Industry Judging PanelThe awards are judged by an independent panel of judges who are representative of all areas of the industry by sector and by geography. Members of this panel choose to contribute on a voluntary basis and will remain entirely separate from the ownership structure of the awards. The panel is led by the Co-Chairs John Allen and Sandy Hollway. Register for Updates so we can keep you up to date on new judging appointments
John Allen AM, Co-Chair of JudgesJohnny Allen is the Foundation Director of the Australian Centre for Event Management (ACEM), a centre devoted to training and research in event management at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Mr Allen was Special Events Manager for Tourism New South Wales from 1996 -1998, where he devised and implemented an Events Strategy for the State of New South Wales on behalf of the State Government. Prior to this, Mr Allen worked as Special Events Manager for the Darling Harbour Authority, and currently teaches the Master of Management in Event Management programs at UTS. Sandy Hollway AO, Co-Chair of JudgesSince his role as CEO of the Sydney Organising Committee for the 2000 Olympic Games, Sandy Hollway has provided high level advice to other events around the world. These include the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Paralympics, the 2012 London Olympics, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) series of conferences in Australia 2007. Prior to joining SOCOG in February 1997, Mr Hollway has been an Australian diplomat, Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Hawke, and Head of two Commonwealth Government Departments - Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs; and Industry, Science and Technology. Mr Hollway is passionate about promoting the export of Australia's world-class products and services in major events and sports. He is a Senior Advisor to the Australian International Sports Events Secretariat, and he has led delegations of Australian companies pursuing business opportunities in major events overseas. Simon Balderstone AM
Camille BradsmithIn 1995 Camille established Concert and Corporate Productions (CCP), which has grown to be Western Australia's largest production company. Covering all aspects of production, holding the largest inventory of lighting equipment in the state, the company also has a specialised sales and service department and leads WA in the field of architectural lighting. Camille's experience covers all areas of site and production management and has made her sought after by Australia's leading promoters for concerts and events including V Festival, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Crusty Demons, Andrea Bocelli, David Bowie and Andre Rieu. Recently, Camille was the project manager on the stunning architectural LED lighting design and installation for Perth's Council House Building. Steve BrownA highly respected event designer, producer and marketer, Steve Brown has a wide range of events to his credit in most states of Australia. Steve is a member of the International Festival and Events Association, an Associate Fellow of Meetings Events Australia (MEA), a founding member of the international Event Design Research Network, and of the South Australian Government’s Minister for Tourism’s advisory group, the Tourism Round Table. Steve heads the Event Design and Management programs at Flinders University and recently worked as Creative Producer of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra’s Showcase series of concerts. He has written chapters for a number of event texts and is currently completing his own text-book on Event Design. David ChurchesDavid Churches has been involved in the Major Event industry since 1988. After his extensive role in the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games (1988-2000) he has provided technical and strategic assistance to many major events including the Athens 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Doha 2006 Asian Games, the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and Sydney 2008 World Youth Day. David also worked on the Paris 2012 Olympic and Paralympic bid and has contracts to work on the London 2012 Olympic Games. He is also principal technical advisor to the Tokyo Olympic Bid committee and was awarded the Golden Olympic Rings by IOC President Samaranch in October 2000. Bob ElphinstonBob is currently the President of FIBA, the World Governing Body for basketball. Bob has had a long involvement in the sport as a coach, a founding director of the NBL and as FIBA Oceania President. In 1991 Bob was appointed General Manager of the Sydney Olympics 2000 Bid Company. After helping secure the 2000 Olympic Games, Bob was in charge of the smooth running of all aspects of the 28 sports. After the conclusion of the 2000 Games Bob was appointed to the Olympic Evaluation Commission by the International Olympic Committee and has acted as a consultant to the organising committees of the Beijing 2008 Games and the London 2012 Games. Don GetzDr. Getz brings advanced international expertise to the judging panel, as Visiting Professor at the Centre for Tourism, University of Gothenburg, in Sweden. He is also Professor in the School of Tourism, University of Queensland. Dr. Getz has developed an international reputation as a leading scholar and proponent of event studies, including event management and event tourism. Dr. Getz co-founded, and for many years was Editor-in-Chief of Festival Management and Event Tourism: An International Journal, re-named Event Management as of 2000. He is also on the editorial board of many international journals including, Convention and Event Tourism. In 2005 Professor Getz was elected as Distinguished Fellow in the International Academy for the Study of Tourism. David Grant AMSince 1987, David’s company, David Grant Special Events (now reborn as DG3), has entertained the rich and famous at corporate and private events from Sydney to New York. David has been MEA’s “Australian Special Event Organiser of the Year” a record 10 times and was the first event company inducted into their “Hall of Fame”. David works extensively throughout the world, particularly in the United States on events such as SuperBowl, the NBC New York “Upfronts”, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit tour. David has also produced the VIP and Sponsor Hospitality