Ethnic Business Awards 2005
Winners Announced, Sydney Australia
by Etcom, Ethnic Business Awards
Ethnic Business Awards 2005 Winners Announced, Sydney Australia
Sydney, Australia - The 2005 Ethnic Business Award Winners were officially
announced at an exclusive gathering in Sydney, Australia.
The Awards were created 17 years ago by Mr Joseph Assaf, to recognise the
contribution of migrants to Australian Business. They have since become one of
the longest running awards in Australia, which is a testament to their success
and prestige. This year's winners were migrants from Portugal, Zimbabwe and
Turkey, who all now proudly call Australia home.
The winners of the 2005 Ethnic Business Awards were announced during a gala
dinner held at Le Montage, Sydney. This year, the following businesses were
awarded:
- Large Business Award: Wideform Group of Companies - received by Mr Fred
Ferreira, Managing Director, from Portugal. - Small Business Award: Green
Sprouts - received by Zimbabwean born owners Roger Green, Alasdair Irvine and
Barry O'Dwyer. - Special Initiative Award: Nu - Door Pty Ltd - received by
Turkish born Mehmet Karamemis, Director.
An eclectic mix of prestigious guests attended, each one a leader in their own
right. The Hon. John Cobb, Minister of Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs,
represented the Prime Minister of Australia and joined corporate sponsors,
Consul Generals, community officials and media owners, to celebrate
multicultural Australia.
Attendees listened to the finalists inspiring tales of innovation and creativity
and how they adapted their skills to achieve success. After arriving in
Australia, these men and women conquered social and financial obstacles and
battled for their voices to be heard in a language they could not speak. Their
individual contributions have fuelled our economy and their collective
contributions have helped create our country.
Mr. Joseph Assaf, Chairman of Etcom (Ethnic Communications), created the Ethnic
Business Awards 17 years ago so that migrant success could be recognised and
rewarded, and Etcom has staged all aspects of the Awards since their inception.
They are the longest running Business Awards in Australia, a testament to their
success and prestige.
"Australia was built on migration, and the Ethnic Business Awards are a
continuous reminder and celebration of this fact. They allow each of us to
recognise the great and positive contributions of migrants to our country," said
Mr. Assaf.
Green Sprouts owners, Roger Green, Alasdair Irvine and Barry O'Dwyer, proudly
accepted the Small Business Award, presented by Mr David Moffatt, Group Managing
Director Consumer & Marketing of Telstra.
Having started as a backyard business in 1989, Green Sprouts today has 30
employees who work to supply safe, healthy salad ingredients to markets and
chain stores from Darwin to Sydney. This tireless partnership consists of three
families who emigrated from Zimbabwe - and for their latest venture, have
started exporting to New Zealand.
"It is truly a proud moment for us to be recognised in our adopted country by
the Ethnic Business Awards. To be nominated by the National was a huge honour,
to win is truly the pinnacle. Whatever the imperative that has made us search
for a new home, it can only be described as a true blessing that we landed in
this wonderful, truly lucky, country. We will forever be grateful for the
generosity, the inclusiveness and the encouragement of the Australian people and
the Australian Government," said the owners of Green Sprouts.
Mr Ahmed Fahour, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, National
Australia Bank presented the Large Business Award to Mr Ferreira, Wideform Group
of Companies.
Originally from Portugal, Fred Ferreira immigrated to Australia in 1970. With no
experience in business or finance, he found work as a brick labourer. After 31
years of trading, the Wideform Group of Companies has grown to become
Australia's largest formwork company and a leader in the building and
construction industry, employing more than 500 people throughout NSW and
Queensland.
"What an honour it is to win the 2005 Ethnic Business Awards and to be
recognised for our contribution to the Australian community and economy. The
Wideform Group of Companies has come a long way since I immigrated to Australia
from Portugal and founded the company. I am very proud of the growth and success
the Group has achieved over the past 31 years and appreciate the acknowledgement
from the Ethnic Business Awards," said Mr. Ferreira.
This year's Initiative Award was presented to Turkish born Mehmet Karamemis,
Director of Nu- Door Pty Ltd, by Gulf Air's General Manager, Australia and South
Pacific, Mr Cramer Ball. The Initiative Award recognises outstanding
determination, growth and potential.
