Bundaberg's 10 most influential people revealed
WE'VE been counting down and now it's time to announce the 10 most influential people in our region.
Bundaberg
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WE'VE been counting down and now it's time to announce the 10 most influential people in our region.
Check out the 11-20 most influential here
10. Wayne Mulvany
GENERAL MANAGER OF IWC
ROUNDING out the top 10 is Wayne Mulvany from the Integrated Wellbeing Centre.
Mr Mulvany has been instrumental in the centre's growth.
He has fought all levels of government to fund the construction of stage two of the centre and has tirelessly fought for a drug rehabilitation centre.
Mr Mulvany has extensive experience in the health and community services sector and previously was the manager of primary health care in the Wide Bay Division of General Practice.
He has worked alongside IWC CEO Ara Harathunian since 2006, when the centre began delivering primary health care services.
In that time, IWC has become a leading provider of primary health care in the region, with more than 12,000 clients and a unique whole-of-person holistic model of care.
In 2014, stage one of the centre was opened in Bundaberg, and in 2017 it won $7.4 million worth of dollar-for-dollar funding through the Australian Government's Building Better Regions Fund for the $14.8 million project that is delivering stage two.
The total cost of the project is $19.8 million, of which IWC is covering 62 per cent.
In 2017, IWC delivered 94,000 episodes of care.
The centre is committed to reconciliation in action and has a focus on indigenous, disadvantaged, at-risk and vulnerable people. Its 27 services and programs include GPs, specialists, nurses, indigenous health practitioners, allied health professionals (psychology, dietitians, diabetes educators), dentists, home care, and community programs.
9. Katherine Reid
GENERAL MANAGER OF BUNDABERG NORTH BURNETT TOURISM
KATHERINE Reid has had a stellar year and her inclusion in the top 10 at number nine is proof of that.
Under her leadership Bundaberg North Burnett Tourism has helped grow domestic and international tourism numbers to the region and cemented Bundaberg's position as the gateway to the Southern Great Barrier Reef.
Ms Reid is a passionate advocate of the tourism industry.
Her key recent achievements include developing the region's trade ready product, building the destination offering in international markets, and establishing strong working partnerships with council, the Queensland RTO Network and the Bundaberg Chamber of Commerce.
She has also captured the passion of the culinary industry, bringing together key players to craft Bundaberg as a foodie destination through events, tours and visitor services.
Ms Reid and her team embrace best practice in marketing, visitor servicing and destination development.
She has an ambitious goal of growing overnight visitor expenditure to $400 million by 2020.
Ms Reid moved to the Bundaberg region five years ago. Driven by a strategic and inclusive vision for the region, she has built a vibrant team at Bundaberg North Burnett Tourism.
8. Neil McPhillips
DIRECTOR OF STARFIRE SOLUTIONS
NEIL McPhillips, the director of Starfire Solutions, is a big influence behind the scenes in Bundaberg.
Mr McPhillips has worked with all levels of government and in the private sector for more than 30 years.
He is well regarded for his networking and sustainable development in businesses and community organisations as well as for his work in economic and business development and attraction.
Mr McPhillips is proudly Bundaberg and has been a driving force behind Bundaberg's post-flood success.
His expertise includes economic and business development and attraction.
He is recognised for his efforts in Bundaberg, including the establishment of Bundaberg Technology Park, and many other initiatives.
Mr McPhillips's success in both private and public sector comes from his analytical abilities and being able to see, research and develop opportunities.
He has an extensive background in research and development, combined with years of involvement in strategic planning and organisational development.
Mr McPhillips has held positions in public and private companies, to the level of Chief Executive Officer, and has also owned and operated his own successful private companies.
He is an experienced negotiator and facilitator to business and industry and is known for his ability to address issues and achieve results.
7. Alan Cooper
FRIENDLY SOCIETY PRIVATE HOSPITAL CEO
ALAN Cooper's leadership has led to an expansion of Bundaberg's largest private hospital. Part of that expansion is the nation's largest solar panel installation on a health facility.
