heart of all these migrant stories. lies at the heart of all these migrant stories.

Tracey gala event byby TraceySpicer Spicerconcluded concludedthethe gala event proclaiming: proclaiming:“I“Iknow knowthat thatnext nextyear yearwewe will willhave havemore morefinalists finalistsand andmore morestories, stories, allalljust as impressive, to tell.” just as impressive, to tell.”

And Andshe shewas wasright! right!

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Kevin Rudd

“

So many different stories, from so many parts of the world; each rich in its own depth and diversity but each united in one thing: coming here to Australia not just to make a new life, but with a sense of determination to make that life an absolute success ... a sense that you’ll make not just a success for yourselves and your families but a success for your new land. Australia.

United, hand in hand EBA BOOK - 2.indd 175

“

Kevin Rudd Prime Minister

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ABC Tissue Products A Profile of Success

H

HOLISTIC SUCCESS is rarely simple.

But for Henry Ngai, it was as simple as ABC. His story is similar to many others, but it is one that reaches amazing heights.

Henry Ngai left school at the age of fifteen and after a while started exporting waste cardboard from Hong Kong to Thailand.

He then established his first tissue business in Hong Kong, by importing tissue products back from Thailand!

Henry Ngai

In 1982, having made a success of his business in Hong Kong and looking for better educational opportunities for his children, Henry came to Australia on a holiday and fact-finding mission and quickly recognised the potential of the market here. So, in 1985 he immigrated with his family and founded ABC Tissue Products soon after. It was a small company with a modest annual turnover. Henry’s home was his office, his garage was his warehouse, and he and his wife did “every job around the place”. Henry was both storeman and salesman. His products were finished tissue products imported from Hong Kong.

In time, Henry and his wife were able to rent a six hundred square metre factory, import some machinery and begin to grow the business by manufacturing product locally. Then in 1986, the company was able to acquire a block of industrial land at Wetherill Park in western Sydney and start expanding in earnest and building

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its market share, also establishing itself in New Zealand in 1988.

Acquiring tissue and paper mills from Softex Industries (Cosco Holdings) in Brisbane in 2002 fuelled the company’s further growth. It continued to rapidly expand its manufacture and range of products and sales volumes. No wonder it won an Ethnic Business Award in 2004!

Three years later, in 2007, ABC Tissue Products was able to begin construction of the first ever tissue paper mill in New South Wales and was soon supplying its own base materials. Two years after that, the company was ranked by BRW as 180 in Australia’s top 500 private companies.

Today, ABC Tissue is ranked 153 on that list. It has 320,000 square metres of industrial land at Wetherill Park, 310,000 in Brisbane, 60,000 in Melbourne, 20,000 in Perth, and 40,000 in New Zealand, all occupied by the ABC business.

ABC Tissue Products has over 30 per cent market share, with an annual turnover that is 1500 times greater than its already impressive start-up figure in 1985. It is the only Australian-owned business among the large tissue manufacturers and it is taking Australian tissue products to the world.

Henry Ngai attributes his success to persistence, teamwork and excellent relationships with employees, customers and suppliers.

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That philosophy is well and truly reflected in the content of the ABC Tissue Products website: “ … we never forget who got us here: thousands of customers, large and small.” “ … you’ll still find our most senior people on the phone taking orders, talking with customers, or checking on the machinery in the warehouse.”

“All our staff are focused on one thing: that is, whatever it takes to keep our customers happy.”

“It’s a personal product, and it deserves a personal approach!”

Henry Ngai doesn’t talk about it much, but his personal approach also extends into a considerable number of philanthropic initiatives, both nationally and internationally. He spends much of his time and energy giving back some of the bounty that has accrued from his singular success, donating nearly two million dollars yearly to people in need, both in Australia and overseas. Earthquakes,

tsunamis, famines, droughts or floods: Henry is there, quietly trying to make a difference and using his considerable business skills to make sure every dollar he raises is maximised when it comes to providing help.

In 2009, ABC Tissue Vision Express was established; in the four years since, it has helped over 32,000 cataract sufferers to regain their sight. In 2012, some 60,000 thick winter jackets were donated to help people through an appalling Chinese winter. In that year, too, ABC Tissue Hearing Express began a similar program to its Vision Express, donating 34,600 sets of hearing aids to help the deaf. This year 100,000 sets will be donated.

Not surprisingly, Henry Ngai has won many community awards and has attained enormous recognition and respect from the Australian business community. Henry is a high-profile business operator who likes to keep a low profile when it comes to accepting accolades. But clearly, every accolade is well-deserved, as is Henry’s extraordinary success.

Henry Ngai

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beauty

human race derived the diversity its cultures, just like the beauty the rainbow derived the The

is

of

the

from

of

of

is

diversity

of its

from

colours.

Joseph Assaf In Someone Else’s Shoes

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2009

J

Joan Didion Slouching Towards Bethlehem

JOYOUSLY, another milestone occurred in 2009: the Ethnic Business Awards’ 21st birthday. In many cultures, 21 is the traditional coming of age, and the Awards now one of the longest-running corporate awards in Australia and one of the country’s most prized recognitions of commercial to attract guests and speakers from the entire spectrum of business, politics and society at large, and Her Excellency the Governor-General Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO, was the Guest of Honour at this special evening. time by Tracey Spicer and were this year of Sydney’s Four Seasons Hotel. More than categories came from every state and territory in Australia, with the nominees originating from one hundred and twenty-

Quentin Bryce

than half the nations of the entire globe!

One would hardly have known that same globe was only just staggering out of the

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“

“

... one of the mixed blessings of being twenty and twenty-one and even twenty-three is the conviction that nothing like this, all evidence to the contrary notwithstanding, has ever happened before.

disaster since the Great Depression; a crisis resulting in massive downturns in economies around the world.

In a keynote speech, Awards founder Joseph Assaf spoke of the global situation and the role ethnic business had played helping to insulate Australia from international impact. “Diversity diminishes vulnerability,” he said. “In this recent time of economic uncertainty, Australia has proved to be remarkably resilient. And this has a lot to do with its are just the shining tip of a massive iceberg (not exactly the right image in the Australian context, I know) but still … a massive economic iceberg which, through billions of dollars invested in business activity, has played a major part in keeping

Certainly, if the Awards themselves were anything to go by, the climate in Australia remained buoyant, robust, and optimistic.

Joseph Assaf took the opportunity to add to this optimism by making an important announcement about a new award for the following year.

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“Next year promises to be very challenging,” he said, “with plans already under way to take the award ceremony to Western Australia and another exciting development which was the addition of a new award that recognises Excellence in Indigenous Business Endeavour.

“After all,” he continued, “there was one footprint in the sand long before any of ours arrived: the custodians of this great southern land who, themselves, continue to welcome new cultures and new ideas, whilst progressing to make their own unique contribution. Next year we hope to celebrate that as well.”

from Lebanon, Italy, China, Ireland, Mauritius, Poland, Croatia and Egypt.

Small Business Category Australian Agency for Education and Training. Building educational bridges between Australia and the Middle East, was Roland Jabbour from Lebanon.

China Direct Sourcing. Lindy Chen had migrated to Australia from China.

Her business had been started on a fortynine dollar USB in an internet cafe and, by the year 2009, she was saving clients millions of dollars.

Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets. 1999 Canberra Citizen of the Year, Italy’s Giuseppe Guigni had developed an international produce market.

JR Global Logistics. From Mauritius, Josette Robert Manager in the male-dominated freight forwarding business, providing services nationally and worldwide.

Jemma Rix, a Wicked performance

embraced by the audience, and would prove to be equally enthusiastically embraced by the indigenous business community.

Mixology Management. Elizabeth Green from Ireland, with her business Isabel Galasso and John Banas

General Ms Quentin Bryce, endorsed Joseph Assaf’s earlier comments about the importance of migrant business when she our population. Another quarter had at roughly half of us with stories that begin somewhere else … I cherish the moments,” she said, “when I’ve seen an Australia that is deeply and essentially and truly diverse.”

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QuentinBryce Bryceand andCameron CameronClyne Clyne Quentin

partners Lisa Lisa Kelly Kelly and and Sebastian SebastianReaReapartners burn, were were running runningfully fullyaccredited accreditedtraintrainburn, ing programs, programs, performing performing aa major major role role ing in alcohol alcohol education education and and promoting promoting in responsible service service and and consumption consumption ofof responsible alcohol through throughhigh-end high-endtrading. trading. alcohol CEO of of the the National National Australia AustraliaBank, Bank, CEO Cameron Clyne, Clyne, applauded applaudedthe theefforts effortsofof Cameron all all the the finalists, finalists, saying: saying: “Time “Time and andtime time again, again, NAB NAB has has seen seen these thesesame samemigrant migrant businesses businesses become become part part ofof the thebackbone backbone of of the the Australian Australian economy economy and and the the cornerstone cornerstone of of the the communities communitiesininwhich which they they operate. operate.We Webelieve believethat thatyour yourdreams dreams and and the the dreams dreams of ofyour yourfamily familybefore beforeyou you are shaping our future.

It’s an inspiring are shaping our future. It’s an inspiring journey journey and and it’s it’s one one we’re we’re proud proud toto bebe part part of.” of.”

Medium Medium to toLarge LargeBusiness BusinessCategory Category Australian Australian Property PropertyAlliance.

Alliance.Poland’s Poland’s Paul Bitdorf couldn’t land a job in Paul Bitdorf couldn’t land a job inReal Real Estate, but by 2009 was changing Estate, but by 2009 was changing the the face of urban development in the state of face of urban development in the state of Western Western Australia.

Australia.

TheBoka BokaGroup.

Group.Marko MarkoFranovic, Franovic, The fromCroatia, Croatia,along alongwith with two brothers, from hishis two brothers, deliveredand andinstalled installedwindows. windows.Starting Starting delivered fromnothing, nothing,bybythetheyear year 2009 they were from 2009 they were employing thirty-six thirty-sixstaff staffand andleasing leasing employing numerous industrial industrial warehouses warehouses and and numerous businesspremises. premises. business EllaRouge RougeBeauty.

Beauty.From Fromone onesalon salon Ella Hurstville,Sydney, Sydney,AliAliand andManel Manel inin Hurstville, Hammoud Hammoudfrom fromLebanon, Lebanon,had hadgrown grown their more than twenty theirbusiness businesstotoinclude include more than twenty stores franchising. storesand andskin skinbars, bars,with with franchising.

Romeo’s Romeo’s Retail Retail Group.

Group. Antonio Antonio Romeo’s Romeo’sexpanding expandingenterprise enterprisefeatured featured twenty cutting-edge retail outlets twenty cutting-edge retail outletsand and employed in excess of twelve hundred employed in excess of twelve hundred staff. been staff.InIn2008, 2008,Antonio AntonioRomeo Romeohad had been nominated for Australian of the Year. nominated for Australian of the Year.

Tristar TristarMedical MedicalGroup.

Group.Qualified Qualifiedas as a asurgeon surgeonininEgypt, Egypt,Khaled KhaledEl-Sheikh El-Sheikh setsetupupthe Tristar Medical Group the Tristar Medical Groupwhich which supported more than twenty training supported more than twenty training practices practicesininrural ruralNew NewSouth SouthWales Walesand and Victoria, employing over fifty GPs, with Victoria, employing over fifty GPs, with patients thousands. patientsnumbering numberingininthethe thousands.

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The Winners Small Business Category Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets. Set your goals, work hard, and pursue your ideals. That was Giuseppe Guigni’s take on business success. Sound advice from a man who left school as a boy but worked hard and with passion and had been instrumental in the development of a produce market that by 2009 featured thirty-three different stallholders of fifteen different nationalities. Mr Guigni was voted 1999 Canberra Citizen of the Year.

An emotional moment for Marko Franovic

Manel Hammoud were operating more than twenty stores and skin bars, with franchising available. Their business was continuing to grow, offering the latest technologies and modalities in beauty treatment, with therapists and technicians trained to provide the highest standards of customer support service.

A further special award was also made on the evening. Here is the story.

Giuseppe Guigni

Medium to Large Business Category The Boka Group. When Marko Franovic had arrived in Australia from Croatia at the culmination of a remarkable and dangerous journey, all he possessed was one shirt, one pair of pants, a jacket and a pair of shoes.

Eventually joined by his two brothers, they started delivering and installing windows.

By 2009, they were employing thirty-six staff, leasing numerous warehouses and business premises and still working at delivering and installing windows.

One nomination in the Medium to Large Business Category had been withdrawn, despite being shortlisted as a finalist. The Doric Group had grown out of the philosophy that to risk nothing is to achieve little. In twenty years of planned expansion, the Western Australian company had grown from just two employees to two hundred and seventy, with over two thousand subcontractors Ali and Manel Hammoud

An Initiative Award, to further celebrate and encourage the recipient, was presented by the Hon. Barbara Perry MP to Ella Rouge Beauty. From one salon in Hurstville, Sydney, Ali and 182

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employed on any given day: a worthy employed on an anyEthnic given Business day: a worthy nominee for Award, nominee for an Ethnic Business Award, without a doubt. But Harry Xydas had without a doubt. But Harry Xydas had withdrawn his company’s nomination, withdrawn his company’s nomination, saying that, instead of being considered saying that, instead of being considered for an award, the company would prefer for an award, the company would prefer to become a sponsor and work with the to become a sponsor and work with the Awards to promote and celebrate ethnic Awards to promote and celebrate ethnic businesses in Australia. businesses in Australia.

The judges judges felt felt that, that,regardless regardlessofofDoric’s Doric’s The withdrawal, the the company’s company’smagnanimous magnanimous withdrawal, gesture still still deserved deserved acknowledgement, acknowledgement, gesture because itit so so embodied embodied the the ethos ethosofofthe the because Ethnic Business Business Awards: Awards: cooperation, cooperation, Ethnic communication and and recognition recognition ofof the the communication importance of of making making aa contribution contributioninin importance more than than just just aa business business sense. sense. And Andsoso more the Governor-General Governor-General presented presented Harry Harry the Xydas and and the the Doric DoricGroup Groupwith withaaSpecial Special Xydas Recognition Award, Award,to togreat greatacclaim. acclaim.

Recognition splendid evening evening ofof celebration, celebration, A splendid hospitality and and entertainment, entertainment, featuring featuring hospitality acts from from Circus Circus Oz, Oz,the theamazing amazing choirs, acts chanteuse Caroline Caroline Nin Nin and and French chanteuse members of of the the musical musical Wicked, Wicked, cast members

Harry and Demetra Xydas and Quentin Bryce Harry and Demetra Xydas and Quentin Bryce

had reached reacheda afitting fittingand andmemorable memorable had conclusion.Tracey TraceySpicer Spicersummed summed conclusion. upup thethe feelingsofofananuplifted upliftedand andenthusiastic enthusiastic feelings audience as,as, together, together,they theyapplauded applauded audience thosethousands thousandsof of celebrationofof“ ... “ ...those inincelebration migrantAustralians Australianswho whohave haveachieved achieved migrant suchextraordinary extraordinaryfeats, feats,oror who about such who areare about achieveextraordinary extraordinaryfeats. feats. totoachieve “Their growing growing contribution contributionto tothethe “Their ever-changingmulticultural multiculturalfabric fabricwhich which ever-changing Australiais isthe thereason reasonwe’re we’reallallhere here isisAustralia tonight,and andit’sit’swhy whywe’ll we’llbebethere therenext next tonight, year,ininWestern WesternAustralia, Australia, and celebrating year, and celebrating ” ” themfor formany manyyears yearstotocome come them ... ...

