Meet the 2014 Telstra Business Woman of the Year
While admitting the award was a great personal accolade, Anne expressed hope that the win would highlight the importance of the not-for-profit sector and help attract even more high-achieving people to community-based organisations.
“The health and community services sector is a significant contributor to Australia’s social and economic fabric,” said Anne.
Within a year of her appointment as CEO in 2003, Anne consolidated more than 100 separate organisations into four service groups and, in 2012, cemented a partnership with the Commonwealth Government to construct Australia’s first fully integrated digital hospital at Hervey Bay.
Kate McKenzie, Telstra Chief Operations Officer and Telstra Business Women’s Awards Ambassador, said the judges were truly impressed by how Anne had brought together such a fragmented group to enhance service delivery for society’s most disadvantaged people.
“They said that her leadership of the organisation – which was authentic and based on strong values – has positively impacted many people including people with disabilities, the elderly and the Indigenous community,” she said.
Last night’s black-tie gala dinner held at the Crown in Melbourne, also saw the announcement of two winners in a single category, a first in the Awards 20-year history. The Business Innovation Award was tied between Tasmanian policewoman Donna Adams and CEO of the NSW not-for-profit organisation Evolve Housing.
Other winners included Kate Weiss, creator of Victorian-based food company Table of Plenty, and Tina Tower, founder of tutoring centre franchise Begin Bright.
Congratulations to all the winners of The 2014 Telstra Australian Business Women’s Awards:
Telstra Austliran Business Woman of the Year
Anne Cross, UnitingCare Queensland, Queensland
Business Owner Award
Kate Weiss, Table of Plenty, Victoria
Private and Corporate Sector Award
Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz, Mirvac, New South Wales
Community and Government Award
Anne Cross, UnitingCare Queensland, Queensland
Business Innovation Award
Andrea Galloway, Evolve Housing, New South Wales, and;
Assistant Commissioner Donna Adams, Tasmania Police, Tasmania
Young Business Women's Award
Tina Tower, Begin Bright, New South Wales
Finalists and winners across Australia share in $650,000 in cash and prizes.
