Award Winners
2008 TAS Award Winners
2008 Telstra Tasmanian Business Woman of the Year
Chantal Williams
Ulverstone
Chantal Williams is the CEO of Stepping Stones Children's Services, a child care provider that operates throughout Tasmania and Victoria. After starting with six employees in 1996, Chantal's business has now grown to employ 155 people, operating 124 services that are licensed to care for up to 3000 children per day. She has won awards at state and national levels and is also the CEO of Stepping Ahead Training and Development, a nationally recognised child care training business that currently educates 150 students. Chantal also holds a Masters in Education and a Diploma of Business.
Winner of the Business Owner Award
Chantal Williams
Ulverstone
Chantal Williams is the CEO of Stepping Stones Children's Services, a child care provider that operates throughout Tasmania and Victoria. After starting with six employees in 1996, Chantal's business has now grown to employ 155 people, operating 124 services that are licensed to care for up to 3000 children per day. She has won awards at state and national levels and is also the CEO of Stepping Ahead Training and Development, a nationally recognised child care training business that currently educates 150 students. Chantal also holds a Masters in Education and a Diploma of Business.
Winner of the Hudson Private and Corporate Sector Award
Ann Murray
Newnham
Ann Murray is the State Manager for Toll Tasmania/Edwards Transport, a business unit of Toll Holdings, providing integrated logistics services to the Asian region. Ann is responsible for achieving the divisional objectives of optimising profitability and growth for Toll's activities within Tasmania. She strategically plans, coordinates and controls three sites that employ approximately 280 people and has been instrumental in achieving a 23.7 per cent increase in annual turnover since commencing in the position. Ann also prepares state budgets and sets strategies in line with corporate business objectives.
Winner of the Community and Government Award
Becky Shrimpton
Launceston
Becky Shrimpton is the Director of Communications and Economic Development at Tasmania's largest council, in Launceston. She is the only female member of the management team and in a minority of women in senior local government positions nationwide. Becky has specific responsibility for customer service, civic affairs, communications, economic development and the Launceston Travel & Information Centre. She has had a large impact in motivating staff, building relationships with key stakeholders, and working with neighbouring Councils to raise the profile of Launceston Tamar Valley as a distinct tourism destination.
Winner of the Nokia Business Innovation Award
Amabel Fulton
Hobart
Amabel Fulton is Director of Rural Development Services (RDS), a firm of scientists and social scientists serving Australia's agricultural, fisheries and aquacultural industries. Amabel has been responsible for the strategic direction of the business, overall strategy as well as customer and staff relations while overseeing the expansion of the business into a national operation. RDS currently employs 21 staff and has more than 25 major agriculture clients, as well as 600 individual clients across Australia. Amabel has also expanded RDS to include rural professional service brokerage. This innovation is distinct in that it is ‘needs focused' rather than 'product focused'.
Winner of the PricewaterhouseCoopers Young Business Women's Award
Chivonne Hayes
Burnie
Chivonne Hayes is the founder and principal owner of Platinum Accounting Burnie, an accounting and taxation practice providing accountancy and tax advice services to more than 1000 clients. Chivonne established the business in 2004 and has since won excellence awards for service to her clients. Recently moving to newly renovated offices, Chivonne has a staff of four employees and has grown the business to include a client base comprising retailers, farmers, industrial and manufacturing businesses. Her business takes on a life coach role for many of her clients, providing many services, not just accounting.