Our journalists and editors have spent weeks debating who qualifies among the Gold Coast’s most powerful 100 people — and now it’s your turn to read, argue, ponder and share the next installment.

We’re counting down from 100 to 1 of the Gold Coast’s most influential people.

Yesterday we revealed numbers 100 to 81 on our list.

Today we count down from 80 to 61.

80. PROF NED PANKHURST

EDUCATION

GRIFFITH University’s senior deputy vice-chancellor for research and as provost he also oversees operation and development of the University’s biggest campus. Prof Pankhurst has responsibility for Griffith’s research agenda including research commercialisation, and the sustainability agenda for the University. He is also a director of the Gold Coast Titans.

79. ADRIENNE READINGS

BUSINESS

THE boss of the city’s biggest indoor entertainment centre, the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, leads 250 people and plays a crucial role in attracting big business and industry conventions to the Coast. The centre successfully hosted accredited media from across the Commonwealth for the Games. Ms Readings is also on the board of Gold Coast Tourism.

78. DARRYL KELLY

BUSINESS

THE Chairman of the Broadbeach Alliance is the repeat financial saviour of the Gold Coast Titans. This year he came to the team’s rescue yet again, teaming up with Bec Frizelle to buy the club and secure its off-field stability. The club is looking to turn around its on-field failures in 2019, and superfan Mr Kelly is certain to be cheering the loudest if they do.

77. JOHN MORRIS

TOURISM

THE GM of RACV Royal Pines Resort is well liked, connected and respected across the city. He has overseen the stunning $30 million-plus remodelling of the Gold Coast resort which is again set to host the Australian PGA tournament later this month following the success of the event in previous years.

76. TONY HICKEY

LAW

THE lawyer and developer is a friend of Mayor Tom Tate and sits on the board of the Gold Coast Titans. Mr Hickey’s company was the Australian representative for Chinese group Forise, which had proposed to build the $1.2 billion, 89-storey Spirit building on the Surfers Esplanade but has since shopped the project to other developers. Mr Hickey is chairman of Forise-related, Perth-based listed mining company Frontier Resources.

75. RI YU LI

DEVELOPMENT

THE chairman of Ridong group cut loose his company’s share of the billion-dollar Jewel development when the project sold to Yuhu Group in January. However Mr Li and his family still have significant property holdings on the Gold Coast, including a 47.5ha Tallebudgera Valley site where there are plans to build a “wellness and tourism gardens’’ project.

SEE THE REST OF THE LIST:

• The most powerful people on the Coast: 100 to 81
• The most powerful people on the Coast: 80 to 61
• The most powerful people on the Coast: 60 to 41

74. CAMERON MCEVOY

SPORT

THE Olympic swimmer nabbed a gold medal as part of the 4x100m men’s freestyle, as well as a bronze at the Gold Coast games. However the talented physics student didn’t post a fast enough individual time to qualify for the upcoming Pan Pacifics and is currently shopping for a new training base.

73. CAMERON CALDWELL

COUNCIL

THE chair of the Gold Coast City Council planning committee has overseen a busy year in development approvals, some of which have seen him fight some pretty powerful fire lit by those who oppose them. Cr Caldwell is an ally of the Mayor and maintains strong ties within the LNP at all levels of government.

POWER 100: THE COAST’S BIGGEST MOTOR VEHICLE RETAILERS

72. SALLY PEARSON OAM

SPORT

THE world champion hurdler’s hopes of a home victory at the Commonwealth Games were crushed by an injury which forced her to withdraw at the last minute. Despite the disappointment, in the 100m hurdles in August after a three-year drought. Pearson is the face of Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and an ambassador for the Animal Welfare League of Queensland and maintains several important corporate sponsorships.

71. STEVE CAVALIER

RETAIL

THE Hedges Avenue resident is the head of Harvey Norman’s Queensland Commercial operations. Mr Cavalier keeps a low profile but is still a business heavyweight with a big heart. He is active in the community as a member of the Gold Coast Community Fund committee and is one of the city’s wealthiest residents, living in exclusive Hedges Ave in the mansion he paid $19 million for 12 years ago.

70. SHANE O’REILLY

TOURISM

THE managing director of O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat is among the most influential tourism identities on the Coast. Mr O’Reilly is chairman of the Queensland Tourism Industry Council and has also served as a director of Gold Coast Tourism, the Queensland Wine Industry Association, Tourism Queensland and more.

PROGESS ON STATE-FIRST ECO-TOURISM PLAN

69. ROB MOLHOEK

STATE GOVERNMENT

THE former city finance chief is a well-connected Southport MP who knows his patch well and knows how to keep his constituents close. Has been a vocal opponent of a casino resort in his electorate, which is a refreshing change from the fence-sitting of many of his parliamentary colleagues.

68. JOHN HOWE

BUSINESS

THE engineer and chairman of major events and construction company iEDM is also head of the Committee for Southport, which advocates for progress in the CBD suburb. The committee’s latest push is in support of a “tower of power” in Southport to house government departments and offices. Mr Howe maintains links with Griffith University and Bond University and plays an integral role in the staging of the Supercars.

67. MARTIN HALL

TRANSPORT

THE Surfside general manager and Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce president is a vocal advocate for fully integrated public transport and has been instrumental in a push to city’s two biggest business groups into one. Leads a team of 800 staff, including 650 bus drivers, at Surfside.

66. ANDREW & LUKE HENDERSON

PROPERTY

THE real estate moguls are the main players in the Hedges Avenue millionaires’ row. The family also has a racing empire with Gai Waterhouse and had a 2013 Melbourne Cup win with Fiorente. Luke is a board member of the Turf Club and the pair are both strong supporters of surf lifesaving and well-known and respected in and around Mermaid.

65. ROLAND EVANS

PROPERTY

THE savvy Canford Property founder has diversified in his quest for foreign buyers of big-ticket Gold Coast projects after a year which saw the Chinese investment market suffer a painful contraction. Mr Evans has brokered some of the city’s biggest ever property deals and is now tasked with finding a buyer for the $1.3 billion Spirit project at Surfers Paradise.

64. TOMAS STEENACKERS

BUSINESS

HEAD of flourishing listed Ormeau veterinary company National Veterinary Care, which boosted its profit by 41 per cent last financial year, off the back of an ongoing acquisitions spree. NVL reported a 26 per cent boost to its statutory revenue to $84.2 million after buying 13 additional veterinary businesses in 12 months, taking its total number to 66 clinics by June 30. The spree has continued in the months since, with the group now set to operate 97 clinics across Australia and New Zealand.

63. TOM & JACK RAY

DEVELOPMENT

THESE business-savvy brothers are executive directors of Ray Group, a developer and marketer of masterplanned residential and resort communities, including Salt Village at Kingscliff. The pair have managed development projects worth billions, have success in business and asset management, and their developments include major service stations and other commercial ventures.

62. NIK MIRKOVIC & ALEX TOMIC

BUSINESS

These Gold Coast entrepreneurs, aged 22 and 24, founded teeth whitening brand HiSmile in 2014 and in 2018 reported a turnover of $50 million. The pair have continued to grow their suite of products, and customers to buy them, from their base at Mermaid Waters.

61. BARRY MORRIS

DEVELOPMENT

THIS year, the veteran developer completed his third Gold Coast high-rise in 15 years, the Boardwalk at Burleigh, and he has another five under way. Otto and Oceans and Mermaid Beach, Koko, Qube and Opus at Broadbeach and Sandbar at Burleigh are all on his books, with a combined value of about $600 million.