Business Briefs

Chris Jones returns to Westpac
Well-known Central Coast banker, Chris Jones has recently returned to Westpac as Local Business Banker, based at Westpac’s Gosford Branch. Mr Jones spent twenty-one years with Westpac and was Manager at their Umina Beach and Ettalong Beach branches and later Central Coast Business Banking Manager.

In 1995 he joined the Trust Bank of Tasmania and established their first two NSW branches at Gosford and Newcastle. He subsequently joined the local financial services group, Trenthills Financial Services, as Finance Broker and a licensed financial advisor.

For the past five years Mr Jones has worked for Suncorp Metway as Regional Sales manager in the Third-Party Banking Division based on the Central Coast and Greater Hunter. As Local Business Banker at Westpac he will be catering for the needs of SME clients in the Gosford area.

Steve Wylie moves to The Vintage
Quay West Resort Magenta Shores Sales and Marketing Manger, Steve Wylie has been appointed Director of Golf at The Vintage in the Hunter Valley. Mr Wylie started at Magenta Shores prior to opening and was involved in setting up the club structure and sales and marketing strategy to drive membership and corporate golf. Over that period the club received applications for over 550 memberships, saw Magenta Shores make the Top 25 golf courses in Australia and become one of the leading NSW golf clubs to host corporate golf days.

Mr Wylie had come from Cypress Lakes Resort as Membership Manager. He has now moved back to the Hunter Valley to head up the golf operations for The Vintage Golf Club.  The Vintage is owned by Central Coast property developer, John Stevens.

Garth Hunter Top Ten salesperson
Central Coast real estate agencies, Raine & Horne Terrigal and Raine & Horne Avoca Beach were standout winners at the recent Raine & Horne 2008 NSW/ACT Chairman’s Awards with Garth Hunter a Top Ten finisher in the competitive Salesperson Number of Sales category.

The Chairman’s Awards, which recognise the franchise’s top performers, were announced at a prestige event at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel in late February. Angus Raine, CEO of Raine & Horne said, “The award confirms Garth Hunter and Raine & Horne Terrigal and Raine & Horne Avoca as one of the leading lights of our NSW/ACT network, which includes more than 160 offices and almost 1,000 agents.”

Mr Hunter’s achievement as one of the top sales agents in the Raine & Horne network was further recognised with his elevation to the exclusive Raine & Horne Chairman’s Club.

Local advice for businesses in distress
Graham Stephenson has established G K Stephenson & Associates, Public Accountants and Insolvency Services practicing predominantly in the Central Coast region, specialising in advice to business and individuals experiencing financial distress, based in Gosford.

Mr Stephenson is a registered Liquidator and was consultant with PPB Pty Ltd, one of Australia’s largest insolvency firms for twenty-two years. During that time he was involved in numerous matters both corporate and individual covering areas as diverse as major legal action in excess of $50 million in the building industry, manufacturing operations, motels, hotels, fast food outlets and individual bankruptcies.

He managed the compliance unit of PPB for four years, the area that administered Court Liquidations and matters under the Bankruptcy Act. He also spent twelve months with one of the major banks in its asset management area dealing with distressed businesses.

Mr Stephenson is an Associate of the Insolvency Practitioners Association of Australia. He holds an MBA and is a Public Accountant, Chartered Secretary and Registered Tax Agent. Mr Stephenson can be contacted on 4322 9262.

Jenny Harwood to focus personally on clients
Erina Chartered Accountant, Jenny Harwood is now practicing under the Harwood’s Chartered Accountants banner enabling her to focus personally on her clients once again. Ms Harwood has been assisting clients to reach their financial goals for more than twenty-five years on the Central Coast, whether they are at the beginning of the process and need help to get started, in the middle years and need direction and realignment, or towards the end of the working life and need assistance with strategies to reach their financial goals.

Ms Harwood said, “Harwood’s manage your complete – business and personal – financial needs, whether it’s accounting, taxation, audit, super fund administration, business planning, wealth creation strategies or risk management”.

“Our philosophy at Harwood’s is to provide expert advice tailored to the unique personal and business circumstances of the client. We take an active interest in how our clients business and finances are developing,” she said.

Harwood’s are located at Level 1, Karalta Plaza, Karalta Road, Erina and can be contacted on 4365 3142.

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