Overleaf: Overleaf: Cameron CameronClyne, Clyne,CEO, CEO,National NationalAustralia AustraliaBank Bank

Finalists Finalists and and their theirpartners partners

EBA BOOK - 2.indd 185

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184

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start start

It isIt not is not where where youyou

high highyouyouaim aim matters mattersforforsuccess success. . but but how how

thatthat

Nelson Nelson Mandela Mandela

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Quentin Bryce

“

A broad palette of colours

Quentin Bryce Governor-General

EBA BOOK - 2.indd 189

“

The Ethnic Business Awards, coming of age tonight, have long been a feature of our splendid multicultural landscape. They pay tribute to the extraordinary achievement and contribution of people born on shores other than our own. They are a yearly reminder of our rich diversity, of how privileged we are to enjoy a broad palette of colours, tastes, accents and dreams.

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2010

“

We apologise for the laws and policies of successive parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these, our fellow Australians.

We apologise especially for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country.

For the pain, suffering and hurt of these Stolen Generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry.

To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry.

“

And for the indignity and degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry.

Colin Barnett, Premier of WA

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd Australian Federal Parliament

I

IT HAD BEEN more than two years since Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s historic apology to the indigenous people of Australia. The apology had been an event that highlighted some missing notes in the symphony for the organisers of the Ethnic Business Awards. Consequently, they then decided to add an Indigenous in Business Award to the list of businesses to be recognised. And, although it could be argued that this did not fit within the charter (specifically that it didn’t fulfil the condition of having being “born overseas”),

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13 February 2008

the counter-argument seemed nonetheless unassailable: Indigenous Australians comprised an ethnic group that was currently excluded from our celebrations of excellence, and this was a contradiction of the very spirit of inclusiveness which had always been fundamental to the whole Awards concept.

As noted at the beginning of this book, establishing an award to recognise excellence in Indigenous business endeavour would not only be appropriate, but would complete in the best of ways 189

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a huge, wonderful, multicultural jigsawpuzzle that had been over twenty years in the making. The Awards would become an active partner in the process of indigenous reconciliation and advancement.

A gala evening in the West The gala evening of the 2010 Awards was staged in the Astral Ballroom at the Burswood Entertainment Complex in Perth, Western Australia. Over three hundred and fifty guests were present from federal and state governments and oppositions; and from the public, private and corporate sectors and the media.

There were community leaders, industry officials and heads of diplomatic missions from the finalists’ countries of origin, from all over Australia. Fittingly, the ceremony was opened by the haunting sound of a didgeridoo.

When thanking the judges, including two new panel members, John Borghetti and Joseph Elu, Joseph Assaf noted the addition of “some new players and instruments to the orchestra, as we both broaden and enrich the EBA composition.”

“With the addition of an Indigenous in Business Award,” he said, “we add sounds that resonate back through many thousands of years, to the very heart of the land that has welcomed and nurtured us New Australians.

“I’m delighted that we’ve taken this step,” he continued, “and embraced an even greater opportunity to create harmony through business.”

Indigenous Australians had taken their place in the Awards, both as nominees and finalists and on the judging panel. Joseph Elu, the then co-chair of the Indigenous Community Volunteers Foundation and Mayor of the Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council had been a relentless

advocate for Indigenous enterprise. He was also a past chairman of Indigenous Business Australia and Reconciliation Australia organisations.

Other illustrious guests on the night, the first ever time the Awards tent had been pitched in Western Australia, included the Premier of Western Australia, Colin Barnett, whose government had sponsored the visit; the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator the Hon. Kate Lundy, and, most appropriately given the Awards’ recent developments, the first ever elected indigenous federal Member of Parliament, Ken Wyatt.

Representatives of the National Australia Bank also attended, as NAB was formally recognised as a founding partner in the Awards, along with Joseph Assaf.

The inclusion of the Indigenous in Business Awards aside, much of the national debate was still centred around immigration, and that debate was reflected in speeches on the night. In speaking of migrants’ contributions to Australia, Joseph Assaf further remarked: “Every one of them is, in their own way, a mini economic stimulus package. They bring the ability to work, to build, to generate jobs and to create huge export opportunities with their countries of origin, through international business networks and through their own drive and energy. Personally,” he said, “I have no doubt that refugee immigrants have the ability to be among our most significant contributors in this regard. Often, they come here with nothing; only a passion and a drive to succeed, to contribute, to earn their place.” And: “Yes, of course we need a gatekeeper, but we need a gatekeeper who clearly understands the potential not just of those

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who are already skilled or successful, but also of those who carry with them an empty suitcase. In an empty suitcase there is room for dreams and creativity and resilience and drive: all of the things that have brought our finalists here tonight.”

In his own remarks, State Premier Colin Barnett pointed out that: “Western Australia has twenty-seven per cent of its population who were born outside Australia. That is the highest of any Australian state. It is something that all of Western Australia is proud of, and that diversity is the strength of our economy and our community.”

real opportunities for indigenous people through the Wongatha Education Trust.

Nominee: Daniel Tucker.

Gaeddarrdyu Trust. One of the most unusual finalists, Mark Bin Bakaar’s comic alter-ego, Mary G, had become an empowering social force for indigenous people throughout Australia.

Northern Airport Services Frank Rodriguez’s Ground Handling Operations at Kununurra Airport employed eight full-time staff and ran an accredited training course in Aviation Ground Handling, encouraging Indigenous employees to participate.

Nyaarla Projects. Consulting about, and listening to and connecting with the indigenous community, Nyaarla Projects was 100 per cent Indigenousowned, employing fifteen full-time staff and ten part-time, three quarters of them Indigenous.

Nominee: Australia’s very first indigenous female commercially trained pilot, Madonna Beattie.

Breaking the full house for Western Australia was:

Didgeridoo player, Awards ceremony

His point was well made. Indeed, several Western Australian businesses featured on the night, especially in the Indigenous in Business category.

The Finalists and Winners Indigenous in Business Award Finalists in the Indigenous in Business Award were dominated by Western Australia nominees.

Carey Mining. Handling contracts with AngloGold Ashanti, Barrick Gold, BHPB Nickel West, Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals Group, Carey Mining created

Winiam Investments and Tyre Shield, from New South Wales. Tyre Shield seals holes and maintains pressure in tyres.

The brand was negotiating a release in some eighty-eight thousand US stores, but was still focused on voluntary work at the Mingaan Aboriginal Corporation in Lithgow and a sheltered workshop bottling operation. Nominee: Jonathon Slottje.

The Winner was: Carey Mining From working as a gardener and struggling to raise investment capital, Daniel Tucker now had extensive contracts throughout the mining industry and employed a significant indigenous 191

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workforce as part of his company’s Indigenous Involvement charter. Carey Mining was 100 per cent indigenous owned and managed, creating real opportunities for indigenous people through ABC Carey Training and the Wongatha Education Trust. Carey Mining’s alternative training school for students at high risk was open to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students.

Small Business Award In the Small Business Award, finalists came from Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia.

From Queensland and originally from Italy, Angelo Cazzolato with Angelo’s Fresh Pasta Products. From cane cutting and labouring to making ravioli for the Queen! The company had grown from being a home kitchen to employing thirtysix staff and had won numerous awards at the Sydney Royal Fine Food Show.

From New South Wales via Romania, Rolf Blickling with Banalasta. Producing wine and eucalyptus-based skin-care products, as well as running a trout farm, the company was really diversified!

Also from New South Wales, originally from Lebanon, brothers Danny and Dorry Kordahi and DKM Blue. Turning promotional merchandising into an art form, their major clients included Mercedes Benz, Aldi Supermarkets, Hilton Hotels, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, Fuji Xerox, Paramount Pictures and many more.

From Victoria, a Vietnamese refugee, Huu Nguyen and Nam Quang Tuition.

Making tutoring available to any child that wants to learn, the company was one of Australia’s largest privately owned education organisations.

From Western Australia, UK immigrant Jonathan Skerratt’s Silver Trowel Trade Training. This fully accredited training organisation offered skills training in floor and roof tiling, plastering, carpentry, general construction, concreting and wall and ceiling lining.

The Winner was: Silver Trowel Trade Training From brickie to respected and much sought after trainer across many trades, Jonathan Skerratt had developed a fully accredited educational organisation that was changing people’s

John Borghetti, Daniel Tucker, Ken Wyatt and Michael Chaney

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lives.

Apprenticeships

and

training

community and also in correctional institutions, providing new hope and new directions for hundreds of young people.

Medium to Large Business Award Finalists in the Medium to Large Business Award came from Greece, India, Indonesia, Palestine and Lebanon.

From Palestine, a refugee, now living and working in NSW, Abraham Hatoum and LookSmart Alterations. A multimillion dollar, award-winning company specialising in clothing alteration.

Originally from Lebanon, based in NSW, Talal Elcheikh and Love N Care. A brand leader with a world’s best reputation for safety and reliability in baby products.

an entrepreneurial instinct. In a refugee camp, aged ten, he set up an orangejuice cart, selling refreshments to the guards. By 2010, he had created a multimillion dollar, award-winning company.

Abraham Hatoum came to Australia on a Humanitarian Visa, with only very basic English. He pursued his dream with the support of the Australian Palestinian community and has returned that support with an ongoing investment in people of all races.

With all the beautiful trophies awarded, with unprecedented support from all levels of business and government and Indigenous award and a long trek west, the 2010 ceremony had been a resounding

Indonesian-born Nisin Sunito’s Oceanic Multitrading. Operated from NSW, the company exported waste paper and live cattle and had grown from small

in bringing the EBA circus to Western Australia had also seen continued success in attracting sponsors and boded well for the ambitions of organisers to take the event to yet more and more locations

Punj Pars Ram, originally from India, operating out of Queensland with Pars Ram Brothers (Australia) had turned pulses into big business, with markets for its Australian-grown product in the UK and USA, Taiwan, the Philippines and the Indian Subcontinent.

Awards were not only well and truly on the map, they were travelling to its four corners.

Winner was: LookSmart Alterations “A country like heaven, with all the opportunities in the world” was how Abraham Hatoum described Australia. He has always had

Mark Twain

“

Greek immigrant, Con Saris, was operating out of Victoria, with Poseidon Tarama. Dealing in chilled foods, dips and yoghurts, and exporting to SouthEast Asia, the Black Swan brand had won many awards.

“

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.

Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.

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A Smart Business ... LookSmart

Smart tailor made A goodbusiness... fit at LookSmart Alterations

Through the company, founded in 1994, Palestinian Abraham Hatoum and his wife Maissa would end up altering not just clothes but their own lives, as well as the lives of the hundreds of people they were to employ and all the franchisees who would embrace their vision. Abraham had always had an entrepreneurial instinct.

In a refugee camp, aged ten, he set up an orange-juice cart, selling refreshments to the guards in order to survive. He eventually came to Australia on a Humanitarian Visa. With only very basic English, he pursued his dream with the support of the Australian Palestinian community and has since returned that support with an ongoing investment in people of all races.

“

... altering not just clothes but their own lives, as well as the lives of the hundreds of people they employ ...

“

Q

QUALIFYING as a winner in 2010 was LookSmart Alterations. It is the largest tailoring brand in Australia and New Zealand and one of the great success stories of Australian migrant business.

The company’s tailors are skilled in style, fit, alterations and clothing maintenance, with the brand now operating from nearly a hundred stores across Australia and New Zealand.

stores, including David Jones, Myer, Lisa Ho, Gianni Versace and Country Road.

Other corporate clients include NBC, IBM, the Australian Customs Service and the Department of Finance and Administration in the NSW Government.

LookSmart has fast become an Aussie favourite and was chosen by The Australian newspaper’s Small Business Editor, Peter Switzer, as one of Australia’s seventy most successful businesses.

Abraham Hatoum

In 2007, the Hatoum’s business was growing at a rate of almost one shop a fortnight, with twenty-four new branches added in that year alone, including expansion across the Tasman into New Zealand. Today, LookSmart is a multimillion dollar award-winning company with a turnover of more than $25 million a year, servicing nearly one million customers and a thousand retail fashion

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2011

W

WE WELCOME the opportunity to present the Government’s new multi-cultural policy, The People of Australia.

This policy recognises the amazing breadth and diversity of Australian society, and reaffirms the Government’s unwavering support for a culturally diverse and socially cohesive nation.

Australia’s multicultural policy complements our national characteristics of equality and having a fair go for all. It flows from our deep and abiding commitment to our democratic values.

The policy addresses the importance of the economic and social benefits of diversity, as well as our need to balance the rights and obligations of all who live here.

We know that the face of Australia has been transformed and continues to change in dynamic ways: in how we see ourselves, our neighbours and the world around us.

This new policy will ensure we remain responsive to these changes and the challenges that arise from them in our increasingly globalised world.

The Australian Multicultural Advisory Council is to be commended for their significant work on this policy and we thank them for their time and commitment.

Kate Lundy

We look forward to the implementation of this policy and its initiatives, which will benefit all Australians well into the future.

Chris Bowen, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Kate Lundy, Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs

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Since the 2010 ceremony in Perth, the Australian Government had launched Australia’s new Multicultural Policy, reaffirming a commitment to pursuing the benefits of multiculturalism and diversity. Across Australia, attitudes and ways of thinking were shifting: multiculturalism and diversity were being more universally accepted as a vital and generative way of life. The 2011 Ethnic Business Awards continued as a living example of that notion.

To start at the end (again!) Tracey Spicer’s closing words on the evening pointed out: “It’s been a truly multicultural night. From the traditional Welcome to Country, to entertainment from a Croatian, an AfroAustralian and a Greek-Australian and marvellous and inspiring stories from so many countries, including Australia itself.

Stories that ... inspire others to meet the challenges and embrace the opportunities that make Australia such a great place to do business.”

It was indeed a thoroughly multicultural evening. Staged in the Grand Ballroom of the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney, the twenty-third Ethnic Business Awards featured entertainment from veteran Croatian performer Oliver Dragojevic, acclaimed singer and daughter of Greek immigrant parents, Maria Mercedes and eleven-year-old African-Australian musical sensation Yannick Koffi. A showreel from past events also highlighted the incredible level of support and interest that the 197

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have all made to our strong and vibrant nation and its economy.”

The Prime Minister also reflected upon the importance of the Indigenous in Business Award, now in its second year.

In words relayed by the Senator, she said: “Indigenous business owners across a range of sectors are providing the dignity and benefits of work to many Australians, and I thank them for their hard work and dedication to their local communities.”

Tony Abbott and Kate Keenan

Awards had garnered over the years. And the finalists themselves were, of course, an eloquent tribute to the benefits of diversity.

As the founder of the Awards said: “The seven hundred nominees represent a diversity of religions, races and cultural backgrounds. They speak dozens of languages. For many of them, English is a work-in-progress. When they say G’day mate, they’re making an effort. But it’s an effort they are proud and happy to make.

