Terry Morris — founder of Sirromet Wines — is the 13th person inducted into the Gold Coast Business Hall of Fame

The 13th person to be inducted in the Gold Coast Business Hall of Fame owns a suite of a businesses including a famous winery and racetrack.

TERRY Morris delivered a passionate speech in front of hundreds of businesspeople about his love for the Gold Coast after being inducted as the 13th person in the Gold Coast Business Hall of Fame.

He now joins a list that includes Dreamworld founder John Longhurst, Sea World founder Keith Williams, and developers Jim Raptis and Norm Rix.

The Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards, held on Saturday night at The Star Gold Coast, was attended by more than 600 people including a roll call of the city’s powerful figures such as Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate, real estate supremo Andrew Bell, and the Federal Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, Karen Andrews.

Mr Morris told attendees he, and wife Lurleen, were grateful to the Gold Coast business community for giving them the opportunity to forge a highly successful career.

He also defended the media, including newspapers, radio and television, stating it has an important role to play.

Terry Morris began his business career selling insurance in Victoria before moving to the Gold Coast in 1976 and founding Morris International.

“A lot of people knock the media.....but it is so important to have,” he said.

Mr Morris was born in Victoria and owned a successful insurance business in the La Trobe Valley before moving to the Gold Coast in 1976.

His current business, Morris International, grew into a pioneer of database management and marketing after Mr Morris saw an opportunity to offer cheaper Queensland cigarettes to Victorians via mail order.

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It has since evolved into a vastly different venture over the years and now encompasses a variety of businesses including Carrara Markets, the Performance Driving Centre at Norwell, and The GoodTimes Pub Group, which owns eight hotels between the Gold Coast and Dalby.

Terry Morris and Morris International CEO Dean Merrell sample product from Sirromet Wines, a high-profile business within the Morris International portfolio.

Another business grew out of a sporting passion. Mr Morris said he was never good at ball sports and that led him to car racing. His love of car racing spread to his son Paul Morris, who became a successful a V8 Supercar driver, and led to Mr Morris owning a racing team.

The highest profile business in the Morris portfolio is the multi-award winning Sirromet Wines, which opened in 2000 on the family’s 200-ha Mount Cotton property.

Also at the awards, high-profile construction company Condev was named the Gold Coast Business of the Year.

The Varsity Lakes-headquartered company, which is headed up by Steve and Tracy Marais,

was launched on the Gold Coast in 2002.

Construction company Condev, co-headed by Steve Marais (pictured), has been named Gold Coast Business of the Year.

It undertakes projects in the $1 million to $35 million range. Condev, now employs more than 100 staff.

Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards president Ian Cousins said since 2011 Condev had received nearly 55 construction and business awards, including four awards at this year’s Master Builders Awards.

“As well as being leaders in the construction industry, the company does an incredible amount of work for the community,’’ Mr Cousins said “Year on, year out, Condev contributes significantly to charities, sports clubs and schools in both time and funding.”

In the other categories, Dairy Free Down Under was named the winner of the Emerging Business Award, Usher Group took out Family Business, JSW Powersports won Retail, Wholesale and Distribution Award, Digga Australia won Manufacturing, Orbitz Elevators claimed Professions and Business Services and Balense Skin won Health and Wellbeing. OnPlatinum ICT secured IT and Digital Business, Gold Coast Turf Club raced away with Tourism, Hospitality and Events, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary won Student Employability, Southport-based Pivotel Satellite collected the Mayor’s Innovation GC Award and BITS Technology Group claimed the Encouragement Award.

Pivotel, headed by managing director Peter Bolger (pictured), was named winner of the Mayor’s Innovation GC Award. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Pivotel CEO Peter Bolger said the award was recognition of the culture of innovation that has existed since the company’s early days.

“The winners of the Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards are shining examples of businesses doing great things on the Gold Coast and Pivotel is honoured to be recognised as frontrunners in the Mayor’s Innovation category,” Mr Bolger said.

“Pivotel’s innovation is evidenced by our market success in Australia competing against some of the largest telcos in the country and has been acknowledged previously in the industry with our wins as satellite service provider of the year in both 2015 and 2017.”