Gold Coast architect Desmond Brooks enters business hall of fame

Desmond Brooks has been honoured at the Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards. Find out the other winners here.

Pauline and Des Brooks — Des was Hall of Fame inductee — at Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards at The Star Gold Coast. Picture: Regina King

DESMOND Brooks — the man behind the design of iconic Coast buildings such as Palazzo Versace, Soul and Sheraton Marina Mirage — has been inducted into the Gold Coast Business Hall of Fame.

Mr Brooks, who is the 11th inductee into the Hall of Fame, received the award last night at the Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards’ gala function at The Star Gold Coast.

Mr Brooks set up shop on the Gold Coast in 1982 ahead of the mid-to-late 1980s property boom on the Glitter Strip.

He said the secret to success in business is to “just have fun”.

“You have to want to come into work. If it’s not fun, don’t do it.”

More than 640 Gold Coast business people were on hand for the awards.

Ray White Surfers Paradise Group was named the city’s Business of the Year.

Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards president Ian Cousins said The Ray White Surfers Paradise Group was an outstanding company.

“In its day-to-day operations the company consistently promotes the Gold Coast as a business and residential destination of choice to people throughout Australia and overseas,’’ he said.

The Ray White Surfers Paradise Group was also named as the annual winners of the Professions and Business Services Award.

Other award winners for 2017 included:

●Professionals Mermaid Beach — Family Business of the Year award

●GCOMM — IT, Knowledge Management and Digital Services

●Experience Oz — Tourism, Hospitality and Events

●iVvy — Mayor’s Innovation GC

●Orbitz Elevators — Emerging Business of the Year

●Crema Espresso — Retail, Wholesale and Distribution

●Digga Australia — Manufacturing

●Condev Construction — Construction and Trades,

●Morlife — Health and Wellbeing

●Patriot Campers — Encouragement Award