It was wonderful to commence March 2025 with our annual International Women’s Day event, this year held at the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre. Hosted by our Women in Business Lead, Amber Lilley, the conversation resonated with many in the room. Amber held a candid interview with Lacey Filipich, a financial literacy expert, who shared why making saving a priority is so important in our personal financial management.
We also had the pleasure of meeting with Cate Brooks, the new CEO of the South West Development Commission. Connecting with Cate at this early stage allowed us to start planning a wider conversation with the business community about the Commission’s role in driving economic development and growth across the Bunbury Geographe region.
The South West Leaders program is now well underway, led by Executive Committee member Claire Anderson, with 46 matched pairs participating. The team is currently planning a Sundowner ahead of the highly anticipated full-day Leadership Conference coming up in July.
Our Young People in Business Portfolio, led by Jack Manoni, has introduced a great new offering this year, monthly walk and talks along the beautiful Koombana Bay. It’s a fantastic way for our 18 to 40-year-old business owners and young professionals to connect in a relaxed setting, finishing off with a coffee at Flow 36. Coming up in early April is a catch-up at Glo-Fit, sponsored by Outdoor World, where attendees will hear directly from the owners about their business journey. Tickets are available on our website under ‘Upcoming Events’.
On the international front, we’ve recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. The agreement, signed by their President Randy Peers and our own President Danny Griffin, opens the door to exciting collaborations. Our members will be able to share innovative ideas, explore joint ventures and participate in events both online and — for those heading to New York — in person. One particularly interesting initiative underway in Brooklyn is a ‘proof of concept’ model, where businesses can test foreign-ready products to refine their global appeal, something we’re keeping a close eye on for our region.
We’re also excited to have launched our inaugural CEO Round Table for 2025, with 16 participants signed up for this monthly initiative. This dedicated space brings local business leaders together to connect, explore challenges, share ideas and learn from one another’s leadership journeys. With a focus on what really drives success — both professionally and personally — the sessions will be facilitated by Patrick Warrand, former GM of Wespine.
And finally, a big congratulations to all who represented our region at the state-wide Regional Business Excellence Awards, held on 29 March 2025 in Perth. Many of you will remember our inaugural Bunbury Geographe Business Excellence Awards last August, where local winners became eligible for the state awards. We’re thrilled to share that LGM Industries took out top honours in the 21+ Employees Category. Finalists from our region included Boola Bidi Dreaming (a finalist in two categories), Veen Physiotherapy, CLP Advertising & Photography, and Rollform WA. We were proud to see such strong regional representation, and by all accounts, we had the loudest cheering squad on the night! Pictured above is our life member Rolf Stein who is also co-founder of the Regional CCIWA.
Please know that our team is here to help. We encourage our members, if you have a question please pick up the phone to call or arrange an appointment to come in.
Julie.
