Supporter: Western Sydney Awards for Business Excellence past winner Marco Fahd speaks at the 2013 awards launch. Picture: Gene Ramirez
Roger Byrne, vice president, Parramatta Chamber of Commerce, and Stephanie Dale, president, Parramatta Chamber of Commerce. Photo: Gene Ramirez
Jim Taggart, Tagart Nominees, Bev Barnfather, Ladybird Gifts, and Kerry Bartlett Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC). Photo: Gene Ramirez
Amanda Rose, Louise Eckersley, Entertainment Publications, and Gemma Boufler, Entertainment Publications. Photo: Gene Ramirez
Barry Antees, RDU Merchandise, and Jeannie Banks, Parramatta PCYC. Photo: Gene Ramirez
Prakash Chandra, Navtarang Media Group, Graeme Dube, Connex West, and Sneh Chandra, Navtarang Media Group. Photo: Gene Ramirez
Aziz Akbar, ECS International, and Marco Fahd, Absolute Tiling Solutions. Photo: Gene Ramirez
Lorraine Baker, Finesse Finance and Jenny Hannan, the University of Western Sydney. Photo: Gene Ramirez
Marta Aquino, Residential Gardens, and Frank Webb, WSABE board member. Photo: Gene Ramirez
Trevor Oldfield, KidsWest, and Geoff Starr, NSW Business Chamber. Photo: Gene Ramirez
Marian Haddad, The Legal Practice, and John Blair, Ingress Australia. Photo: Gene Ramirez
Ralph Mitchell, The Children's medical Research Institute, and Bruce McClelland, Parramatta Council. Photo: Gene Ramirez
Rashna Govekar, Business development Manager ,Waterview, and Dhiresh Kohli, WSABE board member. Photo: Gene Ramirez
Nicholas Hill, Suncorp Bank, and Mariella Iezzi and Kathryn Wilson, Mitalent Recruitment. Photo: Gene Ramirez
Anne Kollegger, Commonwealth Bank. Wednesday, 20 march 2013. Photo: Gene Ramirez
Marco Fahd, Absolute Tiling Solutions. Wednesday, 20 march 2013. Photo: Gene Ramirez
Judith MacDonald. Wednesday, 20 march 2013. Photo: Gene Ramirez
Guest speakers Marco Fahd, Judith MacDonald, Paul Dillon and Bev Barnfather. Photo: Gene Ramirez
Anne Kollegger, Commonwealth Bank and Alan Cadman, Parramatta Chamber of Commerce board member. Photo: Gene Ramirez
Louise O'Connor and Simon Graham, Dooley's. Photo: Gene Ramirez
James Dyer, WSABE board member, Deborah Carr, Parramatta Mission, and Diane Dyer, Dots Flowers. Photo: Gene Ramirez
Susana Staka, Michelle Forrester and Vicki Kelly, Champion Legal. Photo: Gene Ramirez
Jim Taggart, Tagart Nominees, Garry Mead, National Training Organisation, Luke Bradley, Australian Apprenticeships and Mark Ratajec, National Training. Photo: Gene Ramirez
Jim Taggart, Tagart Nominees, Garry Mead, National Training Organisation, Luke Bradley, Australian Apprenticeships and Mark Ratajec, National Training. Photo: Gene Ramirez
Michelle Burgess, Workers Health Centre, and Ekram Matar, Stewart Mackay and Bobbie Salalia, Telstra. Photo: Gene Ramirez
Parramatta mayor John Chedid, Jon Gillingham, Condon Associates, Marco Fahd, Absolute Tiling Solutions, and Frank Webb, Business Clarity. Photo: Gene Ramirez
Members of Parramatta’s business community attended the launch of the 2013 Western Sydney Awards for Business Excellence (WSABE) at Waterview in Bicentennial Park on Wednesday.
Parramatta Chamber of Commerce president Stephanie Dale encouraged all businesses to enter the awards.
She said the judging process was proudly rigorous and transparent.
The chamber has hosted the awards — the longest running of their kind in western Sydney— for the past 23 years.
‘‘We are not a popularity awards program, this is genuine,’’ she said.
‘‘The question and answer process we put people through gives them the opportunity to review their own company — their pluses, their minuses, their strengths, their weaknesses — and bring their staff on board to engage in the process.’’
Watch video from the launch below.
Ms Dale said past winners had toured Australia with Peter Switzer, were awarded major contracts by top 500 companies, and were given opportunities they had not expected prior to entering the awards.
Executive manger of corporate financial services with event partner the Commonwealth Bank, Anne Kollagger said 60percent of businesses in western Sydney were self-employed companies and more than a quarter of these employed less than five people.
‘‘I think we are all fortunate to work in the growing and dynamic region that is western Sydney,’’ she said.
‘‘Greater western Sydney is home to just under one in 11 Australians ... therefore we have a voice and a WSABE award clearly recognises, supports and encourages the businesses in the region to reach their full potential.’’
Past awards chairman and Parramatta College general manager Paul Dillon said the theme for this year’s program was amazing business stories.
‘‘We believe that all businesses have an amazing story to be told,’’ he said.
‘‘That’s what makes a successful business great, the trials and tribulations, the ebb and flow of success built on cascading degrees of failure and success.’’
The awards night will be held on September 10.
Details: wsabe.com.au.