Local leader takes Telstra Qld business crown

TWO years ago, I was blessed to meet an incredible woman who was new to the Sunshine Coast.

Jennifer Swaine, Jeanette Allom-Hill, Cr John Connolly and Jerry O'Reilly at the start of work on Foundation Place in the new Maroochydore City Centre.

TWO years ago, I was blessed to meet an incredible woman who was new to the Sunshine Coast. She moved her family here to take on a senior role at the council and immediately we clicked.

Her business pedigree is outstanding but that is not why I was drawn to her.

She didn’t barge into town and go about making changes or only connecting to “connected” people. She took her time and earnt the trust and respect of everyone whose circle she entered. She didn’t care what your role was, where you worked, what you looked like or how much power you had (or didn’t have). She treated everyone with kindness and respect — and the respect was returned by all she touched.

I watched from afar as she nominated two of her team who were later recipients of a Sunshine Coast Business Women’s Award.

Her leadership is strong, powerful and nurturing — she brings the best out in people, shows them the path and then gets out of the way so they can shine.

My friend is Jeanette Allom-Hill and she is a woman who does business differently.

It’s also the reason that on Thursday she was crowned the Queensland recipient of the 2020 Telstra Queensland Business Women’s Public Sector and Academia Award.

What many people would not know is that despite a cruel and harsh upbringing, this woman has risen to the very top. She is a kind and caring leader who empowers, inspires and will lead by example because her words are the values she lives by.

So, when she shared with me earlier this week that she was to be named the Queensland winner of this category, I could not have been more proud.

The timing is also impeccable as Jeanette has just accepted a role consulting with the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and taken on a board role with No More Fake Smiles, but luckily for us she is happy to commute.

“I fell in love with the Sunshine Coast from the moment I arrived here,” Jeanette told me. “While I love the natural beauty of the region, it is the people who have won my heart.”

Congratulations, Jeanette. You have also won our hearts and we are extremely proud to have you as our ambassador who embodies everything that is real and authentic in leadership.

Originally published as