SME Association of Australia (SMEAA) chairman Craig West has announced the appointment of award winning business owner, broadcaster and City of Sydney Councillor Angela Vithoulkas to the association’s recently restructured board as a director.

Since the new look board was established under the chairmanship of Craig West in late February, it has moved quickly to implement a number of key strategic initiatives and programs that will position SMEAA as the peak body and leading voice of SMEs in Australia.

Mr West said ensuring the board had a comprehensive balance of skills and expertise – “but most importantly was comprised of small business owners with personal experience and affinity with the SME sector” – was a primary goal for the group.

Welcoming Cr Vithoulkas to the association board, Mr West acknowledged her extensive contribution to the small business sector over many years which, has been recognised through numerous prestigious awards and accolades.

“Angela Vithoulkas has built a successful career as a small business owner, entrepreneur and key note speaker,” Mr West said. “ In September 2012, she was elected to the City of Sydney Council and is recognised for managing an inner city business group Vivo Cafe’, including the establishment of Australia’s first online radio station, Eagle Waves Radio aimed at small business.

“In addition, Angela’s contribution to business has been recognised by her many awards that include the City of Sydney Business of the Year and NSW Entrepreneur of the Year, as well as 2007 Telstra Women’s Business Owner of the Year.”

Angela Vithoulkas said in response to the appointment, “This is a truly exciting time for the SMEAA and I am proud to be part of such an energetic and dedicated board, committed to supporting and acknowledging the efforts and contribution the sector provides the Australian economy.”

Mr West said the SMEAA was established in late 2011 to represent the vast number of SMEs throughout the country to government, large businesses and the Australian public.

Today, he said, the peak body was the leading voice of Australia’s SMEs with over 18,500 members and is committed to its vital role representing Australia’s small business sector.

Mr West said the SMEAA board’s next priority was the launch of an online survey to gather feedback, comments and opinions from the Australian SME community as the results will provide the board a solid view of the primary concerns, issues and ideas that can then be relayed to government on behalf of the Association and its members.

Mr West also confirmed that the appointment of SMEAA’s new CEO would be announced in the coming week.

www.smeaustralia.asn.au

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THE construction industry may have endured some of its toughest trading conditions over the past few years, but it is skilling and innovating for a very bright future, judging by the 2013 Construction Skills Queensland Excellence Awards results.

Some of the best results were from regions that have weathered some of the most challenging trading conditions, such as the Gold Coast, where a total of four awards were won - Major Training Group as Registered Training Organization of the Year; Usher and Sons Commercial Coatings and McConnell Dowell's Light Rail Project both for Employer Commitment to Training Excellence; and Jon Lea who won the individual Construction Professional of the Year award.

Construction Skills Queensland (CSQ) presented the winners of this year's Excellence Awards in front of a crowd of 1000 industry members at a gala event at Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on Friday (November 8).

CSQ CEO Brett Schimming said the evening, whose major sponsor is Lend Lease, saw the construction industry come together to honour its best and brightest.

"CSQ would like to congratulate the winners, finalists and nominees of the 2013 Excellence Awards for their exceptional industry achievements over the past year," Mr Schimming said.

"Their contributions to Queensland's building and construction industry are impressive and they are an inspiration to each of us to work harder and continue striving for excellence. 

"Through the exceptional quality of nominations and a sold-out event, this year's Excellence Awards confirms industry leaders are recognising the vital role of training and upskilling for the future growth of the industry," he said.

Mr Schimming said Construction Skills Queensland is an independent industry-funded body supporting employers, workers, apprentices and career seekers in the building and construction industry. CSQ provides the construction industry with strategic insights and data to help plan workforce needs well into the future and these insights are supported with advice and funding assistance through a range of programs and initiatives.

The 2013 Excellence Awards are strongly supported through sponsorship by the indsutry's leading organisations, including Mirvac and dinner sponsor Electrogroup Apprenticeships and Training.