The Friendly Society Private Hospital, affectionately known as The Friendlies, has a proud, 70-year tradition of providing quality health care to the Bundaberg and Wide Bay community.
With 143 beds, The Friendlies offers a range of services from surgical to medical, cardiac to oncology, to allied health and pharmacy.
The hospital provides:
- Five surgical and medical inpatient units
- The largest private day oncology unit between the Sunshine Coast and Townsville
- Cardiac Investigations Unit, with a Cardiac Cath Lab - the only one between the Sunshine Coast and Townsville
- Critical Care Unit
- Five state-of-the-art theatres, used by more than 40 specialists
- Medical consulting suites
Over the past seven years, The Friendlies has invested millions in refurbishment and facility upgrades.
In April, 2016, the board of directors launched The Friendlies Foundation, a charitable, fundraising arm of The Friendlies, allowing the community to support The Friendlies financially with its plans for expanding patient services.
6. Adrian Pennington
WIDE BAY HOSPITAL AND HEALTH SERVICE CHIEF EXECUTIVE
ADRIAN Pennington is the man in charge of health across the Wide Bay and his influence directly affects nearly every person in Bundaberg.
Mr Pennington has been voted Bundaberg's sixth most influential person.
He oversees 11 hospitals with a budget of more than half a billion dollars.
Mr Pennington has more than 38 years' health care experience, more than half of which has been at executive and senior management levels, both within acute hospitals and leading national programs within the United Kingdom's National Health Service.
He has managed every department within a hospital including support services.
He was chief executive officer of the James Paget University Hospital's NHS Foundation Trust and chief executive of NHS Heart Improvement.
The latter role saw him head up a national heart disease program for seven years, during which time mortality figures fell from 130,000 to 68,000 a year.
Mr Pennington has acted as an adviser to the Health Minister in British Columbia to develop a strategy for health redesign for the province.
He has more than 60 published documents recognised internationally and has presented in many countries including the United States, Canada, Finland and New Zealand.
He has lectured for Harvard and Stanford universities.
5. Stephen Bennett
STATE MEMBER FOR BURNETT
COMING in at number five is the Member for Burnett, Stephen Bennett.
In opposition, Mr Bennett has been a tough critic of former Labor minister and Member for Bundaberg Leanne Donaldson, while also tackling numerous other community roles.
During 2017 he made a name for himself by fighting for stronger road laws after the death of the Walker siblings, Sarah and Daniel, on the Bruce Highway south of Bundaberg.
Mr Bennett helped the family launch a petition, giving other families who have lost loved ones in car crashes a voice.
The petition calls for Queensland's careless driving penalties to be strengthened to bring them into line with the rest of Australia.
Mr Bennett entered politics after being elected as Member for Burnett at the 2012 state election.
Since then he has fought for many issues including the push for a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre in the region, cutting back on plastic bag pollution, securing HMAS Tobruk as a dive site for Bundaberg, an upgrade to the Mon Repos Turtle Centre and more.
Before his election Mr Bennett was a manager with the Department of Public Works and a builder.
4. Keith Pitt
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR HINKLER
KEITH Pitt was instrumental in convincing the Federal Government to introduce the Cashless Debit Card for Bundaberg.
His lobbying has so far been unable to persuade Labor or the cross-bench to support the welfare management measure but he and his government have vowed to keep up the fight. Only time will tell if they succeed.
Mr Pitt, an engineer and cane farmer, was the driving force behind the push to secure HMAS Tobruk as a dive site in Hinkler. His persistence also saw Bundaberg chosen for early roll-out of the NBN.
Mr Pitt was the assistant trade, tourism and investment minister until that role was taken from him in a cabinet reshuffle in December. But he again showed how much influence he does wield after returning to the frontbench as the assistant minister to the new deputy prime minister, Michael McCormack, in another reshuffle last week.
3. Martin Barrett
CEO OF AUSWIDE BANK
FOR many, the thought of filling Wide Bay Australia founder Ron Hancock's shoes was a daunting and seemingly impossible task after his 46 years in the top job.
But his replacement, Martin Barrett, has been a revelation, growing the bank in his few years in the position while still keeping it a local operation.