for the International Olympic Committee and numerous US TOP sponsors for a record 8 Olympic Games and is currently in pre production on the 2012 London Summer Games. This international experience gives David a unique insight into global event trends and keeps him at the cutting edge of event production throughout Australia. Cass JonesCass has been the Technical Director for many of Australia's biggest theatrical productions during a professional theatre career spanning 40 years. Beginning as an Assistant Stage Manager in provincial repertory and touring the UK, he graduated to Company Manager of West End shows and finally Production Manager at the Royal National Theatre in London. In 1993 Cass was invited to return to the RNT for their production of Carousel. He subsequently transferred the production to the West End for Cameron Mackintosh. In 1994 Cass joined the Sydney office of Cameron Mackintosh and was responsible for the Australian productions of Miss Saigon and Rent in addition to the Australasian, Asian and South African tours of The Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables. The Technical Office was formed by Cass in 1999 to provide Technical Management services to Producers of stage musicals. Early projects included Miss Saigon in Manila, The Phantom of the Opera in Seoul, Cape Town, Pretoria and Shanghai and Les Miserables in Buenos Aires. Cass was responsible for the Australian productions of MAMMA MIA! and We Will Rock You! and the Korean language version of MAMMA MIA!. In 2006 he was responsible for the Korean language production of Miss Saigon and a revival of We Will Rock You! in Tokyo and Osaka. Recently Cass was responsible for the Australian tour of Miss Saigon and the Sydney and Melbourne seasons of Billy Elliot. Peter JonesPeter Jones has been creating Special Events for over 25 years. Since its inception in 1991, Peter Jones Special Events (PJSE) has produced over 1000 events both in Australia and overseas. Peter and his team have been the recipient of 23 Meeting and Event Industry Awards, culminating in their induction into the Hall of Fame in 2005 for best Special Event Organiser. Peter is a regular contributor to the events industry by speaking at conferences and recently having been President of the Melbourne Chapter of the International Special Events Society. Peter is also a board member of Destination Melbourne and Chairman of the Victoria Events Industry Council. Andrew KayGlen Lehman CSEPGlen has a background of over three decades in the theatre and entertainment industries. He is the only Australian qualified as a Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP) for life. The George Washington University and the International Special Events Society bestows this title. Before starting his own company in 1981 (Lehman & Associates), he worked for both Opera Australia and The Australian Ballet, developing their successful promotional and marketing campaigns. Over this time Glen has worked with many of Australia’s leading companies and organisations helping them to plan and organise positive motivational outcomes for their social function, conferences, launches & training events. Cameron LittleCameron Little has 16 years experience across a range of environmental engagement, enducation and improvement activities in the Tertiary Education sector, Government organisations and consulting for festivals, conferences and public events. Recent research surrounds technologies and systems to optimise resource recovery for events to minimise landfill. Cameron is currently part of a working party to develop a new Australian Standard for Sustainable Event Management based on the international ISO 14000 series and the British BS 8901 Sustainable Event Management standard. Andy LopezAndy Lopez started Out There Productions in 1996. With his business and creative partner Andrew Bee, OTP has produced a range of spectacular major events around Australia. Andy has a serious passion for major public celebrations – he loves producing events with a purpose, and the bigger the crowd the better. Often working in front of audiences in the tens and hundreds of thousands, Out There Productions’ events are seen and enjoyed by over 300,000 Australians every year. Andy recently produced the Opening Ceremony for the World Masters Games at the Olympic Stadium. He is currently producing the Australia Day Spectacular in Darling Harbour and the National Australia Day Celebrations in Canberra. Paula MasselosBruce McKaskillBruce McKaskill is a Co-Founder and current Managing Director of FIT Sponsorship Marketing, a leading sponsorship marketing agency within the arts, entertainment and community sectors for the last 10 years. Bruce has over 20 years experience in hospitality, events and sponsorship marketing. He was a Melbourne restaurateur and comedy venue owner for over a decade before shifting into major events as a partner in Avery Events and Themestar Entertainment (now Themestar AEG). FIT was incorporated in 1999 and has represented the cream of arts, entertainment and community brands since then, including The Wiggles, Cirque du Soleil, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Disney, Dainty Productions, Australian of the Year, Australian Centre for the Moving Image and most major galleries throughout Australia. Jennifer MilwardJennifer is the Member Services Manager for the PCO Association and has over 20 years experience in the meetings and events sector, having managed more than 150 events including business events, community events, and special events. Jennifer was one of the first conference managers in Australia to be accredited by the Meetings Industry Association of Australia. Jennifer’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from the University of Southern Queensland; Certificate IV in Training & Assessment; Diploma of Tourism (Operations). Jennifer also has extensive Association Management experience, having held the position of Branch Executive Officer for the Queensland & Northern Territory Branches of Meetings & Events Australia for 9 years prior to joining the PCO Association. John MooreJohn Moore is a globally recognised specialist in consumer and brand marketing. His career highlights include Head of Marketing for the highly successful Sydney 2000 Olympic Games where he was responsible for the image and identity of the Games, the marketing and sponsorship programs, and created new benchmarks for retailing and merchandise - The Sydney 2000 Olympic Stores. John previously worked as Vice President for Warner Bros Consumer Products Asia Pacific division, Deputy Chairman of the TTF Board and has had a long and successful association with the tourism industry. John joined Global Brands in 2005 in a welcome return to the big event brand marketing and retailing world. Nick Morris OAMNick Morris is the Managing Director of MGAC Accessibility Consulting based in Melbourne. Nick is a member of the Gold medalist "Aussie Rollers" at the 1996 Atlanta. As a consultant in the building, medical and events industry Nick's experience includes providing expert advice to:
