Full list of Ipswich’s most influential business people revealed
From small business owners to family matriarchs, these are 20 plus top business people making waves in Ipswich. Full list
Ipswich
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As Ipswich’s population continues to grow, so to do opportunities for business and innovation.
The Queensland Times has compiled a list of the city’s most influential business people of today, from property developers to not-for-profit CEOs, and accountants to cafe and restaurant owners.
These are some of the remarkable people of Ipswich who have worked hard, changed lives for the better, and deserve recognition.
Luke and Laurie-Ann Saggus
Founders of hugely popular barbecue restaurant Phat Boyz Smoking, Luke and Laurie-Ann Saggus, are relatively new to the Ipswich business scene, but have taken it by storm.
The business owners welcomed customers to their smokehouse and kitchen at the Waterlea Estate, Walloon in June this year, much to the delight of the local community.
The move came four years after Mr Saggus began selling the smokers and sauces he is now renowned for from his backyard, and two years after he opened his first store at Bundamba.
Phat Boyz Smoking was recognised by Ipswich Chamber of Commerce as last year’s New Business of the Year.
Maha Sinnathamby
Billionaire developer Maha Sinnathamby is widely known and regarded for creating Greater Springfield, the largest masterplanned urban environment in Australia.
A dreamer, Mr Sinnathamby purchased a 2833-hectare parcel of land in 1992 that no other developer wanted for less than $8 million.
He saw potential in the site, and got to work creating super city Greater Springfield, which is now home to more than 46,000 residents and on track to cracking 100,000 by the end of the decade.
The city-within-a-city is said to have a potential “end value” of $88 billion and create 30,000 jobs.
It is thus no surprise Mr Sinnathamby has been dubbed one of Australia’s most iconic entrepreneurs, even going on to receive an Appointment as a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia in 2019.
The Stevenson brothers
Despite the best efforts of the Covid-19 pandemic to hinder business at Bakehouse Steakhouse, the Ipswich restaurant and bar is thriving.
Owners Nicholas, Alastair and Chris Stevenson lost two thirds of their staff when Covid-19 restrictions banned dining out in Queensland, forcing them to innovate and approach trade differently.
The business, which opened in 2019, increased its trading hours and launched a takeaway burger menu and take-home hampers.
Nick Stevenson was named Young Business Person of the Year at last year’s Ipswich Business Excellence Awards and is paving the way for other young entrepreneurs.
Elle Morar and Candy Gazdagh
Rafter & Rose, owned by Elle Morar and Candy Gazdagh, was voted Ipswich’s best cafe by Queensland Times readers earlier this year for its ambience, service and famed baked goods.
After starting six years ago with just enough money to paint the walls of their business, Ms Morar and Ms Gazdagh have come a long way.
The team uses homegrown produce, supports other local businesses, and only seems to be growing more popular with time.
Ms Morar and Ms Gazdagh have no doubt set a high bar for hospitality in Ipswich.
Brad Bulow and Martin Sammut
Business partners Brad Bulow and Martin Sammut have each won Business Person of the Year at the Ipswich Business Excellence Awards in the past.
The pair have been partners of accounting firm Sammut Bulow for about 15 years, as well as active members of the local community.
Mr Sammut is known for being detail-oriented and for his entrepreneurial flair, his journey in Ipswich beginning when he “knocked on every accountancy’s door” until he got a job.
Born and bred in Ipswich, Mr Bulow is a founding member of non-profit organisation Swich On and provides advice and direction to organisations as a member on a number of advisory boards.
He joined Sammut Bulow in 2005 and became a partner in 2007.
Sammut Bulow and Bennett Partners merged in 2019 to create SBB Partners. The business now boasts thousands of clients and offers a range of services.
Gary Edwards
Many members of the Ipswich community would be familiar with the Edwards family, the original faces behind RT Edwards electrical and furniture stores.
The company began in 1931 and was the biggest member of the Retravision electrical buying group until it was sold to the Radio Rentals group in South Australia.
Gary Edwards, who is part of the Edwards family, worked as general manager and director of RT Edwards for 21 years.
He has previously served on retail boards and has been recognised for his contributions to the Ipswich community, of which he has been a part of since birth.
He was a member of the West Moreton Hospital and Health Board until 2018, when he resigned after “inadvertently” omitting his family’s financial interest in a property impacted by Ipswich Hospital developments.
Mr Edwards is now CEO of non-profit organisation Churches of Christ, Queensland.
Vanessa Norman
Vanessa Norman is Ipswich’s current Young Business Person of the Year, recognised last month at the City of Ipswich Business Excellence Awards for her work as CEO of Integrity Care and Support.
The business prides itself on providing “compassionate and understanding” disability services to members of the Ipswich community, ensuring its clients are treated with the utmost respect and dignity.
Based in Ipswich, Integrity Care and Support began as a deep cleaning business and has since expanded to offer community nursing, in-home support, gardening and yard services, and transport services.
Ms Norman began in her role as CEO in May 2019.
Steve Mallet
Choices Flooring by Mallets owner Steve Mallet is passionate about operating a community-focused business.