“Refugees, skilled migrants, business migrants, those being reunited with family members, it doesn’t matter; they are all here to become a part of the great Australian story, to share the fruits of cultural diversity these Awards celebrate and they are here to add their own individual colour to the rainbow; their own note to the harmony, in business and in all aspects of life.”

A message from Prime Minister Julia Gillard, delivered by Senator the Hon. Kate Lundy, said: “Australia has benefited from the rich cultural traditions and enterprising spirit of people who have migrated from all over the world and who have sought haven here and I welcome the contribution you

Senator Lundy eloquently endorsed these views, saying: “Our cultural diversity and our multilingual workforce give Australia a distinct competitive advantage in the global economy, and it’s one of the many ways that Australia’s immigration program has shaped our direction as a nation. It has meant our distant shores no longer separate us from the rest of the world, our ties to all nations are cemented by the bond of family and the bond of culture.”

Tom Gericke and his team at Worldwide Pictures were only too aware of the range and reach of the Awards. They had spent weeks travelling the length and breadth of the country to record the finalists’ stories.

Also present were Liberal MPs Christopher Pyne and Scott Morrison.

The Finalists Indigenous in Business Message Stick Communications.

Michael McLeod, New South Wales.

Providing IT, communications and media services, the company was a “nimble niche player in a global industry sector that is dominated by very large players”.

Karen Milward Consulting Services.

Karen Milward, Victoria. The company was engaged in delivering Cultural Respect and Training Programs to indigenous communities throughout Australia.

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All smiles at the EBA 2011

Complete Workwear Services. Robert Stewart, Victoria. The company occupied two factories, employing forty-two people and delivering work-wear and uniforms across may different business fields.

Print Junction. Leon and Sheila Torzyn, South Australia. An awardwinning printing and graphic design company, Print Junction was servicing a wide range of businesses right up to very large corporations.

Small Business Award The Ghanem Group. Antoine Ghanem, Queensland/Lebanon. The group featured innovative restaurants, including Fifth Element and the flagship Byblos in Brisbane.

They had become gastronomic icons.

Wok in a Box. Cheng Pan, South Australia/China. Thirty-three Wok In A Box stores were operating throughout Australia as franchises with trained chefs, nutritionists and tailored menus.

Micropace. Michael Cejnar, New South Wales/Czech Republic. Micropace created and exported stimulators and other life-saving heart devices to over forty different countries.

E-Web Marketing. Gary Ng, New South Wales/Hong Kong. A fun, high-energy

Internet Marketing business, E-Web had forty highly-motivated team members and a massive portfolio of clients.

Medium to Large Business Award NSDC. Andy Mak, New South Wales/ Hong Kong. This coaching college provided exam-oriented, small-group coaching for students Australia-wide and was looking to expand into Canada and back into China.

Texas Peak. Sanjay Jain, Victoria/India.

Sporting equipment retail. Texas Peak had kicked off from a garage at home and by 2011 had a work force of a hundred and eighty and operated in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Jun Pacific. Seijiro Funayama, New South Wales/Japan. Asian Produce wholesale and retail. Jun Pacific, the wholesale arm of the business, employed a large, multicultural staff and had a projected income in excess of fifty million dollars.

Ruby Developments (Living Gems) Over 50s Lifestyle Resorts. Peter Puljich, Queensland/Croatia. From a refugee camp in Germany to resorts in Queensland.

Peter Puljich’s company had built over eleven hundred and fifty homes in five different resorts, with a sixth underway.

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The Winners Indigenous in Business Award

Nicole Stewart

Complete Workwear Services. A great country, full of opportunities. Starting in 1979 in the boot of a car and overcoming a heart attack, Robert Stewart built a company that owned and operated two factories and by 2011 was employing forty-two people, including his daughter, Nicole, who managed the company’s finances. This robust company continued strong after over thirty years’ work, seven days a week, fifty-two weeks a year.

Michael Cejnar

Small Business Award Micropace. Born in the Czech Republic, Michael Cejnar once left a prototype of his heart stimulator on a train in Munich, where its suspect appearance with reddigital readout caused the whole station to be shut down and sniffer dogs and bomb-squads to be called. Nevertheless, Micropace was now exporting stimulators and other life-saving devices to over forty different countries and was exploring expansion into Asian, Indian and South American markets.

Peter Puljich

Medium to Large Business Award Living Gems Over 50s Lifestyle Resorts. Peter Puljich grew up in a tiny village in Croatia, married his childhood sweetheart Zdravka, migrated to Australia in 1968 via a refugee camp and taught himself to be a plasterer despite almost losing his arm in a cane-crushing machine.

He was now building resorts for the over50s. His company had built over elevenhundred and fifty homes in five different complexes with a sixth then underway incorporating a further total of three hundred homes.

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Tracey Spicer and Joseph Healy, National Australia Bank

“

into a full time occupation for some, a yearly challenge for many and a regular pilgrimage, opportunity, reward or talking point for thousands. It had become one of the most prestigious business Awards in the country.

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

Winston Churchill

“

Another successful evening having concluded, the Ethnic Business Awards were already gearing up for 2012.

Increasingly, as their popularity grew, the organisational demands were ballooning.

Joseph Assaf ’s great idea had developed

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With Golden Soil and Wealth for Toil … Carey Mining

A

ARCHAEOLOGICAL and ethnographical evidence shows that one little corner of the world, the Shire of Ashburton in the Pilbara Region of Western Australia, has been inhabited by the Fortescue Banyjima people for over 35,000 years, just a blink in the lifetime of a mineral-rich region that’s around 2.8 billion years old.

The area is often referred to as the engine room of the nation, because of the immense reserves of natural resources that underlie a stunning natural beauty, striking landscapes and a very rich and diverse cultural heritage.

MiningSoil in the Pilbara Golden

Carey Mining enjoys a unique connection to the region. As Western Australia’s leading indigenous mining contractor, the company is uniquely placed to deliver added value to its clients in building local stakeholder relationships.

and the Wongatha Education Trust. The alternative training school for students at high risk is open to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students.

From working as a gardener and struggling to raise investment capital, Daniel Tucker has gone on to complete contracts with AngloGold Ashanti, Barrick Gold, BHPB Nickel West, Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals.

Winner of the Ethnic Business Awards Indigenous in Business Category in 2010, he has also won Outstanding Manager in the Corporate Leader Awards and, in 2012, won the WA services section in the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. Another amazing story of determination and success ...

Daniel Tucker

Carey Mining is a company with a very special vision. Its goal? To build a large and profitable mining and civil contracting company, not simply to generate returns for its stakeholders, but to provide meaningful, long-term training and employment for indigenous people.

Carey Mining is 100 per cent indigenous owned and managed and employs a significant indigenous workforce as part of its Indigenous Involvement charter. It also creates real opportunities for indigenous people through ABC Carey Training

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2012

V

VACUOUS misinterpretation of the MesoAmerican Long Count Calendar created a popular misconception that 21 December 2012 would be Doomsday. It was the end of the Mayan Calendar and, therefore, the end of the world. This was, however, simply the day that the calendar went to the next b’ak’tun, or short count cycle.

The Mayan name for a day was k’in.

Twenty of these k’ins comprise a winal.

Eighteen winals make one tun.

Twenty tuns are known as a k’atun.

Twenty k’atuns make a b’ak’tun, a short count cycle.

The contemplated world’s end was a classic example of cultural misunderstanding.

We’re still here.

Julia Gillard

The 2012 Ethnic Business Awards Ceremonial Dinner was held in the Sarah Grand Ballroom at Le Montage, in Sydney, and the Awards were dubbed “both a landmark and a signpost” in Australia’s business and cultural landscape.

A Welcome to Country from Gumaroy Newman opened events before Tracey Spicer, officiating once again, offered a warm welcome to the Prime Minister, the Hon. Julia Gillard, and the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. Tony Abbott.

Their Excellencies, Ambassadors of Croatia, Lebanon and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan were also in attendance, along with representatives of the diplomatic missions from China, Vietnam, Croatia, Turkey, Italy and Egypt and many

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other dignitaries from both federal and state governments and luminaries from all fields of business, media, and the community at large.

Interest in the Awards was as vital and widespread as ever. The hundreds of nominees had comprised a veritable rainbow of cultures, ethnicities, religions, countries of origin, and personal circumstance. They were also a mixture: of refugees, business migrants, those who came to Australia to join their families, and also sponsored migrants.

Two new sponsors were added to the growing list of support for the Awards: China Southern Airlines and the Diversity Council of Australia, both perfect fits for the EBA family. The Diversity Council, Australia’s only independent, not-forprofit workplace diversity adviser to business in Australia, had been established to encourage the very thing the Awards promote: diversity. Its support for the Ethnic Business Awards was a new and exciting addition as they headed into their twenty-fifth year. True diversity was at work, promoting diversity!

In his welcoming speech, Joseph Assaf greeted both Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott with the observation that “tolerance and freedom ... happen to be some of the fundamentals of democracy. They are the things that a true democracy aims for. At its best it coordinates its differences, harnesses them for the greatest good, enjoys and celebrates the outcomes. Without that 205

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well-conducted symphony of differences, we would have not harmony but discord or, just as bad, monotony, and all the things that implies: stasis, lack of inspiration, lack of growth, lack of excitement.

“It’s very encouraging, then, for me,” he said, “to see tonight two of our leading maestros ... sharing a table at this event.

Not just in the celebration, but in food, conversation, the acknowledgement of the common ground of offered hospitality, and the need to set aside political differences in support of a shared ideal.”

“Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, Julia, Tony,” he said, “welcome to my table. Welcome to my house, my house of diversity.”

In reply, the Prime Minister drew applause as she said: “It’s a pleasure to be at your table ... I am going to look forward to welcoming you in Canberra next year and,” she quipped, “in order to make that happen, I’ve needed, over the table, to negotiate the election date with Joseph.

But, I just want to remind: it’s a secret, Joseph, so don’t tell Tony at any stage of the night!”

On a more serious note, she went on to observe: “Immigration has worked. And it’s worked because we made it work. We accepted that our nation would never be defined by race or ethnicity, like so many other countries. Instead, we would define ourselves by our values and our way of life: our love of freedom and democracy; our egalitarian cast of mind and our relaxed outdoor lifestyle; our willingness to work hard and to play fair. And we said that anyone who embraced these things could be called an Australian. Your admission ticket was your commitment to choose this place from all the world. To serve it and fight for it, and always call it home.”

The Prime Minister went on to assert: “This is a century when innovators will flourish. A century when Australia will be served well by its creative, entrepreneurial culture and its vibrant multicultural society.

Our ethnic businesses are custodians of the many capabilities we need to succeed.

United in our diversity and unafraid of the future, let’s seize the opportunities of this Asian Century together.”

All of the finalists had clearly already taken that exhortation to heart and seized their own opportunities with both hands.

They were a formidable group.

Finalists and Winners Indigenous In Business Category New South Wales. Darren Jackson Electrical. Self-sufficient, self-starting, self-financed: Darren Jackson’s company trained their own indigenous apprentices, giving back to the community where Darren had lived his entire life.

Northern Territory. Bradley Seafoods.

Neil and Yvonne Bradley’s successful and extremely remote crabbing partnership, operated out of Manangoora Station.

Kate Lundy

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Western Australia. Pindari WA. David Pidek supplied building solutions and labour hire services providing employment for many young indigenous people in the mining sector through an Aboriginal Participation strategy.

New South Wales. Buri Building and Design. Meaning Place of Belonging, Will and Sharna Morgan’s company was a thriving indigenous enterprise competing in a tough marketplace.

The Winner Bradley Seafoods. This thriving Northern Territory mudcrab business was probably one of the toughest enterprises to access because of its remoteness. The Bradleys worked long hard weeks, pretty much every day, and provided these top class seafood delicacies to a voracious market.

With sheer hard work and perseverance, they had built an unparalleled business.

Small Business Award New South Wales, from China. Jian Yao’s Continental Patisserie Australia. This maker of a variety of high-end patisserie products was a finalist in the Pastry World Cup in France.

Victoria, from Croatia. Milenko Kuzmanovic’s Versatile Precast Industries.

A precast concrete manufacturer with both a civil and commercial arm, the company undertook contract work on freeways, buildings, bridges, dams and rail and tram lines.

New South Wales, from Jordan. Maher Magableh’s EzyMart Group. Forty-one stores had been established in the EzyMart group, a feat achieved in nine years.

New South Wales, from Lebanon.

Salem Sukkar’s Green Valley Dairy Corporation. This multi-award winning producer of dairy goat products was

Tony Abbott

supplying sixty thousand litres of high quality produce every week to over three hundred and fifty stores nationwide.

The Winner Green Valley Dairy Corporation. Salem Sukkar didn’t like working for the railways. So, like many immigrants, he returned to the traditions of his homeland and started with just two goats to make produce for his family. Many years later, his business was still family-owned and was a multi-award-winning producer of dairy products, employing over twenty people.

Supplying a massive domestic market, the company has very real opportunities for huge expansion.

Medium to Large Business Award Victoria, from Italy. Carlo Travaglini’s Alepat Taylor. Wine producers and exporters. The company had leapt forward and was looking at a further twenty-five per cent growth in the next couple of years.

Victoria, from China. Macro Dong’s Macro Groups. Sheet metal and electrical components manufacturer. In thirteen 207

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Salem Bradley and and Faddy FaddyZouky Zouky SalemSukkar, Sukkar,Henry HenryHe, He,Joseph Joseph Healy, Healy, Tony Tony Abbott, Abbott, Yvonne Yvonne Bradley

years, years, the the company company had had developed developed from from aa workforce of one person in a rented workforce of one person space spacetotonow nowemploying employing over over sixty sixty staff, in several severalfactories. factories.

New NewSouth South Wales, Wales, from from Vietnam.

Vietnam. Sinh Ong’s Ong’s Swan Swan Tissue Tissue Products Products Australia.

Sinh Sinh Ong Ong had had escaped escaped the the communist regime and and came came to to Australia Australia via refugee regime camps inin Malaysia Malaysia and and Indonesia.

Indonesia. Mancamps ufacturing tissue tissue products, products, his his company ufacturing wasglobalising globalisingits its brand. brand. was Victoria, from from Lebanon.

Lebanon. Faddy Faddy Zouky Victoria, and brothers’ brothers’ Zouki Zouki Group Group of Comand panies. This This company company was was transforming transforming panies. thehospital hospital retail retail experience experience in in Australia Australia the andlooking lookingto to do do the the same same thing thing back back in in and Lebanonand andthe theUAE. UAE. Lebanon TheWinner Winner The Zouki Group Group of of Companies.

Companies. Faddy Faddy Zouki Zouky and and his his brothers brothers had had highly highly Zouky innovative thinking thinking which which had had seen seen innovative them providing providing great great service service in in aa niche niche them market,aamarket marketthat thatno-one no-one had had properly properly market, addressed until they came along. Zouki addressed until they came along. Zouki Nareen Young, Diversity Council of Australia Nareen Young, Diversity Council of Australia

was employing employing over over six six hundred hundred people people was as itit serviced serviced twenty-eight twenty-eightsites sitesAustraliaAustraliawide, providing providing retail retail and and restaurant restaurant wide, services in in hospitals hospitals and and medical medicalcentres. centres. services had turned turned out out to to be beaapretty prettybig bigniche, niche, It had and one one through through which whichthe thebrothers brotherswere were and putting back back into intoAustralia.