Mr Karamemis started the company in 1996 with poor English skills, a very
limited understanding of borrowing and a family to support. With diligence and
adapting to the constantly changing needs of the market, Nu - Door Pty Ltd has
become one of the premier manufacturers of vinyl wrap doors and post forming of
laminates for bench tops. Exports to Turkey are expected to grow exponentially.
"I am very happy to have won this award. This will only make me stronger in
being able to export Australian products around the world. These awards show
Australia and the world that you can achieve what you want if you want it
enough," said Mr Karamemis.
All winners received AUD$5,000, two return business class tickets flying Gulf
Air to anywhere on their network and a crystal trophy. Each winner also received
a BlackBerry 7100g device from Telstra. All finalists received a certificate
presented by Mr Joseph Assaf and a Motorola E378i handset generously donated by
Telstra.
The distinguished panel of judges included Carla Zampatti, King Fong OAM, Arthur
Sanderson and Eve Crestani. They overcame the difficult task of selecting the
winners based on criteria of cultural and linguistic difficulties encountered,
creativity and innovation, growth and potential, and creation of employment
opportunities.
Ms Zampatti, on behalf of the judges, said, "It is wonderful to see the
imagination of migrants, looking at the market with fresh eyes and discovering
opportunities that we living here do not see. The strength and size of the
nominees seems to be getting larger and larger, creating exports and employment.
It is very humbling for us all."
Integral to the success of the Awards is the ongoing support shown by the
sponsors. Telstra, Gulf Air and The Department of Industry, Tourism and
Resources again joined long time sponsor, the National Australia Bank.
Centrelink and ABC Tissues, (winner of the 2004 Ethnic Business Awards in the
Large Business category) also joined as sponsors this year. These businesses
have developed a strong relationship with the Ethnic Business Awards, and are
recognised for their support of multicultural Australia.
Representatives from leading ethnic media outlets also attended the Awards,
playing an important role in relaying the results back to each respective
community. The following media outlets show enormous support for the Ethnic
Business Awards, and continue to contribute to their success: SBS, ABC Asia
Pacific, TVB Jadeworld, Sing Tao, Chieu Duong, O Kosmos, El Telegraph and Weekly
Korean Top.
The Ethnic Business Awards is now recognised, seen, read and heard from Tasmania
to Darwin, Perth to Sydney, Indonesia to China, and India to French Polynesia.
In a country where 1 in 4 Australian children were either born overseas or have
one parent born overseas, the Ethnic Business Awards are a celebration of
humanity as a whole, rather than the differences of its citizens.
For nearly two decades, through international conflict and varying political
climates, these Awards have stood as a triumph for diversity and a celebration
of success.
The 2005 Ethnic Business Awards will be broadcast nationally on SBS Television
on Sunday, 6 November at 10:30am. It will later air on the ABC Asia Pacific, 4th
December, to an estimated audience of 10 million homes across 39 countries -
aired twice.
The ABC broadcast times (local times) are as follows: Mumbai, Delhi - 15:30
Bangkok - 14:00 Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore - 16:00 Kuala Lumpur - 15:00
Fiji - 20:00 Seoul/Tokyo - 17:00
Finalists in the Small Business Category were: Australian Chemical Research Pty
Ltd Green Sprouts (winner) Miracle Bookbinding T.K Pacific Marketing _ _ _
Finalists in the Medium - Large Business Category were: Nu - Door Pty Ltd
(winner) Southerncross Rigging and Constructions Pty Ltd Stambo's Group of
Companies Wideform Group of Companies (winner)
_ _ _
Visit www.etcom.com.au
For more information, please contact:
Guadalupe Millan PR Manager, Etcom, Australia guadalupe.millan@etcom.com.au +61
2 9568 8398
* Higher resolution images available upon request.
* Media Releases are available in Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Greek and Vietnamese.
_ _ _
VISIT http://www.etcom.com.au/eba2005.htm _ _ _ VISIT
http://www.etcom.com.au/ethnic_business_awards.htm
About the Author: http://www.etcom.com.au/eba2005.htm
Source of article:
www.goarticles.com
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