Peoplecare big winner at Illawarra Business Awards 2016

The Illawarra based national health fund was named 2016 IMB Bank Illawarra Business of the Year and picked up three other awards for Employer of Choice, Excellence in Business and Excellence in Business Ethics.

Recent achievements for Peoplecare have included achieving a 100 per cent parental leave return rate and announcing some of the lowest increases in private health insurance premium changes in Australia. 

In 2015 it was named Australia’s number one private health insurance fund by the Australian Financial Review (AFR) Smart Investor magazine and during the last four years the number of employees has grown from 43 to 130.

Illawarra Business Leader for 2016 was Flagstaff Group chief executive officer Roy Rogers. It was another reason for the social enterprise to celebrate in its 50th year following its Excellence in Sustainability Award win at the NSW Business Chamber’s 2016 Sydney City Regional Business Awards in July.

The Young Business Leader Award went to Eliza De Paoli, of NowChem and the Young Entrepreneur Award was presented to Adam Murphy of Humber, Heyday and MCT Solutions. Destination Southern Highlands,  

Fibre Optics Design and Construct took out the Excellence in Innovation Award and SuCo Supervised Contact Services was named Outstanding New Illawarra Business.

SuCo was started in 2015 by Paulette Sewell and Claire Behi who wanted to provide a personalised touch acting as go-betweens helping local families.

Symbio Wildlife Park backed up its national Content Marking Award win at the Australian Marketing Institute Awards in Sydney earlier in the week by being recognised at a regional level for Excellence in Sustainability. The family run Helensburgh zoo also won and award in 2015 just after general manager Matt Radnidge got engaged, The 2016 award on Friday occurred on the same day as he got married.

Other category winners were Aceit Work Sport Promo, Warrigal, Shoalhaven Business Chamber, Destination Southern Highlands and Waples Marketing Group.

IBC executive director Chris Lamont said night was all about celebrating excellence in business achievement as well as the contribution local businesses made to the community.

Mr Lamont said 11 of the 15 winners were now finalists in the NSW Business Chamber’s Awards in November.

There were 66 finalists chosen from more than 100 entries across the 14 award categories this year.

Chamber executive director Chris Lamont said there had been a very high standard of entries from businesses keen to celebrate their achievements from the five local government areas in the Illawarra, Shoalhaven and the Southern Highlands. 

Mr Lamont said winners of aligned categories will represent the Illawarra at the NSW Business Chamber State Awards on November 26, 2016. 

See below the live blog from the Illawarra Business Awards 2016 that ran from 6pm.