Peoplecaring reaps rewards

Peoplecare Health Insurance is celebrating its three awards and a highly commended at the 2010 Integral Energy Illawarra Business Awards by hiring five more employees this week.Illawarra Business Person of the Year and Peoplecare chief executive Michael Bassingthwaighte said the move would take the not-for-profit mutual health fund's workforce to 51.After taking out the business person award and professional and commercial category early, Peoplecare won the 2010 Integral Energy Illawarra Business of the Year title on Friday night.Mr Bassingthwaighte said the success was the result of a whole team effort."This has been a most wonderful night for us as a company," he said."And I would like to thank the IBC [Illawarra Business Chamber] for the support they give businesses in this community."We have operated for almost 60 years as a business in this city. We operate nationally but this is home for us."Another multi-award winning business was the Novotel Wollongong Northbeach, which took out the tourism and hospitality and workplace, safety and OHS awards. Rambor Pty Ltd won the export and wholesale, manufacturing and mining categories.Martin Morris and Jones was one of several businesses to win on their first attempt. Daniel Hastings said the win was "an appropriate way to celebrate our 150th year in the Illawarra".The speech of the night was from Peter Jack, of Healthy Earth, who told how important his wife, Debbie, had been to the success of the environmentally friendly soil remineralisation business.Internetrix managing director Geoff McQueen said the IT business' win in the information, communication and technology category was due to his team who put together the submission while he was busy overseas.Young Business Person of the Year, Steven Dixon, of Dixon Sports #10 Teamwear, was recognised for starting a sport and uniform business with $500 and developing it into a $1 million venture.