Ron Carr Awards

Ron Carr, RCH president in 1981-82, was a great advocate of recognising entrepreneurship in our local community. The annual Ron Carr Award has been a feature of the program of of our club for many years - this award is presented to the proprietor of a local business who has exhibited entrepreneurship in establishing or running a small business.

In recent years the Award has come to be a partnership with the City of Boroondara which has its Boroondara Business Network. This partnership has helped widen the pool of candidates each year.

Entries are invited each year from which a panel of finalists is drawn up. All the finalists are given the opportunity to make a brief presentation to club members at the award function. The winner is chosen by a judging group with members of our club and representatives of the City of Boroondara.

It has been traditional that the winner receives a commemorative statuette and a cheque for $1000

The 2008 award was won by Cris Ivanidis and Michael Wong of Audiology Ultra Services. Traditional hearing service providers prescribe and fit hearing aids with often little interest in what occurs once that individual has left the clinic.

Four years ago Cris and Michael saw this as an opportunity to establish an innovative business with community connections that exceeded client and industry expectations. The Ultra Life service offers a combination of hearing rehabilitation programs and activities that provide clients with real life opportunities to experience the benefits of better hearing once they have been fitted with hearing aids. In achieving this goal, Audiology Ultra has become one of the fastest growing private practices in Victoria, and their unique service-based model is fuelling phenomenal growth.

Past Winners of the Ron Carr Award

1986 David Bygate of Monitor Security, for the Monitor Service name installed throughout the metropolitan area of Melbourne a sense of security so needed by elderly people.

1987 Derek Holly and Victor Proctor of Gilder Painting Services Pty Ltd. In today's economic climate it is rewarding to learn of two young men recognising a need, developing the courage to persevere with that idea. In two short years they have used their marketing and management skills with plenty of hard work to develop a successful enterprise. At the presentation it was noted that the company employed a higher than normal percentage of apprentices.

1988 Dr Jack Massey of Space & Time Research, who developed a software which enables large data bases to be taken from magnetic tape, stored on a compact disk and then retrieved by a conventional desk top micro computer. His market is international and the first product launch using Census data has been very successful.

1989 - 2000 No Awards made
2001 Jill Weeks of Lifestyle Info Services, which plays a key role in educating and delivering quality content, presentations and materials to financial planning groups,superannuation fund members, property groups, business groups other companies and organisations around Australia on lifestyle, retirement, future trends and baby boomers, based on books, products, documents, and articles she has written (including Where To Retire In Australia, Retire Bizzi, 21 Ways To Retire, Looking Ahead and Boomers With Bounce and The Next Step).

2002 Tim Lincoln of Lincoln Indicators which provides a new and superior way of analysing the financial health of companies. We can supply objective and independent analysis on any financial entity through our two software products: STOCKdoctor and RISKmanager. Tim Lincoln, Dr Merv Lincoln's son and an experienced computer analyst, joined the business in 1991 to focus on commercialising Dr Lincoln's methodology into a PC-based application that could be used by retail investors and organisations to assess financial risk.

2003 James Shen, Ozsicon " e patch products are made from a versatile silicone rubber material with unique properties including durability, low toxicity, resistance to temperature extremes and UV radiation. Using proprietary technology, e patch is manufactured to adhere to glossy surfaces without glue or water. It can be peeled off without leaving a residue and reapplied many times as required. From its inception, in the last 3 years epatch has expanded it's core business to include the promotional products industry and the signage industry".

2004 Danielle Thompson, of Specialist Care Services, which helps find nursing home or hostel places or help provide support for elderly of disabled people who want to stay home. We are a team of highly qualified staff with a range of expertise in the aged and disability care industry. Our company is built on experience and professionalism. At Specialist Care Services we take pride in services to meet individual care needs and expectations

2005 Liz Gasparini and Belinda Read : Overlooking Solutions Pty Ltd and Henk Kelly-Kobes: Dymocks, Camberwell
Overlooking Solutions Pty Ltd is a business dedicated to the production and promotion of the Overlooking Solutions Unit (OSU) a window unit designed to overcome the urban problem where high storey windows overlook neighbouring properties, thereby compromising privacy. The OSU is a double glazed window unit which can be used as an alternative to frosted or obscured glass. Thin metal blades are spaced, tensioned and sealed horizontally between glass panes, creating and obstruction to vision when looking down on neighbouring properties.
Dymocks : established in 1992, Dymocks Camberwerll was generating a sizeable turnover when current owners Henk and Roxanne Kelly-Kobes purchased the store in 2000. .Recognising the store's potential at its valuable Burke Road location, Henk and Roxanne recruited the help of their family to improve business through attentive customer service, a comprehensive book range and competitive pricing. Within three years, hard work had paid off and sales had increased by over 200%, including increased market penetration into the valued school market. The store has added new product lines, including the introducti , on of an ABC/SBS Centre within the store.

2006 Peter Philip Director - TechOnline was formed in May 2004 to directly address the IT problems of micro/small businesses. The principals of TechOnline undertook research with many small businesses, SOHO, home offices, professionals consultants, engineers, small trade companies and small manufacturers to find ou t what their needs were. As a consequence of the research carried out TechOnline decided to take advantage of recent developments in the rapidly changing world of technology: The result of all this has been the creation of a set of TechOnline subscription services designed specifically for small business.

2007 Jackie Cook and Kate Webster. Priorities Flexible Employment Strategies was formed in 2005 by Kate Webster and Jackie Cook who recognised that there was a vast pool of dedicated, highly talented, capable individuals who were available to work but needed some flexibility to balance their other commitments in their lives. Priorities specialises in these non-traditional candidates such as parents returning to work, mature age employees, people who require more flexibility or have down shifted and wish to work less. They train, recruit and advise in alternate recruitment methods, often working directly with employers to help them establish accommodating work practices and employment strategies and create roles that will appeal to this valuable underemployed sector.