Having completed 8 months here at FBA SA, I have witnessed the highs and lows of running a family based business. The retirement or sale of long term family business and the highs of winning accolades and awards.

Ennio International and L.V Dohnt and Company were two South Australian family businesses that were inducted into the South Australian Hall of Fame late in 2016. Judged against their peers, they shone through as exemplary examples of family owned and run businesses that know what it takes to build, expand, innovate and above all succeed in a challenging economic environment. Congratulations again to both companies, worthy inductees for 2016.

A special mention to Jenny Paradiso too from Suntrix who won the 2016 Women’s Entrepreneur of the year. Read more here 

Some of member Advisers have also won awards this year; Peter and Nick Rowlands from Chase Finance won the Capital Finances SA state broker of the year award for the fourth consecutive year.

Andrea Michaels who sits on the SA FBA Committee and  NDA Law’s Managing Director,  won a global award for Australia’s best succession planning lawyer in a prestigious list published this week. Read more here  

Our final Adviser Breakfast for the year included a presentation from Ivor Hay (Manager, Small Business, Department of State Development). Ivor presented to about 15 of our member advisers on Grant Funding – What’s available &  how to access it.  Our next scheduled Adviser Connect Breakfast is for Tuesday February 21,  at The Republic Hotel.

Our Small Business Commissioner event included 20 family run businesses that gained value from a presentation by Lowen Partridge ( Peartree Brand Strategy)  about what Family Business Australia can do for you. A lively and engaging morning with Small Business Commissioner John Chapman as host . We look forward to  rolling this workshop out in Victor Harbor early in the New Year.

Lastly, please save the date for our next State Conference entitled “Managing People in a Family Business”  Friday 19^th May, 2017 at the Crowne Plaza, Adelaide – we have a draft programme in place and a number of speakers to present on the human resource side of running a family business as the main theme, challenging and thought provoking a must attend. 

 Have a safe and wonderful Christmas break.

Yvonne McClaren
SA NT State Manager
Family Business Australia