After being named Australia's No 1 private health insurance fund by the Australian Financial Review's Smart Investor magazine, Peoplecare had more news to share at an Illawarra Business Chamber Business After Hours networking function recently.
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Chief executive Michael Bassingthwaighte spoke about Peoplecare's continued growth and achievement to business leaders at the Chifley Hotel.
He spoke of how Smart Investor ranked Peoplecare as having the top open fund in Australia.
The report found the fund offered good value for money for young singles, growing families and mature couples alike.
And that followed other recent research that saw Peoplecare also ranked number one across a whole range of activities such as customer service, call centre and online engagement.
Mr Bassingthwaighte said another pleasing result recently was the annual member satisfaction survey that found 95.5 per cent of members were happy with their cover and service.
But his main message was that Peoplecare was not only a health fund that looked after its members, but a community organisation that saw itself as part of the community.
Mr Bassingthwaighte also spoke of the collaboration that had occurred in building a new not-for-profit brand across Australia with 15 of the smaller not for profit health insurers under the Members Own Health Fun brand.
Change in career
IRIS Research executive director Simon Pomfret has decided it is time for a move and a slight change in career path after a decade at the helm of the Illawarra Regional Information Service.
Mr Pomfret said yesterday he had worked for IRIS for 28 years after graduating from the University of Wollongong in 1987.
He started as a research assistant and climbed up through the ranks over the next 18 years.
When Martin O'Shannessy resigned 10 years ago, Mr Pomfret was ready to fill his shoes and has been at the helm ever since.
"My new role is Group Account Director with DBM Consulting. DBM is one of Australia's top 10 market and social research consultancies."
Information about DBM can be found at http://www.dbmconsultants.com.au/ and Mr Pomfret's last day is May 1, 2015.
He will be based in Sydney but the majority of staff he will oversee are located in Melbourne where he will visit two or three times a week.
There are about 100 employees in Australia and more than 80 of those are in Victoria.
Mr Pomfret will continue to live at Douglas Park and commute.
He said he was approaching 50 and if he was going to make a career change, now was a good time.
Blogging success
Next Tuesday's Business in Heels networking event on Tuesday will look at how to become a successful blogger.
Guest speaker Rie Natalenko, of The Write Impressions, will talk about the many benefits to having a business blog.
She intends to share many tips that will help Illawarra businesswomen create a successful blog.
African cycling
The Cram Foundation chief executive Gareth McKeen is heading off next week for a nine-day mountain biking race across South Africa.
Mr McKeen said his latest biking adventure followed a planned ride in the Sahara Desert in April that didn't happen due to a change in dates.
So instead he is heading to South Africa for a ride that starts in Johannesburg and finishes in Durban.
He will ride through bush, farmlands, parks, rivers and rural townships. "It will be similar distances to the Mongolia-Gobi Desert race I did in 2010 but completely different landscape," he said.
Lagoon degustation
The Lagoon Seafood Restaurant is running an experimental kitchen on April 24.
Tickets are available at www.lagoonrestaurant.com.au or on 4226 1677.
It is a totally interactive, sensory dining experience.
It features an 11 course degustation menu with matching wines.
Varsities slog it out
University of Wollongong and University of Western Sydney students will be fighting it out for bragging rights at the inaugural UWS vs UOW Intervarsity Sports Clash on Friday.
The UOW Recreation and Aquatic Centre organised event will see over 250 students compete in soccer, basketball, netball, hockey and oztag, with the day concluding with a showcase Quidditch match.
Around the lake
Lighthouse Youth Initiative is launching its annual Ride Around the Lake for youth homelessness this Friday.
The 40 kilometre charity cycle ride also has a more family friendly 10km ride and both events will be held on May 16.
Collaboration talk
ICT Illawarra has developed a collaboration with Australia's peak ICT industry representative body and advocacy group, AIIA.
On Tuesday, from 5.30pm in the SMART building, AIIA chief executive Suzanne Campbell will speak at an ICT Illawarra's next networking event to identify what work AIIA does representing the diversity within the industry.
THE DIARY
April 15 - Former Wallaby and the www.therugbybusinessnetwork.com (RBN) convener Adrian Skeggs is hosting the inaugural Wollongong Rugby Business Network meeting at The Atrium on the ground floor of iC Central at the Wollongong Innovation Campus with former Hungry Jack's Australia chief executive Tim Tighe and former Waratahs' players Peter Palmer, Michael Hayes and Richard Tombs.
- Shellharbour City Business Network meeting with Melissa Browne sharing five tips on growing a business.
April 17 to 19 - Bravo Team Challenge.
April 17 - Lighthouse Youth Initiative launches its annual Ride Around The Lake for youth homelessness to be held on May 16.
- Wendi Leigh is doing a Community Cancer Link parade as part of her passion to help dress women afflicted by cancer or other disabilities.
- Cronulla Jewels of the Sea exhibition at Art Arena at 39 Market Street, Wollongong with works by Julie Freeman, Markeeta Freeman and Clive Freeman.
April 18 - Need A Feed trivia night at Bellambi Bowling Club from 7pm. Registrations at www.trybooking.com/123373.
April 22 - South Coast Women in Building and Construction networking forum.