Award winners were announced in 12 categories:

Hutchinson Builders Award for Construction School of the Year: St Laurence's College, South Brisbane.

Master Electricians Australia Award for Construction Student of the Year: Andrea Oliveri, Cairns.

The Construction Training Centre Award for Registered Training Organization of the Year: Major Training Group, Gold Coast.

Bechtel Award for Employer Commitment to Training Excellence (up to $20 million turnover): Usher and Son Commercial Coatings Pty Ltd, Gold Coast.

Major Training Award for Employer Commitment to Training Excellence (over $20 million turnover): McConnell Dowell - Gold Coast Light Rail Project, Gold Coast.

Sarina Russo Apprenticeships Award for Construction Indigenous Person of the Year: Jason Smith, Cairns.

National Association of Women in Construction Award for Construction Female of the Year: Nadia Mendez, Toowong

Civil Contractors Federation Award for Construction Professional of the Year: Jon Lea, Gold Coast.

Training and Assessment Mentor Award for Construction Trainer of the Year: Peter Hopper, Mackay.

Laing O'Rourke Award for Construction Trainee of the Year: Sidney Scarth-Johnson, Brisbane North.

Lend Lease Award for Construction Apprentice of the Year: David Keys, Everton Hills.

Judges Outstanding Achievement Award: Tec- NQ Ltd, Townsville.

www.csq.org.au

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A POLL of the 2013 Telstra Business Women's Awards winners has provided fascinating insights into the vexed question of what are known as 'career breaks'.

Jeannine Biviano, a NSW Deputy Director General, is a finalist in the Telstra Business Women's Awards 2013.

Interestingly, about 87 percent of respondents said taking on parenting responsibilities could actually be a catalyst to becoming an entrepreneur.

Many leading business women interviewed believed that while a career break was often perceived as negatively impacting a woman's career, it can also be a catalyst to reassess a career path, try something new and perhaps lead on to entrepreneurship.

The online survey of 115 state and territory Telstra Business Women's Awards finalists, undertaken in early October, found 89 percent of respondents said women face challenges when returning to work after a career break, regardless of whether the break was for extended travel, study leave, maternity leave or other reasons.

About 36 percent said a break spurred women on to try something different, 55 percent believed taking time out could be positive as it enabled women to reassess their life and career, with 87 percent making the observation that becoming a parent could lead to starting a new business.

QSuper CEO Rosemary Vilgan is in the running for the national Telstra Business Women's Awards.

But four in 10 women said they found it difficult to re-enter the workforce in the same capacity. One-third of women surveyed believed a career break negatively impacted wealth creation and 20 percent believed women find it difficult to be considered for a role equal to their experience.

There were some reassuring views that came out of the poll, with 82 percent believing Australia's entrepreneurial culture is alive and well. The five key attributes of women entrepreneurs were counted as passion; a hard work ethic; creativity; vision; and innovation.

Yet 44 percent of respondents said they had also experienced an inequity in pay for a like role held by a male colleague. Asked why the pay gap still exists, 53 percent said the workplace still favoured males and 46 percent said women found asking for money intimidating.

The survey was undertaken in the lead-up to the national finals of the Telstra Business Women's Awards being staged in Melbourne on November 14. The awards are in their 19th year of celebrating the achievements of outstanding Australian business women.

"The awards are an important platform for women to share their experiences and the choices they've made in their personal and business journeys," said Kate McKenzie, Telstra chief operations officer and Telstra Business Women's Awards ambassador.

"These valuable insights provide inspiration for other women to make the best of their talents and opportunities in today's workplaces."

Carolyn Creswell, 2012 Telstra Australian Business Woman of the Year and managing director of Carman's Fine Foods, admitted she was "in labour and punching out the last email" before her first child.

She said women who were business owners should plan and put things in place before taking a career break.

"It's amazing how dispensable you are," Ms Cresswell said. "When you have great people at work, the business just keeps going."

