Top 100 Most Influential people: Macarthur region part V
THE Macarthur region’s most-anticipated countdown of the year, as we reveal the names on the penultimate instalment of the Macarthur Chronicle’s top 100 most influential people.
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- TOP 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL PART I: The Wiz to the Hayne Plane
- TOP 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL PART II: From Tim Pickles to Brett McGrath
- TOP 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL PART III: From Daniel Geale to Adriana Care
- TOP 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL PART IV: From Jody Scott to Brett Emerton
THE penultimate instalment of the list which has stopped the Macarthur region, the Macarthur Chronicle Top 100 Most Influential, is here.
With influential names from politics to sports, from medicine to business, from household names to unsung heroes, these people have had a profound influence.
We will continue the countdown — in no particular order — over coming days.
No list of this kind can ever be truly definitive or achieve an absolute consensus.
But what this list succeeds in doing is serving as a starting point for a conversation about the kind of people who can and do play a major role in shaping the present and future of the Macarthur region.
Have your say: Who do you think should feature in the list? Do you know an unsung hero? Comment on Facebook or email editor@macarthurchronicle.com.au
61. JAMES TEDESCO: NSW BLUES RUGBY LEAGUE FULLBACK
The 25-year-old NSW Origin fullback, James Tedesco is one of the most recognisable faces in the NRL.
Raised in Menangle and another product St Gregory’s College, the current Sydney Roosters fullback boasts an impressive 65,000 Instagram followers as well as sponsorships arrangements with Nike.
In 2016 and again in 2017 he played in the Prime Minister’s XIII against Papua New Guinea.
In 2017 the young Wests Tigers player was voted player of the year by his peers at the Rugby League Players’ Association’s awards night.
Tedesco also has represented Italy in the Rugby League World Cup.
62. CHRIS PATTERSON: POLITICIAN
A resident of Camden since 1984, Camden state Liberal MP Chris Patterson has served the community since 2000.
Patterson managed his family’s business, the longstanding Merino Tavern in Camden’s Argyle St, for more than 20 years, and became a councillor in 2000.
Patterson served as Camden’s deputy mayor in 2003 the mayor in 2006 until 2011 when he successfully stood and won the state seat of Camden from Geoff Corrigan (ALP) with a swing of 21.9 points.
Patterson has been the Government Whip since 2014. The father-of-four was recently promoted to parliamentary Secretary for Youth Employment in Western Sydney.
63. KAREN ENDICOTT: FORMER SARAH REDFERN HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
Karen Endicott, the former Sarah Redfern High School principal, was named on The Educator magazine’s 50 innovative educators last year.
Described by the magazine as “a creative mind and driving force of change”, she became the school principal in 2009.
Under her leadership, Sarah Redfern experienced exponential growth in student achievement and engagement, as a result of the introduction of innovative curriculum and management structures.
Enrolments have grown significantly, with a 26 per cent increase from Year 7-12 and, most notably, a 66 per cent increase in Year 7 enrolments over the seven years of her principalship. Among her achievements, Endicott implemented a management structure that challenged the traditional model of staffing public schools.
Her model features managers who oversee well-defined portfolios in the areas of curriculum, operations, business, student wellbeing, leadership and learning, and strategic planning.
The model remains a popular source of interest from the school’s local and interstate colleagues.
64. PETER BRENNAN/LANG WALKER: DEVELOPERS
Peter Brennan and Lang Walker are the faces behind the development of Wilton New Town and Appin, through their development companies Bradcorp and Walker Corporation respectively.
Mr Walker is the founder and executive chairman of Walker Corporation, which is pursuing development projects in Wilton New Town and Appin. Mr Brennan is the chief executive of Bradcorp, responsible for the development of Nangarin Estate near Picton and a major landowner of Wilton New Town. Wilton New Town is forecast to be home to 30,000 people by 2030. Forbes puts Walker’s real time net worth at $2.3 billion.
65. ROSS ROBINSON/ADAM CRYER: GEORGE IV INN OWNERS
Ross Robinson and Adam Cryer are the owners of the heartbeat of Picton, the historic and much-loved George IV Inn.
The business partners bought the iconic pub, devastated in the Picton floods, in June last year for $3.125 million.
A multi million-dollar restoration is continuing to take place, restoring the favourite watering hole to its former glory.
Robinson has been a frequent fixture of the Australian Financial Review Young Rich List, with an estimated worth of $36 million in 2017.
6 6. RAAD RICHARDS: CARRINGTON CHIEF EXECUTIVE
As chief executive of Carrington Centennial Care for the past 14 years, Raad Richards has played a vital role in caring and assisting in the final years of the region’s treasured seniors.
Boasting more than 41 years of experience in health and aged care services, Richards is a non-executive director of Aged and Community Services (ACS) NSW & ACT and Meaning Ageing Australia, as well as being a past winner of the Business Leader category at the South Western Sydney Business Awards.
67. BRUCE CHRISTISON: NSW HARNESS RACING CLUB AND CLUB MENANGLE CHIEF EXECUTIVE
As the chief executive of the NSW Harness Racing Club and Club Menangle, Bruce Christison is largely in charge of the direction of the sport in NSW if not Australia.
After the Harold Park venue was closed, Club Menangle redeveloped to prepare it as the centre of harness racing operations in Australia.
Club Menangle is also a leading host of the Miracle Mile and Inter Dominion.
On a local level, Christison is charged with continued multi million-dollar improvements at the Menangle site including a future hotel.
68. DUTCHY HOLLAND: CAMPBELLTOWN RSL SUB-BRANCH PRESIDENT
Dutchy Holland is the long-serving president of Campbelltown RSL Sub-branch and he is also a patron of the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia NSW Branch.
