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Leading Victorian healthcare providers among Awards finalists

Five leaders of Victoria’s healthcare services, including three former nurses who are transforming their organisations as senior executives, are among 16 finalists for the 2011 Telstra Victorian Business Women’s Awards.

They include Wendy Wood, Deputy CEO and Executive Director Cancer Nursing of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Care Centre, who drove critical risk management, effectiveness and workforce engagement projects that culminated in the centre being named the 2010 Metropolitan Health Service of the Year by the Victorian Government.

Shelly Park, Chief Executive of Victoria’s largest public health service, Southern Health, and former CEO of home health care provider Stanhope Healthcare, Margie Hepner, also began their healthcare careers in nursing.

They are in contention for the Awards that will be announced in Melbourne on 18 October.

Other healthcare professionals among the finalists are Professor Ingrid Winship, Executive Director Research for Melbourne Health, and Kylie El-Sheikh, CEO and co-owner of Mildura-based Tristar Medical Group, which has established 27 medical centres in country towns, some of which had not had a doctor for two years.

Ms El-Sheikh is one of three finalists for the Commonwealth Bank Business Owner Award along with Corrine Noyes, creator of boutique tea brand Madame Flavour, and Debbie Ryan, partner of McBride Charles Ryan (MCR) Architecture, in Prahran.

Ms Ryan, who is a passionate advocate for women contributing to architecture in Australia, has been running MCR with her business partner for 23 years and in the past decade has helped the company win 11 Australian Institute of Architect awards.

Other finalists include Carolyn Viney, formerly in-house counsel for construction giant Grocon Group who took on the challenge of heading up the company’s property development division in 2007.

Kate McKenzie, Group Managing Director of Telstra Innovation, Products & Marketing and Telstra Business Women’s Awards Ambassador, said the Awards program celebrates the success of extraordinary women and is part of Telstra’s commitment to gender equality

“For 17 years Telstra has shone the light on leaders in business who inspire, connect and achieve so much. Their achievements, leadership and entrepreneurial drive have impacts that go well beyond their workplace,” Ms McKenzie said.

Karen James, General Manager Affiliate Business Banking and Women in Focus for the Commonwealth Bank, said the calibre of entrants this year had been exceptionally high.

“It’s definitely been a tough process to determine which businesses should proceed through to the final rounds of the awards,” Ms James said.

“There are so many fantastic success stories on show here. We are fortunate enough to work with a number of inspiring individuals as part of our Women in Focus program and are particularly delighted that we can share in recognising the success of women in business through this year’s awards.”

Winners of the 2011 Telstra Victorian Business Women’s Awards will share in $200,000 in cash and prizes and become part of an exclusive national business alumni.

The Victorian winners proceed to the national finals of the Telstra Business Women’s Awards which will be announced in Melbourne on 18 November.

Finalists for the 2011 Telstra Victorian Business Women’s Awards are:

Commonwealth Bank Business Owner Award

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Telstra Business Women's Awards Network

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