Jocelyn Parsons, the manager of Salvage and Intervention at the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and the 2012 ACT Young Business Women's Award winner, joined the Navy at 17 and took a career break eight years later, moving overseas for a couple of years.

Reflecting on her experience she said, "It was the first time I thought about a world outside Defence - it was a chance for me to take stock both personally and professionally. It was the catalyst for me to leave the Navy and to explore new things."

Karen James, general manager for Women in Focus at Commonwealth Bank, said,  "A career break can provide the opportunity for a person to discover their passions. It's our experience that many women have used their career break as an opportunity to assess their purpose, which often becomes the catalyst for them to launch their own entrepreneurial venture.

"At that time we encourage women to seek out social communities, like Women in Focus, to stay connected and get the support they need to grow and thrive."

The eight women who are finalists for the title of 2013 Telstra Australian Business Woman of the Year are:

Jeannine Biviano, Deputy Director General, Department of Trade and Investment (NSW);

Sonja Cox, director of operational performance, Policy & Planning for the Department of Corrective Services (WA);

Laura McBain, Bellamy's Organic CEO (Tasmania);

Dr Julia Newton-Howes, CARE Australia CEO (ACT);

Cheryl Shigrov, founder of Precious Cargo Education Pty Ltd (SA);

Sadhana Smiles, Harcourts Victoria CEO (Victoria);

Helen Summers, owner of Helen Summers Optometrist Eyecare Plus Darwin, (NT);

Rosemary Vilgan, QSuper CEO, (Queensland).

Other awards presented at the event will be the Business Owner Award, Private and Corporate Sector Award, Community and Government Award, Business Innovation Award and Young Business Women's Award.

www.telstrabusienssawards.com

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MANUFACTURING Australia, a business coalition of Australia's largest manufacturers, has appointed Sue Morphet, formerly CEO of iconic Australian designer and manufacturer, Pacific Brands, as the group's new chairman.

Ms Morphet takes over from Dick Warburton AO, who retired at the end of 2012.

Ms Morphet had worked for Pacific Brands for 17 years, leaving the company in August 2012.

Ms Morphet came in for heavy media and shareholder attention as a result of her role in moving much of Pacific Brands' manufacturing offshore, to China, in a publicly unpopular move the company believed had allowed it to stay in business.

Manufacturing Australia's member CEOs selected Ms Morphet, they said, because of her passion for the sector, and her credentials as a CEO of a manufacturing company which endured extreme pressures from cheap imports, the GFC and the rapid commoditisation of consumer goods. The CEOs said Ms Morphet's credentials included, during a tough period in the clothing industry, setting in place a strategy that has since helped the company to return to profit and ongoing viability.

The CEOs of Manufacturing Australia's member companies believe that a productive domestic manufacturing sector is fundamental to a healthy Australian economy.

Manufacturing employs almost one million Australians and is one of the largest providers of direct and indirect employment, with between two and five jobs created as a result of each manufacturing job.

"Wherever manufacturing flourishes, so too does skilled employment, innovation and thriving regional communities," Ms Morphet said.

"I am not in favour of protectionism, nor organisations that use external issues to cloud faulty internal business processes," she said.

"For manufacturing to be strong it needs a fair level playing field, a sound commercial and regulatory environment that attracts investment and a representative voice to raise the calibre of national debate on the issues affecting the sector."

Under Ms Morphet's leadership Manufacturing Australia announced it intended to continue working with the Australian Federal and State Governments as well as other industries and influencers to ensure fair and appropriate industry policies, and to secure the future of this sector.

Manufacturing Australia's inaugural chairman, Dick Warburton extended his congratulations to Ms Morphet.

"Whilst positive outcomes have been achieved for Australian manufacturing over the last 12 months, the sector remains severely threatened," said Mr Warburton.

"I'm therefore delighted that Manufacturing Australia, with Sue Morphet at its helm, will continue to ensure that Australian manufacturing is represented by a strong voice for manufacturers on vital public policy and economic issues."

www.manufacturingaustralia.com.au

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