Lake Macquarie Business Excellence Awards 2024 winners
Over 120 applications were received from a diverse range of companies and individuals across the city.
Winners were announced at a sold-out gala ceremony at Belmont 16s on Friday 2 August. Most category winners will progress to the Business Hunter Awards.
Proudly sponsored by Dantia
This award recognises an organisation that demonstrates overall excellence in their field. After thorough assessment from the judging panel, Dynamic Business Technologies was chosen as the winner as the company showed outstanding results in innovation, contribution to the city, community support and work culture.
Dynamic Business Technologies, based in Warners Bay, is a managed services provider which specialises in digital transformation, cloud services, security, backup, and disaster recovery. The company ensures seamless IT operations, safeguarding business data while optimising performance.
Nathan Franks established the business 18 years ago and his visionary leadership has developed a culture of innovation and inclusivity, exemplified by strategic initiatives and achieving ambitious growth targets. Nathan's dedication to his staff, mentorship and community involvement highlights his outstanding contributions to the industry and beyond.
Dynamic Business Technologies has been a finalist in previous years and their perseverance has certainly paid off this year. The company was a finalist in Small Business and Diversity and Inclusion, Nathan Franks won Outstanding Business Leader and they won Employer of Choice. A very worthy Business of the Year winner for 2024.
Origin Energy People's Choice Award - 8 at Trinity
Proudly sponsored by Origin Energy
8 at Trinity redefines the benchmark of how an accessible regional area like Lake Macquarie can develop a world-class venue.
They offer a premium yet approachable 350 seat, $8 million waterfront, modern Australian dining restaurant in a setting inspired by the luxurious beauty of international seaside destinations. Sophisticated food and drinks combine with a buzzing five-star resort atmosphere overlooking Trinity Point Marina and Lake Macquarie.
8 at Trinity transports diners to what feels like distant corners of the globe, creating a day trip destination or overnight stay for the key Sydney target market.
Proudly sponsored by Newcastle Herald
Branding savant Alex McCallum is renowned for his outstanding contributions to Lakes Custom Computers’ marketing success. He has played a pivotal role in their marketing efforts, leveraging his exceptional Photoshop skills to drive sales growth substantially since 2017. His creativity was showcased in a memorable 10m banner in Lake Munmorah, and he expertly manages their Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and Google presence to boost brand awareness. His innovative strategies and dedication have significantly elevated their brand visibility and customer engagement, making him an invaluable asset to the team.
Outstanding Young Business Leader - Jye Rimmington - Rimmington Legal
Jye Rimmington, a proud Gamilaroi man, triumphed over adversity to become practice manager at Rimmington Legal. His journey from overcoming struggles at school to leading an up-and-coming business showcases resilience and determination. Committed to diversity and inclusivity, Jye fosters a culture of empowerment and excellence. His visionary leadership, innovative thinking and strategic decision-making position Rimmington Legal well for sustainable growth. Dedicated to community engagement, Jye advocates for positive change and greater opportunities for Indigenous people in the business world. His future vision is to provide accessible legal assistance for all by expanding the business to include satellite offices and offering virtual consultations to ensure distance is not a barrier to accessing quality legal services. As an outstanding young leader, Jye’s story inspires others to overcome obstacles and achieve their full potential.
Highly commended - Trystan Auddino - Lakes Custom Computers
Outstanding Business Leader (20 or less employees) - Nathan Franks - Dynamic Business Technologies
At just 24 years old, Nathan Franks founded Dynamic Business Technologies. Now, 18-years on, it’s a leading IT services provider specialising in digital transformation, cloud services and cybersecurity. As Managing Director of both Dynamic Business Technologies and Newvo Business Communications, Nathan has driven remarkable growth. His leadership fosters a culture of innovation and inclusivity, exemplified by strategic initiatives like implementing a new professional services automation platform and achieving ambitious growth targets. Nathan’s dedication to mentorship and community involvement highlights his outstanding contributions to the industry and beyond, cementing his reputation as a visionary leader.
Outstanding Business Leader (21 or more employees) - Melanie Bird - Lake Group Strata
Melanie has a long and proven career in business strategy, growth and leadership. Since joining Lake Group Strata three years ago as a consultant, Melanie has secured the role of CEO. Some of her key achievements include introducing a peer mentoring program, creating a robust organisation structure, starting a personal development fund for her team and instilling an inclusive workplace culture that prioritises a work life balance. Her greatest passion is the amazing team of unique people she gets to support, empower and work alongside every day, whilst having the scope and resources to be the type of leader who makes a positive difference. Melanie’s passion to mentor others to achieve their goals is evident through her additional roles, which include Business Chamber Vice President, charity board membership and volunteering weekly with community organisations.
Proudly sponsored by Ramsay Health Care
Dynamic Business Technologies in Warners Bay stands out as a premier employer of choice within Australia’s IT services landscape. Specialising in digital transformation, cloud services, and security solutions along the east coast, the company excels in optimising client operations while prioritising its workforce. Through initiatives such as an inclusive “Open Door” policy, a servant leadership philosophy and personalised work environments, Dynamic Business Technologies fosters a culture where team members thrive. With a notably low eight per cent turnover rate and high office-vibe scores, the company demonstrates its commitment to creating a supportive environment where employees feel valued and empowered to excel.
Employer of Choice (21 or more employees) - Lake Group Strata
Proudly sponsored by NGM Group
Lake Group Strata, a leading strata and community management company celebrating 30 years in business, excels as an employer of choice in Lake Macquarie and the Greater Hunter region. Known for their commitment to quality training, expert knowledge, and exceptional service, Lake Group Strata fosters a unique workplace culture rooted in support and empowerment. With initiatives like a nine-day fortnight, mental health training and extensive professional development funding, they prioritise their team’s wellbeing and growth. Emphasising inclusivity, they offer flexible work arrangements and tailored support, ensuring every team member feels valued. Lake Group Strata’s dedication to a supportive environment ensures longevity and excellence in service delivery.