Nick has also appeared on the ABC's New Inventors as a judge and as the inventor of the Vulcan Wheel. Bill SpurrIn his role as Executive Director of the Adelaide Tourism and Convention Authority (1991-1995), Bill Spurr was responsible for a dramatic rise in the promotion of Adelaide as a convention venue and tourist destination. In 1995, he became the General Manager of the newly formed Australian Major Events group with the agenda of attracting significant sporting and cultural events to South Australia, and promoting their benefits within the State. With 30 years experience in the tourism and hospitality industries, Bill Spurr is currently an adjunct Professor of Tourism at Flinders University. He is also Chair of Education Adelaide and a Board member of the Adelaide Entertainment Centre; The Adelaide Festival Centre Trust; Sealink Travel Group and the Adelaide Fringe. Meri TookPenniless muso turned roadie, Meri Took started the first ever crewing service in Sydney in 1978. Meri toured the world for many years with the cream of rock royalty including Neil Young, Elton John, INXS, The Police, Elvis Costello and Cold Chisel in Lighting and Production Management Roles. Meri was Technical Director and Designer for the launch of the Apple Macintosh in Hawaii in 1983, and has since worked on thousands of corporate events. He is known for his vast experience, his staging of successful events, exceptional project management skills and a matchless attention to detail. His Australian production company, Production Techniques, was a ground breaking industry leader in the late eighties. In 1990 Meri identified a gap in the Australian market for rental theatrical drapes and stage risers. Starting with a dozen drapes, some second hand risers, and a strong commitment to service excellence, Staging Rentals was born. Staging Rentals & Construction Services is a multi awarding winning company renowned for its results. With the motto, ‘you’re only as good as your last gig’ Meri’s dedication to creating spectacular events for happy customers has never changed. Graz van EgmondGraz van Egmond has headed the Banksia Environmental Foundation (BEF) for 11 years. In that time, the Banksia Environmental Awards have grown in stature to be acknowledged as the “Oscars of the Australian Environmental Industry”. The key to this success has been Graz’s ability to develop solid relationships with key players in the industry from Government, not for profit organisations and most importantly various corporations. Prior to joining BEF, Graz was involved in the Small Business Awards, the development and implementation of the Telstra Business Women’s Awards and the inaugural Australasian Incentive and Meetings Expo. Graz has a keen interest in taking the environmental achievements into mainstream Australia and providing positive encouragement through getting the right people together, developing a common vision and inspiring action. Pamela Wheat CSEPPamela Wheat has created and produced hundreds of events for up to 8000 guests for opening ceremonies, themed parties and awards nights. Formerly an Advertising Agency Television Producer she has produced events for the past 25 years for corporations, and national and international associations. Following 14 years as Producer of Special Events at ICMS Australasia, she became General Manager of Directions Events, with major clients being high end corporations. She has attained the CSEP (Certified Special Event Professional), is a guest lecturer for the UTS Events Management courses, and has often served on the board of ISES. Most recently, Pamela was responsible for the management and production of the 2009 NSW Tourism Awards and is currently producing the 2010 NSW Tourism Awards. Barry Wilkins OAMBarry has been a tourism & arts administrator and festival & event director for more than 40 years, 23 of those as the Director and CEO of the Ballarat Begonia Festival in Victoria. Having recently retired (after 12 years) from the District Council of Mt Barker in the Adelaide Hills, he continues to be involved in a private capacity in the cultural tourism and events industry. Barry represents Australia on “The President’s Council” of IFEA (International Festivals & Events Association) and has been actively involved with IFEA since 1984. In 2000 in New Orleans he was inducted into the International Festivals & Events Hall of Fame and in 2003 on the Gold Coast was awarded Life Membership of IFEA. In 2007 he won the SA State Tourism prestigious Harry Dowling Award for Individual Contribution to the State’s tourism industry. In 1992, Barry was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to tourism, festivals, the arts and community. He was the Founding Chair of both the Victorian and South Australian Festivals Associations. Eric WintonEric has many years of expertise in creating and building new business ventures internationally in Europe, the UK, China and Australia. His passion and expertise lies in building winning strategies and business results with leading-edge companies in the delivery of major international events. Eric currently leads business-related projects for major sporting events including Olympic Games, Asian Games and signature events in Australia. He manages the Sydney operations of the Australian International Sporting Events Secretariat for Industry & Investment NSW, taking a principal role in marketing Australian events capabilities internationally. Previously he was Business Leader for the successful Sydney-Beijing Olympic Secretariat. In 1997 Eric designed and managed Investment 2000 Pty Ltd, linked to the Sydney 2000 Olympics, which generated millions of dollars of new business investment into Australia. |