Australia. putting It had had been been another another successful successfulevening, evening, albeit albeit with with aa slight slight glitch glitch when whenaapower power surge surge caused caused aa brief brief halt halt inin proceedings; proceedings; one one of of the the very very few few technical technical problems problems experienced, experienced, miraculously, miraculously,over overthe theyears. years.

In In closing closing an an otherwise otherwise very very successful successful evening of EBA celebrations, the evening of EBA celebrations, the MC, MC, Tracey Spicer, voiced a widely-shared Tracey Spicer, voiced a widely-shared sentiment sentiment when when she she said: said:“It “Itnever neverceases ceases to to amaze amaze me me just just how howmany manydreams dreamshave have sprung from those empty suitcases sprung from those empty suitcases toto enhance enhance and and enrich enrich the the lives lives not notjust justofof those those migrant migrant business business people people involved, involved, but of thousands of other Australians but of thousands of other Australianswho who are provided with work, enjoy products and are provided with work, enjoy products and services, services, and and profit profitfrom fromthese thesecompanies’ companies’ inputs into our business life and our social inputs into our business life and our social Julia Gillard, Sheba Nandkeolyar and Joseph Healy Julia Gillard, Sheba Nandkeolyar and Joseph Healy

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Julia Gillard and Henry He, General Manager, Australia and New Zealand, China Southern Airlines

fabric. It all goes to prove that, as Joseph Assaf says, multiculturalism really is a way of life in Australia.”

is full of enterprise, success and optimism for the future.”

Tracey continued: “When Joseph conceived the Ethnic Business Awards nearly a quarter of a century ago, it was his dream that, by celebrating achievements such as these and honouring those who have themselves dared to dream, we might make Australia an even better and more vibrant place to do business. He has certainly realised that dream. The suitcase

The future is, of course, only ever a breath away. For the Ethnic Business Awards, a hectic six months lay ahead. With an election looming and the Centenary of Canberra presenting a clear and exciting target date for celebrations, preparations for the 2013 Ceremony would need to be fast-tracked if we were to join Julia Gillard at her table in the Great Hall.

Julia Gillard and Maher Magableh, CEO, EzyMart Group

Julio Marin, Julia Gillard and Maria Tzovaras, EBA

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Julia Gillard

“

Today, the skills and connections of our ethnic businesses are even more valuable than ever, as the world centre of economic gravity shifts our way: the transformation unprecedented in speed and scale we call The Asian Century ...

This is a century in which innovators will flourish, a century in which Australia will be served well by its creative, entrepreneurial culture and its vibrant multicultural society.

Our ethnic businesses are custodians of the many capabilities we need to succeed.

The Asian Century EBA BOOK - 2.indd 213

“

Julia Gillard Prime Minister

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Real Hospitality ... Zouki

D

DRY, STALE SANDWICHES and dated decor. For years, that’s what most people saw when they visited a hospital cafe.

Faddy Zouky said: “My brothers and I like to take risks. We enjoy challenges. And we also like to, if you like, invade territory that nobody else has done.”

Zouki family, originally from Lebanon, saw business potential.

In each hospital, the Zouki brothers do

At the heart of the Zouki Group of Companies are three brothers whose talent, determination and foresight are setting new standards in catering and retail services across Australia and beyond. After successfully developing and operating a number of reception centres, retail outlets and popular cafes, Faddy Zouky and his brothers Sam and Joseph Zouki focused their entrepreneurial skills on an unusual food retail opportunity ... public hospitals.

expand the menu. Turnover and volumes are huge. At the Monash Medical Centre, for instance, around four thousand meals

Since mid-2000, the Zouki brothers’ prime focus has been on delivering to healthcare environments the very best

It’s a tried-and-true Lebanese way of approaching business: that is, as a shared

began with a contract to revamp and run the cafe at Melbourne’s Alfred Hospital.

Faddy Zouky

Joseph Zouki told us: “A lot of people were advising me that the Alfred, a hospital with a major trauma centre, is an awful environment, and people wouldn’t spend money. But we thought it was fertile ground for business.”

From that one-cafe operation in 2001, the Zouki brothers now have over sixty outlets operating under the Zouki banner across Australia, with further expansion currently underway in the Middle East.

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annual rent to the hospital of well over a million dollars.

“We pay the hospital a base rent and then work on a percentage rent after certain turnover. We make sure that the hospitals turnover,” Sam Zouki said.

of skills and opportunity ... and yet another sterling example of multiculturalism at work in the Australian business landscape.

Zouki has recently built large retail developments at Sydney’s Westmead Hospital and Royal North Shore Hospital. all our recent constructions, designs and Royal Melbourne, Westmead Children’s and the Royal Women’s Hospital, we have invested over $25 million.

“We were under the radar for a while, but certainly many people are paying 213

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Zouki Catering

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Exotic Zouki beverages Exotic ExoticZouki Zoukibeverages beverages

““

From small cafe, Zouki Froma aasmall smallcafe, cafe,thethe theZouki Zouki From brothers revolutionised brothersrevolutionised revolutionised brothers hospital food and retail hospitalfood foodand andthethe theretail retail hospital platform, where workers and platform, platform,where whereworkers workersand and visitors can find refuge from visitors visitorscan canfind findrefuge refugefrom from the emotional challenges the theemotional emotionalchallenges challenges hospital environment. ofof ofa aahospital hospitalenvironment. environment.

Zouki brothers Zouki brothers Zouki brothers

““

attention now.

They’re noticing our attentiontoto tousus usnow. now.They’re They’renoticing noticingour our attention business acumen and we have had many businessacumen acumenand andwewehave havehad hadmany many business people knock on our doors wishing people knock knockononour ourdoors doorswishing wishingtoto to people invest with us.” investwith withus.” us.” invest 2012 Ethnic Business Award winners, 2012Ethnic EthnicBusiness BusinessAward Awardwinners, winners, 2012 Zouki Group of Companies, have truly ZoukiGroup GroupofofCompanies, Companies,have havetruly truly Zouki been successful in adding a new twist beensuccessful successfulininadding addinga anew newtwist twisttoto to been the meaning of hospitality. themeaning meaningofofhospitality. hospitality. the

Overleaf; Yidaki Yulugi Indigenous Performers Overleaf; Overleaf;Yidaki YidakiYulugi YulugiIndigenous IndigenousPerformers Performers

FaddyZouky, Zouky, JosephZouki Zouki and Sam Zouki Faddy and Sam Zouki Faddy Zouky,Joseph Joseph Zouki and Sam Zouki

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The Envelopes, Please …

Y

YES, IT’S THE MOMENT we’ve all been waiting for. For the twenty-fifth time, it’s that part of the evening (or this book, actually) when we announce the winners. It was decided, on this twenty-fifth birthday of the Ethic Business Awards, to revisit past winners in all categories, to draw up a short list of finalists and to choose from that list a supreme winner, a Champion of Champions, in each of three categories:

Indigenous in Business, drawn from all finalists and winners in this category since it was introduced in 2010. All Finalists in all other categories over the past twentyfour years. All Winners in all other categories over the past twenty-four years.

Eve Crestani

These designations were determined because of the relatively short history of the Indigenous in Business award category and because of the changing profiles of many businesses in the other categories over the years. Many a small business, for instance, is now enormous! Choosing the champions in each of these categories was made even more difficult than usual for the judging panel, who had to take some additional criteria into consideration.

These extra criteria were: the changing economic climate; hardship endured; financial obstacles overcome; social obstacles overcome; company financial viability; fiscal application to the company; positioning in the marketplace; potential future growth in the marketplace; ingenuity and creativeness in the marketplace; contribution to Australia and its social fabric;

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contribution to the community. Our judges this year were: Don Argus Don Argus AC AO is the former Chairman of BHP Billiton, the world’s largest diversified resource company. He has a long-standing relationship with the Ethnic Business Awards. During his time as CEO and Managing Director of the National Australia Bank, Don offered his full support to ensure the recognition of migrant contributions to Australia’s economic development and to Australia’s cultural and social fabric. In 1998, Don was made an Officer of the Order of Australia and then a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2012. In 2003, he was awarded the Centenary Medal for service to Australian society through business.

Eve Crestani Eve Crestani is a professional director and consultant, specialising in strategic project management and business solution implementation. She is Chairman of Mercer’s Trustee Company and a director of Australian Unity Group, Pillar Australia and Booking.com. Eve also acts as a mentor to CEOs and partners of professional firms.

Eve has consulted to various organisations including the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, Fairfax Interactive (F2), eCorp, ING Australia, KPMG and the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), where she is now a member of the ASX Disciplinary Tribunal.

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Allan Gyngell Allan Gyngell AO has had a wide background in international policymaking and analysis. He was First Assistant Secretary in the International Division of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. From 1993 to 1996, he was foreign policy adviser to Paul Keating.

He was the founding Executive Director of the Lowy Institute for International Policy and in July 2009 was appointed Director-General of the Office of National Assessments (ONA). In that year, Allan was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for his service to international relations and security policy.

Carla Zampatti One of Australia’s most celebrated fashion pioneers, Carla has been recognised with a number of Australian and international awards for achievement and excellence.

She is a Member of the Order of Australia (AM), and has been appointed by the Italian Government as Commendatore (Commander) in the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.

She has also at various times been named the Bulletin/Qantas Businesswoman of the Year and Designer of the Year by the Australia fashion industry. In 2009 Carla was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for her leadership in the fashion and retail sectors, for her contributions to multicultural broadcasting, and for being a superlative role model for women.

A Small Subterfuge This year, we confess, we also had to indulge in some small subterfuge in order to accommodate the publication of this history of the Awards. Our judges were put on a strict deadline to make their choice,

so that we could announce the 2013 winners in this book and also supply a celebratory photograph of the Champions.

In obtaining those images, we told the finalists they were all being photographed “so that a press release could be made on the night”.

Publication of this book was then strictly embargoed, with the few people who knew the identity of the winners sworn to secrecy. At the Ceremony, no-one but the judges and the principal organisers of the Awards knew the identity of the winners. And, if you weren’t there, neither will you, until you turn the page! A small subterfuge to help generate and enhance the drama! By the time of the Ceremony, the shortlisted businesses (all outstanding candidates) had been pared down to just twelve previous winners and finalists.

Indigenous in Business Category Bradley Seafoods. Yvonne and Neil Bradley – EBA 2012. Mudcrabbing in the far north!

Buri Building and Design. Will Morgan – EBA 2012. A Place of Belonging for a growing indigenous workforce.

Carey Mining. Daniel Tucker – EBA 2010. Massive mining contracts and an Indigenous Involvement charter.

Pindari WA. David Pidek – EBA 2012.

The high ground. Providing employment for many young indigenous people in the mining sector.

All Finalists Category Cerrone Jewellers. Nicola Cerrone (Italy) – EBA 1993, 2000. The name on the lips of the rich and famous, and those who strive to be, when they need jewellery to wear to red-carpet events or special occasions in their private lives.

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Jun Pacific. Seijiro Funayama (Japan) – EBA 2011. Importer and wholesaler of Japanese groceries and household goods, having begun in retail as Tokyo Mart in 1976, now with offices and warehouses in four capital cities.

Nicheliving. Paul Bitdorf (Poland) – EBA 2009. The Niche concept: affordable, highly sustainable housing in desirable, established metropolitan suburbs, with in-house finance broking and financial planning services.

Romeo’s Retail Group. Antonio Romeo (Italy) – EBA 2004, 2009. From its first small suburban supermarket in Adelaide in 1987 to running dozens of retail outlets, already well on the way to realising Antonio Romeo’s dream of becoming a leading Australian supermarket chain.

All Winners Category ABC Tissue Products. Henry Ngai (Hong Kong) – EBA 2004. The only Australian-owned large tissue manufacturer, now with more than 30 per cent market share. Began as a tissue importer in 1986 and grew with a core goal of always keeping customers happy.

Chieu Duong The Sunrise Newspaper.

David Giang (Vietnam) – EBA 1993.

The first and only Vietnamese daily newspaper, publishing throughout Australia continuously since 1980 and presently expanding to the United States and to many countries in Asia and Europe.

Schiavello Group. Antonino Schiavello (Italy) – EBA 1990. Founded in 1966 with two carpenters and borrowed tools doing office interior fitouts, and now a multi-disciplinary global organisation, and a recognised world leader in the design

Julia Gillard and Tom Gericke, Worldwide Pictures

and production of innovative whole-ofworkplace systems and solutions.

SI&D (Aust). Sue Ismiel (Syria) – EBA 1999. The result of a mother’s inventiveness to help one of her daughters, Nad’s natural hair removal gel led to and remains at the heart of a strong and robust international brand capable of withstanding almost any challenge that comes its way.

All of these people and companies are, of course, winners in their own right! All have made, and continue to make, an outstanding contribution, not only to Australia’s economic life but to its social and cultural fabric.

They have enriched and uplifted us, and by their examples, they have broadcast a message to the world: that in Australia anything is possible and dreams can become real.

For three of these winners, dreaming and achieving have brought them all the ultimate reward.

And the winners are …

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Ethnic Business Awards 1988 - 2013 Champion of Champions All Finalists Category

Antonio Romeo Romeo’s Retail Group

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BC Forbes

“

Time to celebrate !

“

History has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed.

They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats.

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Ethnic Business Awards 1988 - 2013 Champion of Champions Indigenous in Business Category

Daniel Tucker Carey Mining

Sparkling success !

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“

“

The act of taking the first step is what separates the winners from the losers.

Brian Tracy

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Ethnic Business Awards 1988 - 2013 Champion of Champions All Winners Category

Henry Ngai ABC Tissue Products

“

Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them.

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“

Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Of course, the real winner is …

Australia

Z

ZEAL AND SUCCESS aren’t just only measured in numbers. The contributions of migrants to Australia’s economy are indeed measurable in economic terms. Just take a look at the information contained in the Australian Census over the years.

However compelling the numbers may be, other equally significant benefits to Australia lie in less tangible, less quantifiable areas. This history makes mention of just a few of them. It doesn’t only focus on the individual finalists and winners; it also touches on things like the variety of foods now available to us, the variety of music and entertainment, the rich interweave of cultures, languages, faiths, dress and customs we now enjoy. It is a history of diversity.

We have opened up our land and, for the most part, our hearts, to a huge and diverse influx of people from all over the world and we continue to do this at a time when Australia’s place in the world is shifting.

We are increasingly becoming tied to Asia, both economically and culturally, as trade alliances shift and change, as world politics follow suit and as Australia re-evaluates its position in the global economy. These are changes we need to make in order to survive and prosper. To make those changes, we need to continue to reflect on the advantages we are afforded by our developing multicultural heritage.

It’s true that the necessary openheartedness is not universal in Australia.

There is still much frequent debate about migration generally, about refugees, foreign workers, so-called boat people detention centres and the related government policy.

There are still those who would have us return to bygone days when we were far less welcoming and less open to embracing differences.