The bank's CEO has been been voted the third most influential person in the region.
Mr Barrett had a very successful 2017, releasing some of the best results in years and growing the bank by more than 4000 customers.
The financial institution continues to play a huge role in the Bundaberg region by sponsoring events and backing the region.
Its biggest plus is that it continues to have its head office in Bundaberg, supporting the region through jobs and investment.
Mr Barrett has a 30-year career across diverse banking institutions both nationally and internationally.
He held the position of state manager (Queensland and Western Australia) at St George Bank.
He has also acted as regional manager of Clydesdale Bank in London and Manchester.
Mr Barrett began his current role with Auswide Bank Ltd (formerly Wide Bay Australia Ltd) in February 2013.
2. Jack Dempsey
MAYOR OF BUNDABERG
MAYOR Jack Dempsey has been voted the second most influential person in the region.
Since gaining a massive 71 per cent of the vote to win power in the 2016 local election, Mr Dempsey has been a guiding light for the Bundaberg region.
He has led a very focused and united council fighting for the region's fair share of state and federal government funding.
Mr Dempsey's Open for Development policy has been one of the key factors in Bundaberg's economic growth, hitting 13 per cent last year.
He is well known for his friendly, outgoing nature and his positivity about the great things happening in the region is infectious.
Mr Dempsey, a former police officer, represented Bundaberg in state parliament from 2006 to 2015 before being ousted by Labor candidate Leanne Donaldson.
While in power he was sworn in as minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and multicultural affairs and minister assisting the premier in April 2012.
Later that month he was appointed acting police and community safety minister following the resignation of David Gibson.
He was then appointed to the office in his own right on April 23.
1. John McLean
CEO OF BUNDABERG BREWED DRINKS
FOR generations, Bundaberg Ginger Beer has been one of Queensland's favourite drinks.
And now CEO John McLean's efforts to export Bundaberg Brewed Drinks to the world has seen him named Bundaberg's most influential person.
Mr McLean has taken the iconic Bundaberg name and softdrink brand to the world.
In the ultra-competitive softdrinks market he has created an iconic Bundaberg product and given it wings.
Mr McLean was appointed chief executive officer and managing director of Bundaberg Brewed Drinks in 2007.
As CEO, he focused on growing the business while remaining true to the company's family-owned values and to Bundaberg.
He has taken the Bundaberg name worldwide, just recently signing a distribution deal with Pepsi in the United States.
The deal means Bundaberg Brewed Drinks' ginger beer will potentially be available in more than 400,000 stores, bars and restaurants through the Pepsi network.
Currently, it has been reported the company sells about 24 million bottles a year, up from the 150,000 units it sold when it first entered the US market in 1997.
Offshore sales make up 35 per cent of Bundaberg's total market and are soon expected to outstrip domestic sales.
From some small sales to New Zealand 30 years ago, Bundaberg Brewed Drinks now sells its products in 44 countries.
Solid markets in China, Germany, the UK and South Korea helped push its worldwide sales to $117 million in 2016.
There are now plans to build a new "super brewery” to keep up with demand.
Mr McLean started with the company in 1995.
He had married Rae-Lee Fleming, a granddaughter of the company's founders, and was asked to join the family business by his father-in-law, Bundaberg's master brewer Cliff Fleming.
The business started by the Fleming family brewed its first ginger beer in Bundaberg back in 1960, and grew to be the local softdrink maker for the Bundaberg and Maryborough areas.
The product range has grown under Mr McLean's watch.
In 2010, new Bundaberg-branded flavours including pink grapefruit, guava and blood orange gave the company a gourmet range.
Mr McLean said that initially Bundaberg was shipping from its warehouse to international distributors and simply hoping for the best.
"We changed our focus from being an export business to being an international business and, over the last seven years, we have really focused on that,'' he said.
"It's not just simply moving the product across the road or across the sea, but how do we help our partner in that country and help them sell that product and sell more?”
That meant taking control of international marketing, trading in the local currency to have a better handle on the foreign exchange risks, and focusing on the distribution points.
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