Online careers centre owner wins top ACT business women's award
21 Sep 2010
21 September 2010:The owner of an online job network that seeks to help parents re-enter the workforce was named today as 2010 Telstra ACT Business Woman of the Year.
Kate Sykes is owner and managing director of CareerMums, a national jobs board and careers centre that advertises job opportunities for working parents and provides employers - including some of Australia's leading companies - with a pool of specialist candidates, typically aged between 30 and 50.
Ms Sykes, who also won the Commonwealth Bank Business Owner Award, established her business venture www.careermums.com.au in 2006 after a career in marketing and business development with an IT start-up in Boston and at the Australian Stock Exchange.
While managing CareerMums' database of 18,000 candidates and employers, Ms Sykes also launched two innovative human resources "toolkits" that assist employers with retention strategies for parents on leave and advise working parents and parents on leave on work flexibility issues.
Other winners of the sixteenth Telstra ACT Business Women's Awards, announced today in Canberra, were Canberra Southern Cross Club General Manager Carol Sawyer, Property Council of Australia (ACT) executive director Catherine Carter, ACT Health executive Brenda Ainsworth and owner of hair and beauty salon CJ's Style, Carly-Jane Tozer.
Telstra Chief Marketing Officer and Telstra Business Women's Awards Ambassador Kate McKenzie said the winners of the ACT Awards were successful business women whose leadership qualities and achievements would provide inspiration for women across the ACT.
"The judges said Kate Sykes masterminded a concept that she converted into a business, using her knowledge of IT to good effect to develop and streamline online processes," Ms McKenzie said.
"Through Kate's vision and innovative business, she assists companies to meet legislated workplace changes and helps them provide flexible working conditions.
"Beyond her business, Kate is pro bono Chair of the Canberra Business Council's Workstyles Committee which promotes flexible workplace practices in the ACT and addresses issues for mothers re-entering the workforce and older people wishing to stay in the workforce," she said.
Ms Karen James, General Manager of Affiliate Business Banking Commonwealth Bank, congratulated Kate Sykes for winning the Commonwealth Bank Business Owner Award.
"Through our Women In Focus program we have met many women who will be inspired by the vision, creativity, and tenacity that each of the finalists has shown in building the successful businesses they have today," Ms James said.
"I am impressed and inspired by the calibre of this year's finalists. Each of them has demonstrated how a strong vision and smart management can turn an idea into a viable and competitive business. These are the skills we hope to foster as we continue to support and nurture women in business."
The ACT winners proceed to the national finals of the 2010 Telstra Business Women's Awards which will be announced in Melbourne on 11 November. They will join an alumni of more than 430 winners of the Telstra Business Women's Awards since the program was launched in 1995.
Winners of the 2010 Telstra ACT Business Women's Awards are:
Telstra ACT Business Woman of the Year
Kate Sykes, CareerMums Pty Ltd, Mawson.
Commonwealth Bank Business Owner Award
Kate Sykes, CareerMums Pty Ltd, Mawson.
Hudson Private and Corporate Sector Award
Carol Sawyer, Canberra Southern Cross Club Ltd, Woden.
Since 2006, Carol Sawyer has been General Manager of the 84,000-member Canberra Southern Cross Club, a not-for-profit social club with a $48 million turnover. She is responsible for 200 staff and driving improvements in customer service and environmental awareness that contributed to the club winning the ACT Club of the Year Award. Prior to this, she was CFO for during a period of intense growth for the club.
White Pages Community and Government Award
Catherine Carter, Property Council of Australia (ACT), Canberra.
As ACT executive director of the Property Council of Australia, Catherine Carter has a dual advocacy role to both the ACT and Federal Governments on Canberra-related property issues. Her leadership of the not-for-profit organisation in the past five years has driven an increase in member companies from 112 to 172 and doubled revenue streams. She has been a public advocate for the council's view on building forms and environmental sustainability, the need for long-term planning and a vision for the nation's capital.
Nokia Business Innovation Award
Brenda Ainsworth, ACT Health, Canberra.
As ACT Health's executive director Health Performance Improvement, Innovation & Redesign, Brenda Ainsworth is charged with improving public access to acute health services by changing business processes. She designed and implemented the first public nurse-led walk-in centre in Australia. This new approach to health care, targeted at 15 to 34 year olds, led to more than 1000 patients through the centre in its first month after opening in May 2010.
marie claire Young Business Women's Award
Carly-Jane Tozer, CJ's Style, Florey.
A hairdressing career and managing her own salon was a long-held ambition for Carly-Jane Tozer. From working in salons aged 14, she completed an apprenticeship after leaving school and four months later, at the age of 20, she opened CJ's Style, a boutique hair and beauty salon. Within 18 months, she was fitting out larger premises at a busy shopping centre. She employs nine full and part-time staff, has trained eight apprentices since 2007 and has plans to have a string of salons.
Further information on the Telstra Business Women's Awards can be found at www.telstrabusinesswomensawards.com
Media contact:
Michael Grealy
Lighthouse Communications
Ph: 02 9262 3868; M: 0438 835 835
Telstra:
Jane De Gault
0419 818 956
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Telstra Business Women's Awards Network