Former newspaper leader to judge business awards

He spent the final 15 years of his career restructuring newspapers to improve their profitability

IMPRESSED: Peter Read during his time at the Warwick Daily News.

LONG-time newspaper man Peter Read will bring an expansive portfolio of business experience to his judging role for the 2019 Lockyer Valley Business, Training and Apprenticeship Awards.

Peter, who has had five decades as a journalist, editor, general manager and area manager, spent the final 15 years of his career restructuring newspapers to improve their profitability.

Based in Pomona, Peter retired in 2015 after three years as general manager of The Gympie Times. During his time managing the paper, it won four Pacific Area Newspaper Proprietors Association Regional Daily Newspaper of the Year Awards.

Throughout his career, Peter has worked across South Australia, Western Australia, Victoria and Queensland, with a stint in Army public relations in Canberra as a Nasho.

He has also produced and compered radio and television programs and in recent years has been a judge of both the South Australia and Queensland Country Newspaper of the Year Awards. Through a family company, he is a partner in the Sunshine Coast ENZED Service Centre.

Since retiring, Peter has been a voluntary business mentor with Business Mentors Noosa, a group which provides mentoring and assistance to Sunshine Coast businesses. Peter thoroughly enjoys his role helping small businesses on the Sunshine Coast to fulfil their potential.

"Members of the Business Mentors Noosa group share a passion for the role of small business in our economy and acting as an independent sounding board, the group welcome the chance to brainstorm ideas and help local businesses plan for the future,” he said.

Lockyer Valley Regional Council has received a record numbers of entries to the awards in 2019, keeping Peter extremely busy with reviewing each application and conducting one-on-one interviews with nominees. He has been impressed with both the quality and quantity of nominees.

Bruce Horrocks, manager of the Gatton Star,said the awards continued to cement themselves as a premier event on the Lockyer Valley calendar.

"Clearly businesses are recognising the prestige of the awards, the integrity of the award process and they are valuing the opportunity to have an independent and well-credentialled judge assess and provide feedback on how they are operating in the modern economy,” Bruce said.

"The awards also give the business community and sponsors a chance to network and expand on existing relationships.

"We are proud to continue our sponsorship of this prestigious event.”

Tickets to the Lockyer Valley Business, Training and Apprenticeship Awards will go on sale at 9am on Wednesday, September 25. Limited tickets will be available by phoning Regional Development on 54663505. The 2019 Lockyer Valley Business, Training and Apprenticeship Awards will be held in the Gatton Shire Hall on Saturday, October 19.