This must be seen not as a divisive matter of contention but, rather, as an opportunity: a challenge to be met. The Ethnic Business Awards tries to meet that challenge, to seize that opportunity by seeking not only to reward migrant business people but also to inform and educate other Australians by taking its positive message to the whole country.

Increasingly, the nation is listening. The more it listens, the more it can embrace the principles articulated by the Awards and the greater will be the reward to the country as a whole: economically, culturally and socially.

We are companions on a journey together, although sometimes uneasy ones.

It may be a journey without end; but like all journeys, it is the road and the things we gather along the way that are most important. Undertaking the journey is a positive thing in itself. It makes Australia as a whole the winner over and above its component parts and it opens up new opportunities, new horizons and the prospect of a safer, more secure place in a changing world.

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Stop Press ... History in the Making

Y

YEA, A SAFE and a secure place in a changing world …? As it turns out, there is little that is safe and secure in politics.

As events transpired, the night of the 25th Ethnic Business Awards would be the occasion of Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s last major public speaking engagement while in office.

Joseph Healy, National Australia Bank

It was a glittering celebration and, for the Ethnic Business Awards, business as usual.

But throughout the evening, division bells sounded in Parliament House and politicians attending were forced to hasten in and out of the celebrations.

There was a sense of things brewing, an edge of excitement or tension among the politicians in the room. In fact, with the 43rd Parliament in its last week of sitting, there was considerable pressure to get through a great deal of business in the House.

The transactions of government were continuing as normal but behind the legislative requirements and activities there were, indeed, more things afoot …

Regardless of what might have been

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Winston Churchill

“

“

A politician needs the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month and next year (and to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn’t happen).

happening elsewhere in the building, both Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott remained in the Great Hall with the gathered guests; among them were representatives from the embassies, consulates and legations of over twenty different countries.

There were also dozens of guests from the world and commerce, the arts and a huge multicultural media contingent.

Politicians abounded. It was a truly bipartisan affair, with a number of important representatives from both sides of politics.

Scott Morrison, Liberal member for Cook and Shadow Immigration Minister as well as Christopher Pyne, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training rubbed shoulders with Labor’s Kate Lundy, Senator for the ACT and Minister for Multicultural Affairs.

Liberal members Ken Wyatt and Philip Ruddock both shared the evening’s celebrations with Labor’s Maria Vamvakinou, Calwell’s MP of Greek descent, and the Labor Party’s Returning Officer, Chris Hayes, who was soon to play an important part in unfolding events.

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Joseph spoke of discovering a dream, left unpacked, in his empty suitcase.

That dream was “the recognition and celebration of the resilience and enterprise of all migrants who had come here with their own empty suitcases and who, against all odds, had achieved great success.”

The dream had evolved into the Ethnic Business Awards. Joseph Assaf thanked SBS for their continued support in the enterprise, remarking that the Awards, right from the beginning, had been:

“

... an act of faith, not just in an idea, but in migrant business itself.

“

The division bells were faint but insistent and they had to be answered as the evening unfolded, resulting in a quiet ebb and flow of the politicians. Other guests seemed not to mind; after all, we were in their 230house, a fact acknowledged in a moving opening speech from Joseph Assaf, the Founder of the Awards, who said he was “well-accustomed to standing in someone else’s shoes but … entirely overwhelmed by the very warm welcome into someone else’s house.”

In response, Michael Ebeid, Managing Director of SBS, spoke of a perfect partnership, a “bond which has endured for many decades because of our shared goal to celebrate the people and stories which underpin Australia’s success as a migrant nation.” He said that: “SBS brings stories to life which help us to understand who we are, what we stand for, and where we are going. Stories which help all Australians appreciate the value of diversity.”

Michael Ebeid also announced SBS’s sponsorship of another initiative in that regard: “a 25-year anniversary book about the Ethnic Business Awards. Titled Celebrating Diversity, the book collates the incredibly inspiring stories of our migrant community over the history of

Great Hall, Parliament House, Canberra Great Hall, Parliament House, Canberra

right from the beginning, had been: enterprise, remarking that the Awards, SBS for their continued support in the Business Awards. Joseph Assaf thanked The dream had evolved into the Ethnic all odds, had achieved great success.” their own empty suitcases and who, against of all migrants who had come here with celebration of the resilience and enterprise That dream was “the recognition and left unpacked, in his empty suitcase.

Joseph spoke of discovering a dream, else’s house.” by the very warm welcome into someone else’s shoes but … entirely overwhelmed “well-accustomed to standing in someone Founder of the Awards, who said he was 230 opening speech from Joseph Assaf, the house, a fact acknowledged in a moving to mind; after all, we were in their EBA BOOK - not 2.indd 232 of the politicians. Other guests seemed

migrant community over the history of the incredibly inspiring stories of our Celebrating Diversity, the book collates the Ethnic Business Awards. Titled regard: “a 25-year anniversary book about sponsorship of another initiative in that Michael Ebeid also announced SBS’s appreciate the value of diversity.” going. Stories which help all Australians are, what we stand for, and where we are to life which help us to understand who we nation.” He said that: “SBS brings stories underpin Australia’s success as a migrant to celebrate the people and stories which many decades because of our shared goal partnership, a “bond which has endured for Director of SBS, spoke of a perfect In response, Michael Ebeid, Managing

business itself. but in migrant

“

15/10/13 1:20 PM

these awards,” he said. “The stories in this amazing book have been a life’s work for Joseph and the many people and companies featured in it. I highly recommend it to you because it is a wonderful record of our migrant history.”

Michael Ebeid expressed SBS’s intention to continue to play “our part in inspiring the next generation of Australians to understand the value of diversity and celebrate its success and place within Australian life.” This was important because, he added:

“

“

The challenge of successful multiculturalism will never disappear.

In his opening remarks, Joseph Assaf had also thanked his Founding Partner, the National Australia Bank, who right from the start, he said, had supported his dream and walked the journey with him for the last twenty-five years.

Anna and Ken Wyatt

Julia Gillard

Joseph Healy, the Group Executive of Business Banking for NAB, responded by thanking the Ethnic Business Awards for the opportunity to celebrate and reward migrant and indigenous entrepreneurs and recognise their important contribution to Australian business and our economy.

“Twenty-five years ago,” he said, “the business landscape was a lot different.

In 1987 the Australian dollar was worth around seventy-one US cents. Home loan interest rates were around fifteen percent and we had very little diversification by way of exports”.

“Today our exports are as diverse as the businesses that contribute to our economy and as varied as the markets they go to. One market that has captured the imagination of Australian business more than any other during the last few years is Asia.”

Joseph Healy’s speech echoed the sentiments express by Julia Gillard at the 2012 Awards when she spoke of Australia’s developing focus on The Asian Century.

It was a theme to which she returned on 231

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Michael Ebeid, SBS CEO and MD, Joseph Assaf and Joseph Skrzynski, SBS Chairman

this evening, in what was to be her last speaking engagement as Prime Minister.

“The Asian Century”, she said, “has dawned. The centre of world economic activity is moving closer. The share of world output generated within 10,000 kilometres of Australia’s borders has doubled over the past half-century. It now accounts for more than a third of all global output.” She went on to state that:

“

“

Multiculturalism is a success story. Perhaps our greatest success as a modern nation.

“Ethnic businesses,” she said, “have much to do with the prosperity, stability and strength of our economy” and …

“Through human history, migration has, to some extent, selected the risk-

takers: the men and women who see opportunity and seize it; those who see a glass half full and have a plan for the other half. The very qualities so essential to business and entrepreneurialism.” The Prime Minister continued, offering her sincere congratulations to “all those ethnic businessmen and women whose stories and successes are so central to Australia’s national story. Our story. Our unique contribution to the shape of the world.

Written, in pride and unity, together.”

It seemed fitting that Joseph Assaf had earlier remarked: “Prime Minister, you were absolutely right when, at last year’s Awards, you said: ‘Migration has worked’ ”.

He had also suggested that: “Mr Abbott, you were spot on as well, when you said: ‘Without migration, Australia would be the biggest loser’. And, now if you’ll allow me, I’ve also been on

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the money when I’ve stated that every one of our migrants is a mini-economic the money when I’ve stated that every stimulus one of package.” our migrants is a mini-economic

stimulus On this package.” particular night, Tony Abbott, Leader of the Opposition, was Abbott, in full On this particular night, Tony agreement the Prime Leader ofwith the both Opposition, wasMinister in full Julia Gillard and Joseph Assaf.

He agreement with both the Prime Minister also a very eloquentAssaf. speech, Juliamade Gillard and Joseph He effusively supportive the principles also made a very ofeloquent speech, ofeffusively multiculturalism the principles valuable supportive and of the of multiculturalism the business valuable contributions made by and migrant made byand migrant business tocontributions Australia’s economic social fabric. to Australia’s economic and social fabric.

““

The great thing about our The great thing about our country is that we have country is that we have been able to celebrate our been able to celebrate our diversity because we are diversity because we are sososecure in our unity. secure in our unity.

“

“Many countries”, Mr Abbott said, “have “Many countries”, Mr Abbott said, “have ethnic ethnicdiversity. diversity.What Whatmakes makesthis this country country special is the warmth of the welcome special is the warmth of the welcome which whichis isextended extendedtotoeveryone everyonewho who comes comes

here to join our team to make a life in this greattocountry”. here join our team to make a life in this

great country”.

“The beauty of the people we celebrate tonight,” he of continued, they “The beauty the people“whether we celebrate be the ethnic business success stories tonight,” he continued, “whether theyor thethe indigenous businesssuccess successstories stories, be ethnic business or is thatindigenous in every case outsiders have become the business success stories, is insiders.

The migrant story is very central that in every case outsiders have become to our The national existence.

The central migrant insiders. migrant story is very story people existence. coming here from all to ourofnational The migrant story of people coming herea from over the world and making betteralllife over the world and makingunder a better life for themselves, sometimes difficult for themselves, sometimes underdimension difficult circumstances, lends a heroic circumstances, a heroic dimension to our nationallends life ...” to our national life ...”

We agree. The wealth that these heroic We agree.bring The to wealth theseand heroic migrants our that country our migrants bring to our country and our society can be measured in many ways: society be measured in many ways: cultural,canartistic, financial, gastronomic, cultural, artistic, financial, gastronomic, linguistic and so on and so on. As was linguistic and so on and so on. As was said on the night of the 25th Awards: said on the night of the 25th Awards: “Diversity is, truly, one of our greatest “Diversity is, truly, one of our greatest assets, and and one oneofofour ourgreatest greatestinsurances insurances assets, against global globalfinancial financialebb ebband andflow. flow.The The against harmonythat thatcan canbebeachieved achievedbybyhonestly honestly harmony

Gary Gray, Tracey Spicer, Assaf Gary Gray, Tracey Spicer,Angela AngelaAssaf, Assaf,Julia JuliaGillard Gillard and and Joseph Joseph Assaf

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toward a truly multicultural society were to be shared by other organisations, other countries and other societies across the globe. That is why we continue to take our message to the world.”

Part of that process, for the second year, was one of the Awards’ newest and most enthusiastic sponsors, China Southern Airlines, represented on the night by Henry He, GM, Australia and New Zealand, who pronounced Australia to be “a key part of our Global expansion program,” inviting Australians to “visit all parts of China and to fly on to almost 200 destinations on our celebrated Canton route to the world.”

Christopher Pyne and the Romeos

embracing such diversity could well serve as an example to the world: with peace and mutual understanding as the product of lively debate, genuine interaction, and warm-hearted acceptance. What a different place the world might be if we could be a role model, if our aspirations

Henry He told the gathered guests that “China Southern sees much merit in these Awards because they promote multiculturalism and reward ethnic and indigenous Australians.” He said that “like other ethnic organisations in Australia, China Southern wishes to be a lasting part of the Australian Landscape.”

Henry He also demonstrated a genuine feel for the political nuances in play on that

George and Nancy Haddad, and Philip Ruddock

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night, underlined by the sound of division bells, when he noted that “We read in the daily press that Parliament House is a place of considerable intrigue at the moment, so, as a guest to your country, I am doubly excited to be here tonight in this Great Hall of the Australian Parliament.”

Just like Joseph Assaf, he was also on the money.

The very next day, at 7 pm on the evening of Wednesday, 26 June 2013, at Julia Gillard’s instigation, the Labor Caucus gathered and voted on the question of the party’s leadership. After the ballot, Kevin Rudd became the new Prime Minister, with a vote of 57 to 45.

Julia Gillard was deposed in a leadership spill. The conditions of the vote required the loser to bow out of politics and so, it was hoped, put an end to any continued speculation about the Labor Party’s leadership issues.

On that Wednesday evening, Kevin Rudd came out the winner and he was the next day sworn in as Prime Minister.

Julia Gillard, although she had lost the ballot, received proper acclaim from both Kevin Rudd and from her colleagues for her many achievements and she was both graceful and dignified in defeat. Other casualties included Wayne Swan, who resigned as deputy leader and was replaced

by Anthony Albanese, while Penny Wong replaced Stephen Conroy as Labor’s Senate leader. Frontbenchers Greg Combet, Peter Garrett, Joe Ludwig and Craig Emerson joined Wayne Swan and Senator Conroy in quitting Cabinet following the vote.

Unlike the Ethnic Business Awards, they had not been “insulated from the ebb and flow” that characterises political life.

Not least among Julia Gillard’s attributes, as far as the EBA was concerned, had been

Tony Abbott

her staunch commitment to the ideals and goals of the Awards, and her ongoing support of their endeavours.

That support, despite the change, seems set to continue; whether it turns out, in this election year, to be with Kevin Rudd and another Labor government, or with Tony Abbott and the Coalition.

That continued support has already been foreshadowed in speeches at previous Awards nights by both Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott and it devolves from the fact that the Ethnic Business Awards has always been a non-partisan, apolitical entity. Perhaps even more importantly, in the same way that migrant business insulates Australia from the vicissitudes of economic change in the global arena, so do the goals of the Awards. These are shared with both sides of politics and help to preserve their ongoing work in a changing political world.

Our sincere congratulations go to The Champions of Champions: Antonio Romeo, Daniel Tucker and Henry Ngai.

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audience for the Awards celebration evening had suddenly been given an unexpected boost. In a way, it was an unintended broadcasting coup.

Scott Morrison

The news of the political changes in Canberra was of global interest and with the Awards celebrations to be widely and frequently broadcast in the weeks following the leadership spill, it seemed likely that there would be even more interest in the event, because this was now Julia Gillard’s final public speaking engagement as Prime Minister of Australia. The potential David Giang and Jason Clare

“

“

In the end, whatever the government, whoever the personalities, the Ethnic Business Awards will keep on turning out winners.

Like the Ethnic Business Awards organisation, Sheba Nandkeolyar and MultiConnexions (a full service, awardwinning agency specialising in multicultural marketing, advertising, and communications) were excited at the prospect. The company connects with a contemporary market of ten million ethnic Australians and for many years has assisted the Ethnic Business Awards event with public relations, publishing printed material and staffing.

Tony Burke and Kate Lundy

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Winners areare grinners!

