Brad’s big smile, sense of fun and more brings so much spark to life
BRAD Gaddes, with the big smile, great sense of fun, and deep care for others, brings so much spark to life. READ HIS STORY HERE
Northern Territory
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BRAD Gaddes, with the big smile, great sense of fun, and deep care for others, brings so much spark to life.
Professionally, Brad is among the Territory’s elite, having worked in senior roles with some of the world’s biggest companies- McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, News Corp and EG Australia.
He’s also worked tirelessly to advance Indigenous employment opportunities, volunteered so much time to community events, and raised mega amounts of money for charity.
Brad’s a man of the people, and we the people love him!
He was born in Brisbane and early on moved to Mackay with his Mum Sandy and sister Kristy.
“Mum worked full-time throughout the whole time we grew up. I definitely took on my work ethic from her," he said.
“I always lived with Mum and then would go and see Dad on school holidays.”
Brad’s love of golf has been a major thread interwoven through his life, and this was first sown by his Dad Ken.
“I loved to go out on the golf course and just hang out with Dad and play. For me, golf is about bringing people together. People from all walks of life, it doesn’t matter who you are, or what you do, golf unifies people,” Brad said.
Softball was another massive sport for the family. Mum Sandy played for Australia, and Ken Snr. was the patron of Queensland softball.
“Growing up in Mackay was fantastic. It was a sleepy country town back in the mid-80s. We’d go fishing and swimming. Even the crocs weren’t as bad back then!
“My sister Kristy is the deputy principal of our old high school. I’m really proud of her. Her and husband Greg have got little Larissa and Cooper.”
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Both Brad and Kristy dominated at Pioneer State High School back in the day!
Kristy was a year ahead, both were school Vice-Captains, Presidents of Interact (school version of Rotary) and selected to go on foreign exchange.
Brad finished Year 12 with an ATAR score- in today’s figures- of 89 (top 11 per cent in Australia).
“I was mischievous! ‘Brad gets easily distracted’ was in every school report. I really wanted to go on exchange, but my sister went to Canada. And it seemed like every thing she did, I was doing.
“So I thought I won’t go. Then I thought, ‘No bugger it, I really want to go, I don’t care what other people think’. I’ve followed that attitude ever since.”
Not long later he was on a plane to Denmark.
“I am oh so grateful for that experience. It changed my life. I left two weeks after I turned 17,” he said.
“The first host family I was with couldn’t speak English too well, so we came up with our own language ‘Danglish’- half Danish, half English.
“I used to go on the bus to school with my Host Mum, she’d be on her way to work. I was wearing my Driza-bone jacket.
“I remember having an argument with the English teacher at our school. He was Danish and I thought, ‘Hang on mate, you’re telling me, a bogan from North Queensland how to speak English? I don’t think so!’” Brad said with a laugh.
“Going on exchange opens your eyes to how big the world is. Kids are so lucky these days. Back then there was no Facebook, no email. Windows 95 had just come out!
“I had to ring home and enter a 16 digit Telstra phone card.
“There are times I felt lonely and homesick. But that’s the thing, having moved to Mackay away from Brisbane. Going to Denmark. Now living in the NT. All so far away from family. Your friends become your family. My friends are everything to me.
“That exchange year strengthened me. It made me feel that whatever life throws at me, I can handle it.”
Brad got back to Australia and studied the burgeoning area of IT at the University of Queensland.
“I love IT, but I didn’t want to get stuck in front of a computer all my life. I saw an opportunity working in Management at McDonald’s,” he said.
Brad became Manager of a Brisbane CBD store, and took it upon himself to become a leader looking to make a difference.
He started a regular Managers’ Golf Charity Event that raised tens of thousands of dollars for Ronald McDonald House.
“I just thought, ‘We are asking our customers to donate. Why aren’t we?’”
In 2004, Brad moved to Alice to run Maccas.
“When I found out about the job, the first thing I did was google ‘Alice Golf Club’, and I saw a photo of the 7th Green on their website. I just thought ‘I have to go!’
“My first Wednesday in town I went to the Golf Club, and got put in a playing group with Alice Royalty! Murray Neck, Murray Preston and John McMahon.
“It was such an honour to play with them! We all played together every Wednesday for the next 18 months. They gave me an absolute lesson in what it is to be a Centralian.”
Brad got his handicap down to eight. It’s currently sitting around 10.
He had a brief stint back in Queensland, managing a Bunnings in Rockhampton, before moving to Darwin to Manage another McDonald’s store.
“One thing we did there was run Indigenous Employment Programs. I really loved it! Through that experience I worked closely with Karen Sheldon.”
Brad then took a role with Karen as business manager.
“It was all about going out and engaging with employers, to make sure they had suitable workplaces for Indigenous employees, doing cultural awareness courses, and it gave me a real understanding about what it’s like as an Indigenous person trying to get in to the work force.”
Brad then moved to Coca-Cola, as a sales rep in Darwin, then manager in Alice.
He become a sensation hosting Thursday Night Trivia at Monties.
Brad was famous for his liberal interpretation of what a correct answer is, and could often be heard saying, ‘Half-marks are for pussies!’
Brad then took over as manager at Monties before taking on the sales boss role at the Centralian Advocate.
Brad’s passion for the town and for it’s people came to the fore, as he worked tirelessly to ensure Alice remained front and centre.
He then moved back to Darwin to take on the role as media advisor to NT Federal Senator Sam McMahon.
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“It was an honour to walk the halls of Parliament House in Canberra, and be there trying to help make sure the Northern Territory, and its people are being looked after,” he said.
Brad now has the plum role as Northern Territory manager for EG Australia- previously Woolies Petrol.
“EG are great, during these COVID times, petrol stations have become like the old corner stores. We want to keep creating that safe environment for people to come. I really want to be a part of growing the brand in the NT,” he said.
Brad literally has friends all over the world, including some very special ones on the Gold Coast.
“I met Matty Hammond the first day I became a manager at McDonald’s, during a course they ran in Brisbane. We’ve been best mates ever since.
“I MC’d Matt and Bec’s Wedding, we’ve been to Vegas together, Bali, Uluru, all over.
“The support they have given me over the years has been unbelievable. They have a gorgeous little daughter, Lucy. She sent me a video message last night saying ‘I love you Uncle Brad.’
In 2008, Brad drove from his home in Darwin to Alice to run the Masters’ Squash tournament, then drove back, having missed a week and a half of work. He did it all on his own dime.
For that selfless act, Brad was named the Squash Australia Volunteer of the Year. He’s also won a swag of Masters’ medals, including a Silver in the Squash which he counts as his favourite.
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As then-President of Squash NT, Brad helped drive funding for the new facilities in Marrara.
“Sport brings people together, and that’s a big passion of mine.”
Brad Gaddes brings people together, his infectious personality and great energy is a massive asset to Alice and the whole Northern Territory.
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