Excellence in Innovation - Definiti - Creating time with AI and robotic process automation
Proudly sponsored by University of Newcastle
Definiti revolutionises business operations with cutting-edge automation solutions, integrating artificial intelligence and robotic process automation to streamline tasks across industries like finance, healthcare and government. By automating data entry, invoice processing and more, Definiti liberates teams from mundane tasks, boosting productivity and accuracy while reducing costs and errors. Their approach, tailored to each client’s needs, enhances efficiency and customer satisfaction, driving growth and innovation. With a proven track record spanning more than a decade, Definiti exemplifies leadership in digital transformation, ensuring measurable returns on investment and positive impacts on communities through enhanced service delivery and crisis response capabilities.
Proudly sponsored by Hunter Water
With a steadfast focus on sustainability for more than a decade, Aware... the social design project stands out as a leader in ethical fashion. Collaborating with 12 endorsed fair traders and social enterprises like The Mbuyu Foundation, they’ve championed microfinancing initiatives. Their influence spans global talks for organisations like Zonta International and local mentorship for businesses. As an executive committee member of the Fair Trade Association, their advocacy drives national projects. Initiatives like transformative book clubs and upcycling competitions underscore their commitment to circular fashion. Using certified organic cotton and upcycled materials, they set a benchmark for waste reduction in the industry.
Outstanding Community Organisation - Car 2 Home Project
Proudly sponsored by Charlestown Square by the GPT Group
The Car 2 Home Project allows people who are experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping in their cars a safe place to park, while having access to bathrooms, a kitchen and laundry services. The vision for The Car 2 Home Project is to keep people safe while they are enduring homelessness in their vehicle and to provide casework support to any person experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping in their car. Their goal is to work with people to find long-term, safe and secure housing that is financially sustainable.
Highly commended - Zeal Futures Learning
Highly commended - Survivor's R Us Incorporated
Outstanding Visitor Experience - CoastXP
Proudly sponsored by Lake Mac Holiday Parks
Anchored by founder Dominic May’s passion for marine adventure, CoastXP epitomises excellence in Lake Macquarie’s tourism landscape. Renowned for their bespoke coastal and lake experiences, they offer thrilling adventure boat tours, captivating whale-watching expeditions and insightful guided bushwalks. Their commitment to authenticity shines through partnerships with local experts in geology, Aboriginal heritage and marine biology, ensuring every tour is rich with accurate, culturally significant narratives. Beyond exploration, CoastXP pioneers sustainable tourism practices, earning accolades for ecofriendly initiatives like carbon offset programs and community engagement projects. With a stellar reputation bolstered by over 700 five-star reviews, CoastXP sets the standard for exceptional visitor experiences, enhancing the allure of Lake Macquarie as a premier destination.
Highly commended - Matt Hall Racing
Outstanding New Business - Telethrive
Proudly sponsored by Lake Group Strata
Telethrive aims to bridge the gap in allied health services, ensuring that every individual can access the comprehensive care they need to thrive in all aspects of their health and wellbeing. They are an innovative new psychology, speech, occupational therapy and dietetics company blending online and in-clinic consultation to provide greater assistance locally and nationwide. Since launching, they have expanded their team from five to 10 clinicians, introduced new services, increased their client base by 75 per cent and launched a series of community outreach service programs.
Proudly sponsored by Umwelt
Flying Colours Education is a learning support and intervention service catering for students from preschool to Year 12 in literacy and numeracy. Flying Colours Education’s unique programs have a strong focus on assisting students with specific learning disorders (such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, ADHD and ASD) to understand literacy and numeracy concepts using evidence-based principles and practices for neurodivergent students. Their service also assists students who aren’t engaging with the standard way of learning that schools deliver and consequently have significant gaps in their learning.
Andersen Pest Services is a highly respected pest control company, committed to delivering exceptional pest management solutions for both residential and commercial clients. With a dedicated team of highly trained professionals, they’ve been providing trusted, innovative pest control services since their establishment in 2020. As a family-owned business, they take pride in helping their local community grow, creating jobs for local people and contributing to the economy of the Hunter and beyond. Andersen Pest Services firmly believe their involvement in the community and efforts to help local people thrive, set them apart.
Proudly sponsored by ATUNE Health Centres
Design Anthology describe themselves as design renegades, straight talkers and problem solvers who partner with SMEs, corporates and start-ups to design, manufacture and launch their products with a bang. Over the past 15 years, they’ve played a vital role in partnering with countless local businesses, corporate SMEs and entrepreneurs to transform their ideas into products that are better than imagined. From product launches to market expansions, each success story adds to the vibrancy and dynamism of our local business community. Through partnerships, job creation, support for local suppliers, promotion of entrepreneurship and fostering of innovation, they play a pivotal role in driving economic growth, prosperity and sustainability in the community.
Excellence in Large Business - 8 at Trinity
8 at Trinity redefines the benchmark of how an accessible regional area like Lake Macquarie can develop a world-class venue. They offer a premium yet approachable 350 seat, $8 million waterfront, modern Australian dining restaurant in a setting inspired by the luxurious beauty of international seaside destinations. Sophisticated food and drinks combine with a buzzing five-star resort atmosphere overlooking Trinity Point Marina and Lake Macquarie. 8 at Trinity transports diners to what feels like distant corners of the globe, creating a day trip destination or overnight stay for the key Sydney target market.
Highly commended - Evolution Advisers
View the Lake Macquarie Business Excellence Award winners for 2023