Finalists for this year’s Industry Advocacy award have been announced.
Irina Lindquist – Healthcare Solution Architect, Schneider Electric
Irina Lindquist has been an outstanding contributor to the work of the Digital Hospital Design group (HISA) of which she is a key member. The group’s objective is to broadly influence the way in which technology is applied in healthcare, enabling high quality, people centric and cost effective care.
Within the Digital Hospital Design group she designed and delivered the critical problem solving process it uses to focus healthcare leaders on how to harness technology to drive their clinical and business outcomes. In addition she has been an important contributor to the strategy and community engagement of the group.
The skills she has exhibited in her work with the Digital Hospital Design group have also been reflected in the commercial work with her employer Schneider. In this sphere she has used the same techniques to guide her customers to more effective technology deployments that improve productivity and lower risk. This has led to highly productive Schneider deployments in a number of Australia’s leading digital hospitals. Her work now is looking to drive improved productivity through deeply innovative ways of linking operational and clinical systems within a hospital.
Carli Hobbs – General Manager, Gladstone Engineering Alliance
Carli Hobbs is an advocate across many different industries, but her passion is for companies based within the Gladstone region.
Hobbs works tirelessly between local industry groups, government departments and individual local businesses advocating the region and GEA member companies.
With a staff of only three, Hobbs and her committee have aligned local business offerings with major industrial players across a myriad of industries now permanently based in the region including LNG, power generation, alumina refining, aluminium smelting, cement manufacturing, chemical manufacturing as well as many others.
Under her guidance, the organisation has seen significant growth, is recognised as the peak industry body for Central Queensland and is now operating as a highly successful, self-sufficient Not-for-Profit organisation.
Hobbs consistently works with government on all levels, major resource companies and potential investors to promote the capacity, competitiveness and skills of industry in the region. She has advocated on all levels for support to local business and has worked to identify the benefits and implement strategies for ensuring strong procurement practices and skills development for the entire industry sector.
Hobbs has also been instrumental in the concept, planning, development and completion of a number of successful programs with proven results in enhancing industry prospects for both buyers and suppliers.
Christine Katic – Operations Manager, BOC Limited
As the Production Manager of BOC’s South Australia and Northern Territory Operations, Christine Katic is responsible for leading all activities related to these sites. She has excellent technical skills with a specialty in chemical engineering and a unique ability to work with all levels of business to achieve outcomes in often challenging circumstances.
In addition to this role, Katic was also the Head of Healthcare Operations for BOC’s entire South, Pacific business. She has played a significant role in advocating innovative solutions for use in the healthcare industry like the adoption of 3D Modelling for BOC’s installation of the medical gas pipeline at the new Royal Adelaide Hospital.
Katic led a team of almost 30 staff to implement this highly sophisticated technology that will pave the way for future installations.
Katic is also the Chair of the Trustee’s Member Engagement and Communication Committee. One of her key achievements has been the development and implementation of a program that offers BOC staff free financial planning advice by Mercer financial advisers through the BOC Super Helpline.
During her career Katic has been an influential advocate for issues relating to her peers, women and the wider gases and engineering industry. This has involved supporting an aging workforce in financial planning, advocating flexible work conditions and promoting her engineering career to the wider industry through networking events and presentations.
Elizabeth Lewis-Gray – Chairman, Austmine
Elizabeth Lewis-Gray has been a stalwart of industry since 1996 when she co-founded Gekko Systems.
Since then, Lewis-Gray has grown Gekko to a multi-national business and used her know-how to inspire others in the sector.
In 2013, Lewis-Gray was appointed as chair of Austmine, the peak industry body in Australia for the mining equipment, technology and services (METS) sector.
Cementing her high regard within the industry, Lewis-Gray was been appointed as the Chair of the Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) Industry Growth Centre by the Department of Industry and Science Minister, Ian Macfarlane.
The METS Industry Growth Centre is part of the Federal Government’s Industry Innovation and Competitiveness Agenda which seeks to stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship, improve competitiveness, and create new job opportunities.
“We are delighted that Elizabeth has been appointed Chair of the METS Industry Growth Centre,” said Christine Gibbs Stewart, CEO of Austmine.
“She is a perfect person to lead the Centre given her experience in starting up and running a successful METS company, her strategic leadership role at Austmine and her focus on innovation through the Innovation Australia board.”
Jill Follington – Executive (founding) Director, Industry Mid North Coast
Jill Follington is passionate about manufacturing in Australia and is determined to see businesses and individuals succeed. Her passion combined with her entrepreneurial spirit resulted in the formation of IMNC and continues to see the member organisations work together and learn from one another.
Follington has worked tirelessly, without any financial reimbursement, to not only improve the image of manufacturing, but to form a cohesive group for the industry. Her passion is in developing “clusters” of like-minded people to make things happen and she has brought this passion to manufacturing on the Mid North Coast.
Follington has a natural gift for building relationships and creating environments where people can work together, this was most recently demonstrated in the formation of Women In Manufacturing. Women In Manufacturing is an initiative to drive improvement in how IMNC engages with and encourages women in the manufacturing sector. Through Follington’s strong regional network, women from across the Mid North Coast met for the first time to understand the challenges for businesses and women in pursuing manufacturing careers. Follington was able to bring together people from manufacturing, training, finance, law, state and federal government to share ideas and commit to real actions that can be implemented quickly.
Kym Clarke – Founder and Director, She’s Empowered
Having worked as an accountant in the mining industry for seven years,
Kym Clarke understood the challenges women faced on-site with their workwear from a fit-for purpose, comfort and style perspective. This inspired her to create the SE Workwear range.
With zero knowledge about designing and manufacturing clothes, Clarke spent weeks researching and ended up boarding a plane to Asia to find a manufacturer. Clarke had never been to China, knew nothing about creating a workwear line but she did know she could create a positive change for women in industry.
Since the brand launch in November 2013, the SE Workwear collection has rapidly gained traction with Clarke now having regular involvement and engagement across the gender equality debate through keynote speaking and media. This passion and enthusiasm has seen the business evolve into a full service offering, to not only continue to delivering the message of equality, but to be there on the journey with support, mentoring, products and business services to women at all levels from students to entrepreneurs, women in trades to senior corporate executives.
Suzanne Daubney – Managing Director, Bannister Downs Dairy
Suzanne Daubney has consistently proven herself to be a tireless and passionate advocate for the agriculture and food sector, and her contributions to the industry are plenty through her representation on numerous boards and committees.
Daubney is an excellent example of a business woman with a bold, passionate and powerful vision not just for her business, but also for the local community she lives, the people she employs and the industry she propels forward for the betterment of all Australian dairy farmers.
WA’s Minister for Regional Development; Lands, and Minister Assisting the Minister for State Development, Terry Redman, says Daubney was an invaluable source of information and advice to him when he first took up the position as Minster for Agriculture in 2008.
At that time, Redman was looking to develop a series of policy settings that would assist industry to grow and remain strong and sustainable in the future.
“This culminated in an industry round table in October 2012 in Perth at which Daubney’s strong and considered views greatly added to the value of the debate and where Government’s policy setting needed to be,” Redman said.
“In my current role as Minister For Regional Development, I deal with Daubney through her position as a member of the South West Development Commission Board. Through that body, Daubney is helping to drive the direction of the South West and leverage Government and private sector investment in that region.”