Tucker,EBA EBAChampions Champions2013 2013 Winners grinners!Antonio AntonioRomeo, Romeo,Henry HenryNgai Ngai and and Daniel Tucker,

MultiConnexions also also assists assists with with the MultiConnexions communication ofof information information about about communication Awardstotomany manyethnic ethniccommunities. communities. thetheAwards Now,the thecompany company would would be be aa part part of of Now, ensuringthat thatthe themulticultural multicultural message, message, ensuring expressedbybythe theAwards Awardsevening evening and and by by as as expressed JuliaGillard Gillardininher herlast lastPrime Prime Ministerial Ministerial Julia engagement,would wouldbe beseen seenby bymany many more more engagement, millionsofofpeople, people,worldwide. worldwide. millions Little had anyone realised, as they all Little had anyone realised, as they all gathered for the celebrations on the night, gathered for the celebrations on the night, that the political landscape (or certainly that political landscape certainly the the highest points of its (or topography) thewashighest points of so its suddenly topography) about to change and was about to change so suddenly and comprehensively. The twelve nominees comprehensively. twelve nominees on the Tuesday The evening in Parliament onHouse, the Tuesday evening in Parliament like Henry He, had, of course, House, likerumblings Henry He, had, of and course, heard the in the press over heard the rumblings in the the airwaves, but they hadpress no and idea over that thesuch airwaves, they hadsonoswiftly. idea And that change but would come such would comeAfter so swiftly. whychange would they realise? all, theyAnd had their own they aspirations achievements to why would realise?and After all, they had occupy their ownthem. aspirations and achievements to occupy them.

There There were werealso alsoan aneven evengreater greaternumber number of wonderful wonderfulprizes prizeson onoffer offerforforthis this25th 25th year celebration. year celebration.

Apart Apart from from the thefabulous fabuloustrophy trophyand anditsits accompanying accompanying nominee’s nominee’s plaque, plaque,there there were double business class tickets from were double business class tickets from China China Southern SouthernAirlines Airlinesfrom fromany anyofoftheir their four Australian ports to London, Paris four Australian ports to London, Paris Amsterdam, or London; the $10,000 cash Amsterdam, or London; the $10,000 cash prize from the NAB; and, in addition, prize from the NAB; and, in addition, access to a formidable range of the bank’s access to a formidable range of the bank’s services, including a Business Banking services, including a Business strategic Banking Senior Executive as a consultant, Senior Executive a consultant, strategic sessions, dinners as and hospitality.

A sessions, dinners and hospitality.

A fantastic prize package! fantastic prize package!

Joseph Assaf ’s work of twenty-five years Joseph Assafrewarded ’s work ofbytwenty-five years had also been Julia Gillard’s had also been of rewarded

by Julia Gillard’s announcement his appointment to the announcement his appointment Civil Society 20 of group (the C20) as to partthe Civil group (the C20)process as part of our Society country’s20wider engagement of our country’s wider engagement process for the G20 meeting to be held in Australia in for2014. the G20 meeting to be held in Australia in 2014.

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MultiConnexions staffwith withJoseph Josephand andAngela AngelaAssaf, Assaf, Sheba Sheba Nandkeolyar, Nandkeolyar, Maria and Tracey Spicer MultiConnexions staff MariaTzovaras Tzovarasfrom fromthe theEBA EBA and Tracey Spicer

verybig bigpart partofof that that initiative initiative “will “will A Avery showcasing Australia’s Australia’s grand grand multimultibebeshowcasing culturalsuccess successstory story and and how how itit helps helps cultural reachout outtoto the the world”, world”, the the Prime Prime ususreach Ministersaid. said.

Minister JuliaGillard’s Gillard’s final final public public speaking speaking If IfJulia event was to represent an unexpected event was to represent an unexpected

broadcasting broadcastingcoup coupfor forthe theEthnic EthnicBusiness Business Awards Awards then then so, so,ininitsitsown ownway, way,does doesthethe publication publicationofofthis thisbook bookrepresent representa strange a strange and and unique uniqueliterary literaryscoop. scoop.ItItusually usuallytakes takes many months for a book to come out, many months for a book to come out, covering covering the the exciting excitingpolitical politicalevents eventsthat that have made recent history, but this stop have made recent history, but this stop

Bruce Wolpe, Senior Adviser, PM Gillard’s office, Sanjeev Nandkeolyar, Instock Australia, Sheba Nandkeolyar, CEO Bruce Wolpe, SeniorWill Adviser, PMGroup Gillard’s Nandkeolyar, Sheba Telstra Nandkeolyar, MultiConnexions, Irving, MD,office, TelstraSanjeev Business, Andy Every, Instock RegionalAustralia, Sales Manager, BusinessCEO MultiConnexions, Will Irving, Group MD, Telstra Business, Andy Every, Regional Sales Manager, Telstra Business

238

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press will, without doubt, be the very presstowill, be the very first printwithout in bookdoubt, form. Naturally, we first to print in book form.

Naturally, we make no claim toward analysing or in any makecomprehensively no claim toward covering analysing the or inevents any way wayWednesday comprehensively the events of 26 Junecovering 2013, but we can of Wednesday 26 June 2013, but we canto claim to be an interesting little sidebar claimparticular to be an moment interestinginlittle sidebar to that history. that particular moment in history.

There is no doubt many people who There is no doubt many people who were in attendance in the Great Hall of were in attendance in the Great Hall of Parliament House on that night will one Parliament House on that night will one day be saying: “I was there when Julia day be saying: “I was there when Julia Gillard made her last public address as Gillard made her last public address as Prime Minister.”

Prime Minister.”

Times change. change. Political Political regimes regimes and and Times landscapes as well well as as personalities personalities come come landscapes as and go. But, But, in in Australia, Australia, some some things things and go. remain constant: remain constant: A new new migrant migrant will will arrive, arrive, on on average, average, A every one minute minute and and twenty-nine twenty-nine every one seconds.

Dozens of of different different languages languages seconds. Dozens will continue to to be be spoken. spoken. will continue Business, trade, trade, and and commerce commerce will willbebe Business, conducted in in many many tongues tonguesasaswell. well.Many Many religious beliefs beliefs will will be befollowed. followed. variety of of cuisines cuisines will willgrace graceour our A vast variety dining tables. tables.

Henry He, GM Australia New Zealand, Henry He, GM Australia andand New Zealand, China Southern Airlines China Southern Airlines

Indigenous and and migrant migrantAustralians, Australians, Indigenous bothold oldand andnew, new,will willcontinue continueto to strive both strive spiritofofreconciliation, reconciliation,totowork, work, live, inina aspirit live, andshare sharethis thisland landtogether. together. and Andthe theEthnic EthnicBusiness BusinessAwards Awardswill will And continuetotocelebrate celebrateallallthese thesethings, things, continue longinto intothe thefuture future…… long

Kate Lundy, Lundy, Ken Ken Wyatt, Wyatt,Joseph JosephHealy, Healy,Henry HenryHe, He,Joseph JosephAssaf Assafand andMaria Maria Tzovaras with this book Celebrating Diversity Tzovaras with this book Celebrating Diversity

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Our Map of the World

Arab geographer Muhammad al-Idrisi’s atlas, the Tabula Rogeriana was produced in 1154. Commissioned by Roger II of Sicily, it incorporated knowledge of the Far East, the Indian Ocean, and Africa: knowledge gathered by Arab merchants and explorers, and coordinated with information from the classical geographers of the previous centuries, to create the most accurate map of the world up until that time.

Al-Idrisi’s map continued to be the most accurate world map for the next three centuries, until the Age of Exploration, from the 15th to the 17th century. During that era, European cartographers of many nationalities drew their own maps based on the great journeys and observations of explorers who were using new surveying methods and more accurate instruments like the sextant and the telescope and the magnetic compass to chart their world.

Our world, the blue planet

The development of the Mercator Projection in 1569 represented a major breakthrough in nautical cartography.

Much ahead of its time, the Mercator was a

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“

cylindrical projection created by Flemishborn Gerardus Mercator and it became the standard map projection for nautical purposes, despite the fact that the map distorts the size and shape of large objects as the scale increases from the Equator to the poles, where it becomes infinite.

Greenland, for instance, occupies as much space as Africa, which is actually fourteen times its size! The Mercator Projection remains one of the most recognised and accessible maps of the world. However, we have used the superior Interrupted Goode Homolosine Map Projection in the following pages to designate some great journeys of our own.

Our myriad nominees and finalists have come to Australia, far and wide, from all over the world. Their travels resemble the route maps of what would have to be the world’s busiest ships and airlines. It’s a graphic representation of the connection we make with the world, thanks to our wonderful migrant population.

The map on the next two pages shows the countries of origin of finalists in the Ethnic Business Awards. It would be impossible to show the journeys of all our nominees, as they number over 16,000 …

Our myriad nominees and finalists have come ... from all over the world. Their travels resemble the route maps of what would have to be the world’s busiest ships and airlines.

“

C

CONSIDER THAT modern maps are the result of truly multicultural enterprise, exchange and friendly collaboration.

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Migrant Journeys 1 Albania 2 Argentina 3 Austria 4 Brazil 5 Canada 6 Chile 7 China 8 Croatia 9 Cyprus 10 Czech Republic 11 Denmark 12 Egypt 13 England 14 France 15 Germany 16 Greece 17 Hong Kong 18 Hungary 19 India 20 Iraq 21 Ireland 22 Israel 23 Italy 24 Japan 25 Jordan 26 Latvia 27 Lebanon 28 Lithuania 29 Macedonia 30 Malaysia 31 Malta 32 Mauritius 33 Morocco 34 Netherlands 35 Poland 36 Portugal 37 Romania 38 Russia 39 Scotland 40 Singapore 41 South Africa 42 South Korea 43 Spain 44 Sri Lanka 45 Sweden 46 Syria 47 Taiwan 48 Thailand 49 Turkey 50 United Kingdom 51 United States 52 Vietnam

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Legend Country of origin

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The Future

“

Much of the current debate assumes that national identity is fixed and described chiefly by our outward diversity, the many sorts of faces in the crowd. But those faces change and so does our identity.

It is dynamic and multi-faceted; it is cultural, linguistic, religious, attitudinal, racial and political.

... future changes will only reinforce our uniqueness because we will continue to reflect the world’s diversity.

For that is now the essence of Australian identity: it contains the world.

“

Joseph Assaf in Beyond Black and White: The Many Faces of Australia (Park et al, 1995)

D

Joseph Assaf

DETERMINING the future of the Ethnic Business Awards is inextricably tied up with the future of Australia as a country: its culture, its social structure, its economic profile. Australia’s political profile is, intentionally, excluded from this list because the Ethnic Business Awards remain, and will always remain, nonpartisan, independent of any political influence.

Politics may be an underlying factor when it comes to the shaping and direction of those other elements; but even in that regard, other forces remain dominant.

Things like the Australian spirit, the desire to see that everyone gets a fair go. Things like the will and determination of people of all ethnicities, from all the countries of the world, to shape their own destinies here; whether they came in someone

EBA BOOK - 2.indd 247

else’s shoes, or as a sponsored migrant, or whether they have always been here, a part of those thousands of years of indigenous heritage. Whether they live in the city or the country, whether they sell cheese, or manufacture electronic components, build houses or harvest seafood, the people will collectively determine this nation’s future, and the Ethnic Business Awards will continue to recognise and celebrate their wonderful ongoing achievements as they do so.

Symphony and rainbow Diversity has its own rewards; one of the principal rewards is a robust and exciting arena of business competition. That excitement and strength is also reflected in our culture and our society as a whole.

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Joseph and Angela Assaf

I have often spoken of the importance and beauty of diversity. I have likened our multicultural state to a great symphony, suggesting that genuine harmony can only be created by diversity. After all, a symphony would not be a symphony if it had only one note. It would be a monotone; and, as we all know, monotony is boring. Boredom leads to lethargy, and lethargy leads to ... extinction, eventually.

In the same way, a rainbow would not be a rainbow if it was made up of only one colour. And the tapestry of our society, a rainbow in its own right, would be a monochrome, which is boring; and boredom also leads to indifference, and indifference leads to …

It hardly needs further explanation.

Interacting with our society A dynamic, different, vivid, polyglot, multicoloured, multitonal society is not only desirable; it also provides us with a massive advantage in international business and relations, as well as generating huge opportunities and possibilities in our domestic marketplace. The Ethnic Business Awards will continue to celebrate that fact and to reward those people and companies who embody its principles.

We aim to develop along those lines ourselves and to reach a wider audience with our important message, through an increased broadcast base and range; through use of the rapidly growing opportunities represented by the internet; through multiplatform marketing and publicity; through an even more dynamic

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interaction with the migrant business interaction interaction with with its the thevarious migrant migrantorgans, business business community and as community community and and its its various various organs, organs, asas well as with all levels of government, with well wellasaswith withall alllevels levelsof ofgovernment, government,with with potential sponsors, and, of course, with potential potential sponsors, sponsors, and, and, of of course, course, with with the indigenous community. the theindigenous indigenouscommunity. community.

Such a diverse society is also increasingly Such Suchaadiverse diversesociety societyisisalso alsoincreasingly increasingly an opportunity to interact with the world an anopportunity opportunityto tointeract interactwith withthe theworld world as a whole.

There’s a word for this process. asasaawhole. whole.There’s There’saaword wordfor forthis thisprocess. process.

It’s often regarded as an unpleasant word It’s It’s often often regarded regarded asas an an unpleasant unpleasant word word but is, in fact, a word full of excitement but but is, is, in in fact, fact, aa word word full full of of excitement excitement and possibility.

That word is globalisation. and andpossibility. possibility.That Thatword wordisisglobalisation. globalisation.

Overleaf: EBA 2013 finalists and partners, Great Hall Foyer, Parliament House Overleaf: Overleaf: EBA EBA 2013 2013 finalists finalists and and partners, partners, Great Great Hall Hall Foyer, Foyer, Parliament Parliament House House

IfIfIfwe concept of globalisation we wetackle tackle tacklethe the theconcept conceptof ofglobalisation globalisation in a positive way, seeing it as process in in aa positive positive way, way, seeing seeing itit asas aaa process process of increased ease of exchange, increased of of increased increased ease ease of of exchange, exchange, increased increased opportunity reach out, to talk, to opportunity opportunity to to to reach reach out, out, to to talk, talk, to to listen we treat an listen listen and and and toto learn; learn; ifif we we treat treat itit asas an opportunity threat, as aaway way opportunity opportunityrather rather than thanaaathreat, threat,as to homogenise to toenrich enrich enrich rather rather than than to to homogenise homogenise our our life globalisation becomes life life experiences, experiences, experiences, globalisation globalisation becomes

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a force for good, a positive and exciting aadevelopment force force for for good, good, aa positive positive and and exciting exciting in an ever-changing world. development development in in an an ever-changing ever-changing world. world.

The Ethnic Business Awards intend to The The Ethnic Business Business Awards Awards intend intend to to seize Ethnic this opportunity. seize seizethis thisopportunity. opportunity.

A long and vibrant future AAlong longand andvibrant vibrantfuture future The future then looks very positive.

The The future future then then looks looks very very positive. positive.

Another twenty-five years?

More?

Why Another Another twenty-five twenty-five years? years? More?

More? Why Why not? The The Awards Awardshave havedeveloped developedtheir their not? not?

