Award Winners

2010 NT Award Winners

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Telstra Northern Territory Business Woman of the Year

Heather Malone

Penny’s Fancy Dress, Winnellie

When Heather Malone rang a fancy dress store to hire a pair of red boots, she heard instead a recorded message saying the business was for sale. So she bought it. That was in 1999 and since then Heather has expanded Penny’s Fancy Dress, the Northern Territory’s only costume hire shop, four times. The Winnellie business has grown steadily each year, due to its huge range of 10,000 costumes, plus wigs, boots and accessories, and Heather’s reputation for making costumes on request. Heather attributes part of her success to her team’s communications skills which can turn the most apprehensive visitor into a happy customer. Penny’s Fancy Dress posts costumes to the public throughout the NT and into northern WA. The business has forged strong relationships with corporate clients, the producers of local theatre companies and particularly with participants of high school musicals, including those at Heather’s alma mater, Darwin High School.

“We provide a great product and enthusiastic service in a friendly atmosphere with a wow factor” – Heather Malone.
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Commonwealth Bank Business Owner Award

Heather Malone

Penny’s Fancy Dress, Winnellie

When Heather Malone rang a fancy dress store to hire a pair of red boots, she heard instead a recorded message saying the business was for sale. So she bought it. That was in 1999 and since then Heather has expanded Penny’s Fancy Dress, the Northern Territory’s only costume hire shop, four times. The Winnellie business has grown steadily each year, due to its huge range of 10,000 costumes, plus wigs, boots and accessories, and Heather’s reputation for making costumes on request. Heather attributes part of her success to her team’s communications skills which can turn the most apprehensive visitor into a happy customer. Penny’s Fancy Dress posts costumes to the public throughout the NT and into northern WA. The business has forged strong relationships with corporate clients, the producers of local theatre companies and particularly with participants of high school musicals, including those at Heather’s alma mater, Darwin High School.

“We provide a great product and enthusiastic service in a friendly atmosphere with a wow factor” – Heather Malone.
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White Pages Community and Government Award

Janet Buhagiar

St Vincent de Paul Society, Coconut Grove

In her three years as CEO of the St Vincent de Paul Society (NT) Inc, Janet Buhagiar nearly doubled revenues. She was responsible for the operations of 35 employees and 200 volunteers across five retail outlets, accommodation services offering 65 emergency hostel beds and five outreach programs that serve more than 300 people in need each night. Janet was accountable to the St Vincent de Paul Society (NT) Board for establishing sound and long-term fundraising partnerships with government and corporate networks and ensuring that a diverse income source is in place so the Society can respond to community needs as they arise. One of Janet’s major business achievements was winning private developer support and government funding for a $5.8 million project to build 20 two-bedroom units on Society land. Janet has recently stepped down as CEO to volunteer for a private charity in East Timor for the remainder of the year. She will return to the Territory in 2011 to continue the pursuit of community housing initiatives.

“My drive to achieving outcomes gives me energy but it’s the heart of people in the activities that I’m involved in that brings me most joy and fulfillment” – Janet Buhagiar.
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Nokia Business Innovation Award

Louise McCormick

Department of Construction and Infrastructure, Palmerston

As an engineer with Main Roads Queensland, Louise McCormick was a government representative on a project to build Australia’s first fibre composite bridge. Louise was responsible for field testing and ensuring the design standards of the innovative “plastic” bridge would be accepted by Australia’s engineering community and road authorities. Technology and techniques used in the award-winning project led to sales of the fibre composite bridges to the US and Russia. None of the bridge components are susceptible to corrosion, which is attractive in countries where salt used to break down snow, corrodes the steel in bridges. On another project Louise designed a bowspring, an innovation that limited the curvature of an electrical cable support on a bridge expansion joint to avoid shorting the cable. Currently, Louise is a projects manager with the Major Projects group in the NT Government’s Department of Construction and Infrastructure, responsible for the two largest road and bridge projects ever constructed in the NT.

“I have a burning desire to design and create things – there is nothing more satisfying than finishing something that was only an idea or some lines on paper and making it come to life” – Louise McCormick.
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marie claire Young Business Women's Award

Janet Buhagiar

St Vincent de Paul Society, Coconut Grove

After three years as CEO of the St Vincent de Paul Society (NT) Inc, Janet Buhagiar has nearly doubled revenues. She was responsible for the operations of 35 employees and 200 volunteers across five retail outlets, accommodation services offering 65 emergency hostel beds and five outreach programs that serve more than 300 people in need each night. Janet was accountable to the St Vincent de Paul Society (NT) Board for establishing sound and long-term fundraising partnerships with government and corporate networks and ensuring that a diverse income source was in place so the Society can respond to community needs as they arise. One of Janet’s major business achievements was winning private developer support and government funding for a $5.8 million project to build 20 two-bedroom units on Society land. Janet has recently stepped down as CEO to volunteer for a private charity in East Timor for the remainder of the year. She will return to the Territory in 2011 to continue the pursuit of community housing initiatives.

“By ensuring a diverse income source is in place for the organisation, we are able to plan and respond to the needs of the community confidently and with the long term in mind” – Janet Buhagiar.