He has been a fierce advocate of veterans and veterans affairs since serving himself in Malaya and Vietnam, and especially stands up and represents his community.
69. IAIN RICHARD-EVAN: CAMDEN RSL SUB-BRANCH PRESIDENT
Iain Camden RSL Sub-Branch is the long-serving president of the Camden RSL Sub-Branch.
Richard-Evan is a familiar face to the Camden community as he leads the commemorations each year at Camden’s Anzac Day services.
He also has overseen a remarkable rise in attendance at the Camden dawn service over the past few years. Richard-Evan also played a leading role in Anzac centenary commemorations across the district.
70. SARAH COYTE: FORMER FEMALE CRICKETER AND MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE
While she reached the highest echelons of cricket, Sarah Coyte faced an inner battle with anorexia nervosa.
The NSW, Women’s Big Bash League and international player hit all of her goals over many years in the game, but last year she stepped away to focus on her mental health.
She is now slowly returning to the game she loved but always questioned its influence on her, and is a tireless advocate for increased awareness surrounding the mental health of female athletes.
71. JASON HARB: GREGORY HILLS COMMUNITY LEADER
The unofficial “Mayor of Gregory Hills”, small business owner and husband father, Jason Harb has united the new community of Gregory Hills through the power of social media.
The enthusiastic administrator of the Gregory Hills Community Noticeboard, Harb keeps residents up-to-date with all the latest news and happenings in the area.
72. MARK HUNT: UFC CHAMPION
The 120kg UFC superstar, Mark “Super Samoan” Hunt is one of Minto’s greatest warriors, both in Australia and overseas.
The 44-year-old is the No. 6 ranked heavyweight UFC fighter in the world and boasts close to 100,000 followers on Twitter. Hunt’s personal philosophy is: “I would rather die on my feet than live on my knees.”
Hunt was the winner of the 2001 K-1 World Grand Prix and the subject of a feature-length documentary The Art of Fighting (2013).
73. JACKY MOORE: LIFELINE MACARTHUR EXECUTIVE MANAGER, CRISIS SUPPORT AND SUICIDE PREVENTION
Jacky Moore has been Lifeline Macarthur’s executive manager of crisis support and suicide prevention for nearly the past decade, a vital role in assisting those in desperate need.
With volunteers in the Macarthur region receiving about one million calls each year, Moore’s contribution as the driving force has been immense.
She played a vital role in launching the Macarthur Regional Suicide Prevention Action Network in 2016, to bring together community leaders to help save lives.
74. TONY MATHEW: WESTS GROUP MACARTHUR CEO
Tony Mathew is a man who prefers to work behind the scenes. But make no mistake, he is a mover and shaker of the future direction of the club scene in the Macarthur region.
Wests Group Macarthur now has a membership of almost 71,000 across its four clubs in the Macarthur region: Wests League Club and Wests Tennis Club, at Leumeah, and Country Club Gledswood Hills, Lakeside Golf Club Camden and The Greens, all in Gledswood Hills.
It has the largest membership of any club in the region and is also a leading employer.
In 2017 the clubs’ net assets increased to $91,329,027 (adding almost $7 million in assets from 2016) and its net profit was almost $7 million.
Most significantly is Mathew’s vision for the group of clubs, which includes a hotel at Camden Lakeside, an over-55s complex nears Wests at Leumeah and ongoing golfing improvements at Lakeside and the old El Caballo Blanco site next door.
Although the group is in a major development phase, it also is committed to its community.
Last year the Wests board approved more than $3 million to provide financial support, some of this funding via the Wests Sports Council, to 28 sports groups while other contributions went towards sporting facilities and community groups.
75. AMANDA STOKER: POLITICIAN
Senator Amanda Stoker was nominated by the Liberal Party in March to fill the casual vacancy arising from the retirement of Senator George Brandis.
Despite only being in her mid 30s, Campbelltown born and educated Stoker has already had an illustrious career as a solicitor after graduating from Sydney University with a law/arts degree (first class honours) in 2005.
She worked as an associate for several judges before taking up a role with the Commonwealth DPP in Brisbane. She went to the Bar in 2011 and has worked widely throughout Queensland.
76. GEORGE BRTICEVIC/LINDY DEITZ: CAMPBELLTOWN COUNCIL MAYOR AND GENERAL MANAGER
Campbelltown Mayor George Brticevic and city general manager Lindy Deitz head the growth of Campbelltown as a vibrant and developing regional city in Sydney’s important southwest growth corridor.
The council has $2.3 billion worth of assets and this coming year’s operational budget includes: a $45 million Capital Works Program; expanding the city’s CCTV network; reducing childhood overweight and obesity through a partnership with South West Sydney Local Health District; developing waste education initiatives and starting phase two of the Reimagining Campbelltown CBD plan.
77. PETER MEADOWS: BUSINESS OWNER
Peter Meadows is the owner and operator of eight McDonald’s restaurants from Moorebank to Rosemeadow and employs a staff of 900.
His restaurants help charities including the Kids of Macarthur Health Foundation, St Vincent de Paul Society, Youth Solutions, Mater Dei and a host of local sporting groups.
Meadows holds positions as the chairperson of Ronald McDonald House Westmead and is on the board of the Campbelltown Catholic Club.
78. VITOCCO FAMILY: DEVELOPERS
The Vitocco family’s land has transformed the Camden district into to an emerging region and commercial player in the southwest Sydney business community.
Responsible for the 2500-lot subdivision and 43ha employment zone of Gregory Hills, as well as being a 50 per cent owner of Narellan Town Centre, the Vitocco family has been building and developing in the region since the late 1950s.
Arnold Vitocco is a member of the Greater Narellan Chamber of Commerce, St Gregory’s College, Campbelltown, and Health Research Foundation Sydney South West committee member.