The Awards have developed their ownmomentum, momentum,their theirown ownplace placein the own own momentum, their own place ininthe the landscape.They Theyare arenow nowaaaunique uniquethread thread landscape. landscape.

They are now unique thread inthe thetapestry; tapestry;aaaloud loudand andconfident confident note in in the tapestry; loud and confident note note inthe theorchestra orchestraand andaaavibrant vibrantpart partof the in in the orchestra and vibrant part ofof the the rainbow’sspectrum. spectrum. rainbow’s rainbow’s spectrum.

AsConfucius Confuciussuggested, suggested,we wefirst first planted As As Confucius suggested, we first planted planted rice, we we then then planted plantedtrees. trees.We Wehave have rice, rice, we then planted trees.

We have continuedthe thejourney journeyin orderto educate continued continued the journey ininorder order toto educate educate ourchildren childrenand andwe wehope hopeto doing our our children and we hope totobe bebedoing doing so soso formany manyyears yearsto come. for for many years totocome. come.

Joseph Assaf Joseph Joseph Assaf Assaf

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Churchill, Winston 201, 229 Cicutto, Frank 105, 105 Circus Oz 156, 159, 183 Civil Society 20 Group, 237 Clare, Jason 236 Clark, Nobby 40, 42, 42 Class Plastics 112 Clay, Henry 45 Clean Plus Detergents 21, 130, 132 Clyne, Cameron 181, 181, 184 Cobain, Kurt 157 Cobb, John 145, 147 Colorpak Packaging 55 Combet, Greg 235 Commins, Walter 55 Complete Workwear Services 20, 21, 198, 200 Com-Tech Communications 19, 51 Confucius 91, 247 Conroy, Stephen 235 Continental Patisserie Australia 207 Cool or Cosy Group 112 Copyright Act 4 Copyright Notice 4 Coromal Caravans 92 Corona, Heinz 51 Country of Origin 243 Crazy Jim’s Mitre 10 112 Crea, Teresa 19, 71, 72 Crestani, Eve 46, 47, 149, 218, 219 Croatia 61, 63, 67, 129, 131, 157, 159, 180, 181, 182, 197, 199, 205, 207, 242 Croissant Gourmet 83 Crown Casino 58 CTM Group 62 Cyprus 38, 56, 62, 129, 130, 132, 242 Czech Republic 165, 199, 200, 242 D Dardalis, Zissis 104 Darren Jackson Electrical 206 Da Silva, John 19, 73, 73 Dawson, John 29, 48, 49 DBI Design Corporation 51 Deakin, Alfred 43 De Beers Diamond International Award 112 Deemah Marble and Granite 19, 38 de Gaulle, Charles 39 DeGeneres, Ellen 67 Deguara, Joseph 68 De Lorso, Emilio 92 Delta Car Rentals 21, 113 De Margheriti, John 170 De Marzo, Nick 125 Demourtzidis, Peter 62 De Nardis, Fabio 52 Denman, Lady 17 Denman, Lord 17 Denmark 98, 242 de Saint-Exupery, Antoine 141 DeSalis, Anne 127

Designer Rugs 162 Dessen, Sarah 61 Dewey Number 4 Didion, Joan 179 Dilallo, Mario 112 Diplock, Allan 61, 67 Diversity 205, 233, 245 Diversity Arrays Technology 162 Diversity Council of Australia 205 DKM Blue 192 Don Emilio’s 92 Dong, Macro 207 Donikian, George 141, 142 Doogue, Geraldine 41, 71, 99, 105, 121, 137,138, 139, 140, 142, 143 Doppo Teatro 19, 71 D’Orsogna Bros 19, 68 D’Orsogna, Tommaso 19, 68 Dot and the Kangaroo 93 Downs, David 73 Dragojevic, Oliver 158, 159, 197 Drivas, Emmanuel 68 Dubai 83 Ducar, Michael 51 Du, John 21, 169, 171 Dundee, Mick Crocodile 29 E EBA All Finalists Award 18 EBA All Winners Award 18 EBA Cabaret Dancers 88/89 EBA Encouragement Award 38 EBA Ethnic Business of the Year 38 EBA Indigenous in Business Award 15, 18 EBA Laurel Wreath 33, 34, 34 EBA Trophy 32, 33, 35, 97, 247 EBA 2013 16, 27 EBA 2013 Finalists and Partners 248/249 Ebeid, Michael 77, 230, 231, 232 Edge Technology 19, 83 Editor’s Notes 255 Edwards, Neil 60 Egypt 159, 180, 181, 205, 242 Eideh, Khalil 122 Ekbol Engineering 92 Ekbol, Fred 92 Elcheikh, Talal 193 Elias, Nick 30, 30 Ella Rouge Beauty 21, 181, 182 Ellis, Tracey 158 El-Sheikh, Khaled 181 El-Telegraph Newspaper 78, 122 Elu, Joseph 46, 47, 190 Emerson, Craig 235 Emerson, Ralph Waldo 79 Emirates 161 Emotiv 97 Encouragement Award 15, 30 England 56, 242 Entertainment Alliance 127

Erceg, Ivan 131 Etcom 127 Ethnic Australians 87 Ethnic Business Awards 3, 5, 13, 14, 15, 17, 29, 33, 34, 69, 77, 78, 81, 88/89, 97, 111, 117, 127, 132, 141, 144, 145, 149, 161, 168, 169, 179, 189, 191, 197, 199, 205, 209, 219, 227, 229, 230, 235, 236, 241, 245 Ethnic Media Awards 15 Etihad Airways 169 Europe 92, 98, 108, 112, 150 Evans, Gareth 73 Every, Andy 238 E-Web Marketing 199 Expo-Trade 170 EzyMart Group 207, 209 F Fahour, Ahmed 147 Fair Go 245 Falcomata, Rocco 19, 56 Fantastick Label Company 137 Far East 241 Farhart, Wasim 21, 130, 131, 132 Ferreira, Fred 21, 146, 147, 149 Ferris, Chris 139 Fierravanti-Wells, Concetta 163 Fiji 69, 130 Fink, Richard 125 First Fleet 43 Fitzgerald, F Scott 143 FitzSimons, Peter 151 Fong, King 30, 45, 46, 149 Forte, Franco 151 Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney 167, 179, 197 Foyer, Great Hall, Parliament House 248/249 Fraid, Morry 83, 95 France 25, 63, 82, 83, 103, 159, 161, 183, 242 Franovic, Marko 21, 181, 182, 182 Frazis, George 152, 152 Fresco Cheese Company 130 Fried, Ruben 83, 95 Fu, Gordon 83 Funayama, Seijiro 23, 23, 199, 221 Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets 21, 180, 182 G Gaeddarrdyu Trust 191 Galasso, Isabel 180 Galaxias Radio 122 Gambaro, Domenico 92 Gambaro, Michael 92 Gambaro Seafood Restaurant 92, 93 Game Farm 92 Gammasonics Institute for Medical Research 21 Gamut Engineering 19, 83 Gannon, Markham 158 30, 38

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Garozzo’s Agencies 104 Garozzo, Sam 104 Garrett, Peter 235 General Beton 151 Gericke, Tom 127, 198, 221 Germany 38, 51, 62, 72, 98, 104, 129, 199, 242 Ghanem, Antoine 199 Ghossayn, George 19, 99, 99 Giang, David 19, 25, 25, 63, 78, 221, 236 Gillard, Julia 198, 204, 205, 208, 209, 209, 211, 211, 221, 229, 231, 231, 233, 233, 235, 236, 237, 238, 239 Ginsberg, Allen 77 Gjergja, Giorgio 19, 51 Global Diversity Cultural Conference 73 Global Seafood Fisheries 19, 71 G, Mary 191 GMP Pharmaceuticals 162 GoodWords Consulting 127 Gosatti, Ardino 62 Goward, Pru 150, 150 Grand Hyatt Melbourne 41, 71, 111 Grassby, Al 43 Gray, Gary 233 Great Hall, Parliament House, Canberra 229, 230, 235, 239 Greece 34, 38, 41, 42, 62, 68, 82, 83, 92, 98, 101, 103, 104, 112, 122, 146, 193, 197, 242 Green, Elizabeth 180 Greenland 241 Green, Paul 146 Green, Roger 146, 147 Green Sprouts 21, 146, 147 Green Valley Dairy Corporation 21, 207 Greiner, Nick 50 Gross, Yoram 19, 92, 93 Guard Dog Training Centre 162 Guest, Rob 158 Guigni, Giuseppe 21, 180, 182, 182 Gulf Air 139, 147 Gyngell, Allan 46, 47, 47, 220 H Haddad, George 234 Haddadi, Mohammed 161 Haddad, Nancy 234 Hammoud, Ali 21, 181, 182, 182 Hammoud, Manel 21, 181, 182, 182 Hanson, Pauline 84 Harb, Sam 123 Harmony Day 102, 103 Harrowell, Tim 161 Hatoum, Abraham 21, 193, 195, 195 Hatoum, Maissa 195 Hawke, Bob 60 Hayes, Chris 229 Hayward, Sim 104 Healy, Joseph 161, 170, 201, 208, 228, 231, 239

He, Henry 208, 209, 234, 237, 239 Henderson, Sarah 129, 133, 142, 143 Henson, Jim 129 Heydon, Peter 43 Hilton Sydney 161 HIMA Group 21, 169, 171 Hockey, Joe 136, 138 Hodgson, Bill 30, 38 Hogan, James 139 Holland 98 Hong Kong 25, 69, 72, 104, 137, 138, 139, 165, 175, 199, 219, 221, 242 Howard, John 80, 81, 82, 84, 87, 87, 91, 145 Howard, Rubin 103 Huang, Jonathan 19, 52 Hungary 67, 82, 83, 95, 242 Hung, Walter 41 I Imam, Najee 38 Immigration Australia Arrivals Stamp 243 Immigration Restriction Bill 1901, 43 Imprestik 50 India 62, 72, 73, 137, 170, 193, 199, 200, 242 Indian Link 78 Indian Subcontinent 193 Indigenous in Business Award 15, 18, 159, 189, 190, 191, 198, 200, 206 Indonesia 73, 98, 163, 193, 208 Inglewood Products Group 62 Initiative Award 15 In Someone Else’s Shoes 167, 168, 177, 245 Instock Australia 238 Iraq 41, 42, 98, 242 Ireland 108, 180, 242 Irvine, Alistair 21, 146, 146 Irving, Will 238 ISBN Deluxe Leatherbound Limited Edition 4 ISBN Hardback 4 Ismiel, Souhel 107 Ismiel, Sue 19, 27, 27, 104, 105, 106, 107, 109, 109 Isogawa, Akira 122 Israel 38, 137, 161, 162, 242 Italy 22, 24, 26, 34, 42, 51, 55, 56, 59, 61, 62, 67, 68, 71, 72, 82, 83, 86, 92, 98, 104, 105, 112, 113, 129, 130, 131, 132, 135, 137, 138, 151, 157, 159, 161, 162, 169, 170, 171, 180, 192, 205, 207, 220, 221, 242 J Jabbour, Roland 180 Jackson, Darren 206 Jain, Sanjay 199 Jalili, John 30, 30

Jamieson, Peter 170, 171 Japan 23, 69, 98, 122, 150, 199, 221, 242 Jarol 19, 56 Jascom International 3, 4 Jaws Buckets & Attachments 19, 83, 85 Jekyll and Hyde 158 148, 151, 155, 155, 161, 162 Jensen, Kate 98 Jensen’s Choice Foods 98 Jensen, Stig 98 Jholl, Balbir 38 JK International 73 JLV Engineering 55 John Morrison’s Swing City 158 Johns, David 37 Johnson, William 55 Jordan 205, 207, 242 Jordan, Michael 117 JR Global Logistics 180 Jurlique International 98 K Kantsler, Agu 127 Karamemis, Mehmet 21, 146, 146, 147 Karfritsas, Chris 62 Kari & Ghossayn 19, 99, 121 Karidis Corporation 98 Karidis, Gerry 98 Karlsson, Kristina 21, 150, 152 Keating, Paul 52, 70, 71, 73, 75, 75 Keenan, Kate 127, 198 Kelly, Lisa 181 Kelso Builders Supplies 21, 131, 133 Kennedy, John F 55 Kenya 167 Khouri, Anthony 21, 123, 123, 125, 125, 165 Khoury, George 165 Khoury, Gerry 165 Kiely, Michael 46, 47 kikki.K 21, 150, 169 Kilian, Andrzej 162 Kilpatrick, Ernest 68 Kim, Henry 137 Kingsgrove Sports Centre 73 Kingston Estate Wines 19, 92, 101 Klein, Jurgen 98 Ko Aust International 137 Koga, Masako 21, 122 Kordahi, Danny 192 Kordahi, Dorry 192 Kostakidis, Mary 36, 39, 50, 55, 61, 82, 84, 91, 142, 142 Koster, Mike 19, 83, 85 Kroitor, Luda 158 Ktena Knitting Mills 122 Kuzmanovic, Milenko 207 KW Engineering 19, 38

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L La Lingua Language School 21, 122, 122 Lamattina, Rocky 72 Lam, Josephine 146 Lamond, Toni 158 Landria Constructions 21, 162, 163 Lass, Martin 157 Latvia 55, 56, 242 Lebanon 12, 38, 55, 56, 68, 83, 98, 99, 122, 123, 125, 129, 130, 132, 146, 161, 162, 163, 165, 169, 180, 181, 192, 193, 199, 205, 208, 213, 242 Lee, James 21, 130, 137, 138, 139 Le Montage 99, 103, 120, 121, 129, 137, 138, 205 Le, Tan 97 Leung, Raymond 104 Lewis, CS 141 Lewis, Jeannie 157 Liebhaber, Joe 127 Ligakis, Jim 112 Ligakis, Nick 112 Lin, Chia 42 Lin, Mei 42 Linton Park Natural Spring Waters 104 Lithuania 92, 242 Living Gems Over 50s Lifestyle Resorts 199, 200 Longwarry Food Park 170 LookSmart Alterations 21, 193, 195 Loreto Senior Choir 158 Loumbos 138 Loumbos, Valentine 138 Love N Care 193 Lu, Alice 19, 56 Lubrano, Vince 151 Ludwig, Joe 235 Lu, Jimmy 19, 71, 72 Lundy, Kate 18, 190, 196, 197, 198, 206, 229, 236, 239 Lu Projects 19, 56 M Maarbani, Rima 146 Maarbani, Samir 146 Macedonia 150, 242 Macfarlane, Ian 123, 123, 125 MacLaughlin, Ian 21, 150, 151,152 MacLaughlin, Marion 21, 150, 151, 152 Macquarie Dictionary 45, 255 Macro Groups 207 Magableh, Maher 207, 209 Maglieri, Steve 72 Maglieri Wines 72 Magnetic Automation 51 Mak, Andy 199 Malabello, Alfredo 159 Malaysia 38, 61, 63, 69, 83, 104, 163, 165, 208, 242 Maliunas, Wally 92 Malta 68, 98, 242 Manangoora Station 18 Mandalong Park 51 Mandela, Nelson 93, 185