Born and raised in Ipswich, Mr Mallet has previously told the Queensland Times that his family will always support the local community.
“I just want to run an honest business, with a passion for the city, and for the Top of Town precinct, because if we support Ipswich then the city will continue to grow,” he said in June 2019.
The carpet and flooring business has been at its current Brisbane St address for more than 15 years, growing exponentially in that time.
Loz Antonenko
Ipswich influencer, life coach, author, and owner of WOW! Mobility & Rehab Loz Antonenko has used her passion for healthy habits to improve lives for more than a decade.
Through social media and the coaching and development programs she has built, Ms Antonenko helps people “upgrade their body, mind and energy” without fad diets and excessive exercise.
She has more than 64,000 Instagram followers, YouTube subscribers and podcast listeners, and hosts monthly business masterclasses and group fitness sessions.
Just last month, Ms Antonenko was named Business Person of the Year at the annual Ipswich Business Excellence Awards. She took out Young Business Person of the Year at the 2015 ceremony.
Ross Llewellyn
Family business Llewellyn Motors has been operating in Ipswich and its surround communities since 1991.
Ross Llewellyn worked at what was then a Zupps dealership since 1969, taking over the business 22 years later during a recession and renaming it Llewellyn Motors.
The dealership has sold tens of thousands of vehicles over the years, its success attributable to its strong customer focus and adaptability in a rapidly changing market.
Llewellyn Motors represents seven car brands from the one location, Booval, and is managed by Mr Llewellyn’s son and dealer principal, Wade.
This year marks 30 years since the business was established under Ross Llewellyn.
Sunny and Rick Lu
The beloved Billy Macs Bakery at Brassall became the site of a brand new business in late 2018, Hunter Street Bakery.
First time bakery owners but long time bakers Sunny and Rick Lu have seen an impressive number of customers since opening their store, even recording a spike in sales throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mr Lu previously told the Queensland Times his secret to success was using quality ingredients and keeping prices low.
“The average Joe can come in and afford a piece and enjoy it without having to worry about spending too much,” he said in April.
Hunter Street Bakery was voted Ipswich’s best bakery by Queensland Times readers this year.
Amanda Margerison
Ipswich Community Youth Service is a not-for-profit business that has supported at-risk children, young people, and families in Ipswich since 1983.
Each year, it provides direct services to about 6000 young people across Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Somerset and Scenic Rim, including assistance for young people experiencing homelessness, as well as employment and training, weekly breakfasts, and playgroups for young parents.
Amanda Margerison has led the team at Ipswich Community Youth Service as CEO since January 2010, commencing as a youth support co-ordinator in 2005.
She has played a crucial role in helping the organisation build the self confidence, motivation, and general workplace and life skills of young Ipswich people.
Jason Hannay
A distiller by trade, owner of Imbibis Craft Distillery Jason Hannay swapped making gin for making hand sanitiser when the Covid-19 pandemic first hit Australia last year.
He launched his first gin under Imbibis Craft Distillery last year, but a shortage of hand sanitiser led him to consider producing the product himself.
At the time, he told the Queensland Times he received an “overwhelming response” from businesses and individuals for pre-orders.
Before going out on his own, Mr Hannay was involved with winemaking and distillation for many years.
He is noticeably passionate about his craft, which shows in the quality of gins and brandies he makes and their popularity locally and among the wider community.
Mr Hannay’s business was this year recognised as Food and Agribusiness of the Year at the City of Ipswich Business Excellence Awards.
Neil Harding
A director at Harding Martin Accountants, Neil Harding has been in business for more than 35 years.
He works to provide solutions to businesses, including in their taxation affairs, and is a Registered Company Auditor.
As well as solving tax-related issues, Mr Harding assists a number of boards and directors in improving their businesses and has held key positions in community organisations.
He served 10 years as a member of the Ipswich Region Chamber of Commerce, three of which he was a president, and was also on the board of the Ipswich Hospital Foundation.
Mr Harding is a very popular and respected member of the Ipswich business community.
Gerard Pender
Walker Pender, of which Gerard Pender is a director, has been a mainstay of Ipswich since forming in 1988.
Legal firms Walker & Walker and Pender & Pender were founded in the late 1800s and, nearly 150 years on, the directors of Walker Pender Group are continuing to provide legal services to members of the Ipswich community.
Gerard Pender has been a solicitor since 1979, firstly in partnership with his father and more recently as a director.
His business has previously been named Ipswich Business of the Year at the Ipswich Chamber of Commerce and Industry Business Awards.
Mr Pender has been heavily involved in the Ipswich community over the years and is well-known for his association with local committees and boards.
Christine and Ross Williams
Business owner Ross Williams took over Fourthchild Cafe Restaurant in February 2014 after three decades in the hospitality industry.
The popular eatery is family owned and operated, and offers a range of gourmet breakfasts, lunches and dinners, as well as savoury treats and coffee, all made on-site by qualified chefs.
Open seven days a week from 7am at its Top of Town location, and with a sophisticated and extensive menu, Fourthchild has become an integral part of the Ipswich community.
Cafe owners Christine and Ross Williams have built a strong following of loyal customers over the years which continues to grow as the Ipswich population expands.
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