Mano e Mano 158 Maps 241 Marathon Food Industries 104 Marblo Holdings 19 Marcolin, Armando 112 Marin, Julio 209 Mark, Craig 123, 125 Marquez, Laura Teresa 35 Marrocco, Domenico 19, 105, 105 Martin, Jean 43 Marzola, Mario 83 Mastra Corporation 19, 92 Mathias, Francis 137 Mauritius 55, 56, 180, 242 McCloud, Michael 198 McDonald College 171 MDI International 51 MEB Foods 21, 98, 162, 163 Medibank 77 Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre 91 Mercator, Gerardus 241 Mercator Projection 241 Mercedes, Maria 159, 197 Merenda Farms 72 Merenda, Giuseppe 72 Merhi, Mark 146 Message Stick Communications 198 Mexico 69 Micro Forte (Bigworld) 170 Micropace 21, 199, 200 Middle East 108, 180, 213 Middle East Radio 122 Miglietti, Sergio 112 Migrant Journeys 242/243 Militsis, Vilom 67 Mingaan Aboriginal Corporation 191 Mining Equipment Spares 131 Miracle Bookbinding 146 Miraglitta, Carlo 72 Mitris, Nick 83 Mixology Management 180 MLC Ladies’ Choir 159 Modern European Security Roller Shutters 19, 42 Mohan, Jiwan 73 Monica 158 Mookesch, Werner 50 Moonen, Petronella 19, 51, 51 Morgan, Sharna 207 Morgan, Will 207, 220 Morocco 161, 162, 242 Morrall, Clare 159 Morris, Neda 21, 150, 152 Morrison, Scott 198, 229, 236 Mortimer, Ryan 158 Moularadellis, Bill 101 Moularadellis, Constantina 101 Moularadellis, Sarantos 19, 92, 92, 101 Mula Wilfred 98

MultiConnexions 5, 127, 236, 237, 238 MultiCultural Marketing News 60, 78, 121 Munno Para Foodland Shopping City 92 Munoz-Ferrada, Carl 21, 162 N Nader, Jonar 46, 47 Nad’s 19, 27, 104, 107, 108, 108, 109, 109, 169 Nam Quang Tuition 192 Nandkeolyar, Sanjeev 238 Nandkeolyar, Sheba 208, 236, 238 National Australia Bank 5, 13, 30, 49, 61, 82, 97, 111, 117, 118, 118, 121, 127, 130, 152, 167, 169, 231, 237 Navarra, Filippo 21, 138, 138 Navarra Group, 21 Nelsan Electronics 56 Nelson, Robert 92 Neos Kosmos 78, 122 Nepean Rubber 68 Netherlands 50, 51, 68, 82, 83, 242 Newman, Gumaroy 205 Newman, Luxin 149, 150 Newman, Paul 127 Newtown Public School Choir 159 New Zealand 14, 25, 72, 83, 95, 98, 103, 108, 130, 163, 175, 195, 234 Ngai, Henry 21, 25, 25, 138, 139, 139, 174, 175, 176, 176, 221, 226, 226, 235, 237 Ng, Gary 199 Nguyen, Duc 192 Nguyen, Luke 21, 169, 170 Nicheliving 23, 221 Nicholson, Roland 125 Nin, Anais 163 Nin, Caroline 159, 159, 183 NITV 78 Northern Airport Services 191 NSDC 199 Nu-Door 21, 146, 147 Nyaarla Projects 191 O Obaidi, Karim 19, 41, 42 Obaidi, Sabah 98 O’Byrne, Peter 127 Oceanic Multitrading 193 O’Connor, Beverley 99, 111, 142, 142 O’Dwyer, Barry 146, 146 Olympiad Sydney 2000 117 Olympic Anthem 158 Olympic Video Gaming 83 1688.com.au 78 Ong, Sinh 208 Oporto Franchising 138 Osmani, Fred 162 Osmani, Luanna 162 Our World 240 Ovchinnikov, Michael 21, 131, 132, 133 253

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P

Paesenella Cheese Manufacturers 169 Pakistan 103 Pale Blue Dot 49, 50 Palestine 193, 195 Panayiotou, Andreas 38 Pan, Cheng 199 Pan, Cheryl 19, 68 Panda Sofa Manufacturers 83 Pan, Joey 19, 68 Panotis, Ben 146 Pans’s Australia 19, 69 Pantalica Cheese Company 21, 113, 131, 151, 152 Papua New Guinea 167 Park, Sang 19, 39 Parliament House, Canberra 15, 17, 17, 18 Par’s Ram Brothers (Australia) 193 Pasteur, Louis 161 Pears, Harry 127 Peluso, Vincent 19, 83 Peppas, Alex 19, 42 Perry, Barbara 182 Philippines 130, 193 Picoult, Jodi 37 Pidek, David 22, 22, 207, 220 Piedimonte, Mal 112 Piedimonte, Sam 112 Piedimonte Supermarkets 112 Pindari WA 22, 207, 220 Pisani, Graziano 27 Pisaturo, Riccardo 51 Pitruzzello, George 152 Pitruzzello, Sebastiano 21, 113, 131, 151, 152, 152 Pitruzzello, Silvio 152 Pizza Haven 56, 62 Pizzinato, Domenico 151 Plato 101 Poland 23, 82, 83, 92, 95, 161, 162, 180, 181, 221, 242 Pollio, Tomasso 159 Polyam 55 Polykandriotis, Anthony 38 Portugal 71, 72, 73, 92, 137, 138, 146, 147, 242 Poseidon Tarama 193 Pratt, Mike 111, 112 Pretty, Ted 65 Pre-Uni New College 21, 130, 137, 139 Print Junction 199 Priority Plastics 62 Prior, Malcolm 62 Protec 55 Pudney, Kevin 83 Pudney, Rosemary 83 Puljich, Peter 21, 199, 200, 200 Puljich, Zdravka 200 Pyne, Christopher 198, 229, 234

Q Qantas 67 Queensland Asian Business Weekly 63

R Racial Discrimination Act 1975, 43 Ram, Punj Pars 193 Ratnayake, Lakshman 169 Reaburn, Sebastian 181 Recognition Award 15 Red Lantern Restaurant 21, 169 Rees, Wayne 123, 123 Req 157 Restoration Clinics Australia 83 Riccardi, Natale 113 Riccardi Seafoods & Cold Stores 113 Rijk, Bert 19, 98, 99 Rijk, Margriet 19, 98, 99 Risteski, Bill 30, 30 Riverina Marine Centre 21, 130, 132 Rix, Jemma 158, 180 Robert, Josette 180 Robinson, Andrew 127 Robinson, Dominique 127 Roble, Fabio 158 Rocky Lamattina and Sons 72 Rodriguez, Frank 191 Roe, Marty 158 Roger II of Sicily 241 Rollit Industries 51 Romania 137, 138, 192, 242 Romeo, Antonio 24, 24, 138, 181, 221, 222, 223, 223, 234, 235, 237 Romeo’s Retail Group 24, 138, 181, 221, 223 Rosenberg, Brett 158 RTS Imaging 98 Ruband Wholesale 19, 51 Ruby Developments (t/as Living Gems) 21, 199 Rudd, Kevin 166, 167, 173, 173, 189, 235 Ruddock, Philip 81, 90, 91, 229, 234 Russia 117, 129, 130, 131, 133, 165, 170, 242 S Sagan, Carl 49 Sahara and Shiva 159 Sahin, Ibrahim 21, 112, 113 SA Industrial Services 161 Salvo, Mario 21, 112, 113, 113 Samaranch, Juan Antonio 65, 65 Sam the Paving Man 123 Sanderson, Arthur 28, 29, 37, 46, 149 Sandhurst Fine Foods 151 Santalucia, Franco 55 Sarakula, Joel 159 Saris, Con 193 Saunders, John 30, 45, 46 SBS 5, 30, 39, 41, 45, 49, 55, 61, 67, 78, 78, 81, 111, 122, 230

Scacheri, Robert 42 Schiavello, Antonio 19, 26, 26, 42, 59, 221 Schiavello Group 19, 27, 58, 59, 59, 169, 221 Sciacca, Con 111, 112 Scotland 13, 242 Seinfeld, Jerry 109 Seja, Viesturs 55 Shachar, Zvi 137 Shahin, Fathi 68 Shaye Paper Products 21, 123, 124 Shehadie, Nicholas 30, 39, 45, 96, 97 Shein, David 19, 51 Sheraton on the Park, Sydney 55 Sheraton Wentworth Hotel, Sydney 14, 30, 38, 49, 61 Shergold, Peter 30, 38, 39 152 SI&D (Aust) 27, 221 Siciliano, Peter 27 Silvandale Nursery 19, 98 Silver Trowel Trade Training 21, 192 Simone and Girlfunkle 159 Singapore 56, 69, 73, 104, 242 Singapore Airlines 97, 117, 121, 130, 133 Sing Tao 78, 122 Siu, Jonathan 62 Skerratt, Jonathan 21, 192 Skrzynski, Joseph 232 Sleepcraft Distributors 21, 112, 113 Slottje, Jonathon 191 Small Business Award 30 SML Suppliers Australia 169 Smokemart 68 Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme 101 Solomons, Harold 73 Somma, Teresa 169 South Africa 14, 51, 69, 83, 150, 151, 242 South America 200 South East Asia 62, 92 Southern Cross Rigging & Constructions 146 South Korea 29, 41, 129, 130, 137, 163, 242 Spain 30, 60, 161, 162, 242 Spicer, Tracey 16, 127, 143, 167, 169, 179, 183, 197, 201, 205, 208, 233, 238 Spotlight 83, 94, 95 Sri Lanka 72, 73, 81, 169, 242 Stack, Phillip 159 Stambo’s 146 Stamboulidis, Grigoris 146 Stanton, Phyllisse 127 Stefan Hair Fashions 19, 169 Stevens, Missy 127 Stewart, Nicole 20, 20, 21, 200 Stewart, Robert 20, 198, 200 Stone Tech 98 Stop Press 229, 239 Stuhler, Ernst 19, 42

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Stuhler’s Patisserie 19, 42 Sukkar, Salem 21, 207, 208 Swan Tissue Products Australia 208 Swan, Wayne 235 Sweden 92, 150, 169, 242 Switkowski, Ziggy 46, 65, 122, 123 Sydney Opera House 149 Sydney Singers 158 Syria 27, 43, 104, 107, 169, 221, 242 Szirmai, Csaba 158

T Tabula Rogeriana 241 Taiwan 41, 42, 51, 52, 68, 82, 83, 104, 112, 193, 242 Tal, Eli 162 Tan, Fred 19, 63 Tanloden, JC 51 Tappers 158 Taptoupoulos, Pat 103 Tawadros, James 159 Tawadros, Joseph 159 Taylor, Alepat 131 Tedeski, Simon 158 Telstra 116, 117, 118, 118, 119, 121, 130, 139, 146, 149, 169, 171, 238 Tetsuya’s Restaurant 98 Texas Peak 199 125 65, 139 3XY Radio 122 Titanic 152, 153, 158 Tixana 19, 63 Tolkien, JRR 69 Top Korean News Weekly 78 Torzyn, Leon 199 Torzyn, Sheila 199 Trans-Asian Food Centre 83 Tran, Tan 83 Travaglini, Carlo 131, 207 Trent, Jackie 129 Trio Hinging Australia 62 Tristar Medical Group 181 Troiani, Sante 19, 62 Tsalikis, Emmanuel 103 Tsepralidis, Anastasios 122 Tucker, Daniel 20, 20, 21, 191, 192, 203, 203, 220, 225, 225, 235, 237 Turkey 83, 103, 112, 113, 146, 147, 205, 242 TVB Australia 78, 122 Twain, Mark 193 Typeface Research 127 Tyre Shield 191 Tzovaras, Maria 127, 209, 238, 239

U UAE 208 Ud 157 Uganda 167 Ullman, Samuel 145 Ultra Plas 103 Ung, Chhay 21, 123, 123, 125 United Kingdom 14, 52, 60, 63, 72, 82, 83, 92, 104, 108, 150, 193, 242 United States 14, 25, 27, 29, 63, 92, 104, 108, 117, 129, 153, 157, 162, 165, 191, 193, 242 Urquhart, Felicity 158 Urriola, Humberto 19, 30, 30, 31 V Vakulina, Larissa 170 Valitel Commercial 103 Vamvakinou, Maria 229 Van de Beld Furniture 50 Van de Beld, Henry 50 Versatile Precast Industries 207 Vidal, Gore 63 Vietnam 25, 26, 55, 56, 61, 63, 68, 71, 82, 83, 97, 123, 169, 170, 192, 205, 208, 221, 242 Vili’s Cakes 67 Villante, John 72 Vinh, Quang 68 Virgin Blue 193 Volpato, Floriano 83 Vraca Brothers and Sons 98 Vraca, Joe 98 W Wah, Mak 130 Wakuda, Tetsuya 98 Wall and Roof Frame Systems 72 Wang, Johnson 19, 83, 85 Watson, John 43 Webster, Derryn 127 Weekly Top Korean 122 Weisenberger, Kurt 19, 38 West Australian Opera 159 Westbus 19, 63 Western Union 121 White Australia Policy 43 Whitlam Government 43 Wicked 159, 180, 183 Wide Bay Brickworks 19, 62 Wideform Group of Companies 21, 146, 147, 149 Wilkinson, Lisa 142, 142, 145, 147, 149, 150, 151, 161 Williamson, Russell 101 Winiam Investments 191 Wiseman, Bob 101 Wodehouse, PG 97 Wok in a Box 199 Wollert, Niclas 51 Wolpe, Bruce 238 Women in Business 15 Wong, Penny 235

Wooden, John 127 Wooyong International Plastics 19, 39 World Media 122 Worldwide Pictures 127, 198, 221 Wu, Michael 146 Wyatt, Anna 231 Wyatt, Ken 190, 192, 229, 231, 239 X Xydas, Demetra 183 Xydas, Harry 21, 183, 183 Y Yang, Jack 51 Yao, Jian 207 Ye, Karl 162 Yeo, Andrew 19, 92, 92 Yeston, Maury 153 Yidaki Yulugi Indigenous Performers 159, 216/217 Y-Micro 56 Yoram Gross Film Studios 19 Young, Nareen 208 Yow, Colin 56 Yu Feng 83 Z Zajko, Tony 127 Zampatti, Carla 30, 44, 46, 47, 52, 149 Zimbabwe 146, 147 Zouki Group of Companies 5, 21, 208, 213, 214, 215, 215 Zouki, Joseph 213, 215 Zouki, Sam 213, 215 Zouky, Faddy 21, 208, 208, 212, 213, 215 Zubrzycki, Jerzy 43 Editor’s Notes omissions excepted (E & OE).

Comments are invited ... jascom@jascom.com.au Middle names in nomenclature have generally been omitted for consistency and world’s best practice.

Typography in the narrative has been enlarged to assist English as a Second Language (ESL) and aged readers.

Macquarie Dictionary has been used as the word authority.

Many historical images were sourced from private collections and considerably. Some contemporary images were photographed with light distortions and have been colour corrected as much as possible.

See more ... ethnicbusinessawards.com

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If

you want

of

then

to

feel

the

beat

someone else’s heart,

embrace them.

Joseph Assaf

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