Council announces Sunshine Coast Enterprises’ new board

23 November 2009    Council announces Sunshine Coast Enterprises’ new board

Council is pleased to announce new volunteer company directors for their wholly owned subsidiary company Sunshine Coast Enterprises.

Economic development portfolio chair, Councillor Lew Brennan said the company Sunshine Coast Enterprises Pty Ltd has appointed a new highly credentialed board that will be responsible for the delivery of business development services right across the Sunshine Coast and hinterland.

“From a field of high calibre applicants, I strongly believe we have achieved our aim in appointing volunteer board members with a wealth of business experience from a range of backgrounds to work with the company’s chief executive officer,” Cr Brennan said.

“Council is looking forward to working alongside re-appointed SCE chair Bill McDonald, the new board includes Greg Livingston (Deputy Chair), Stephen Dittmann, David Curd, Frank O'Shea, Ross Hepworth, Sue Dunlop, Terence Seymour, Tracey Goodwin-McDonald,” he said.

“They represent the geographical spread of our region and include individuals with multi national and not for profit experience aligned with a passion for private sector business success.”

“As Sunshine Coast businesses provide the jobs our community needs to sustain our enviable standard of living, we need to be doing everything we can both now and into the future, to assist Sunshine Coast business to remain successful in a highly competitive environment,” Councillor Brennan said.

Sunshine Coast Enterprises chair Bill McDonald said he was honoured to be re-elected to the position and working with the volunteer board members to deliver a range of business services across the region in supporting local businesses.  

“I look forward to building on the excellent work and high commitment of our previous directors as SCE moves into an exciting new phase,” Bill McDonald said.

“Council has selected a strategic board with great prospects to make a difference to the region’s existing employment capacity,” he said.

“The 2009-10 board will build on SCE’s current work in jobs creation, skills development in the small to medium enterprise sector, and provide direction in ramping up initiatives to reduce the high levels of residents journeying outside our region to work on a daily basis.”

“The new board has a corporate feel to assist these activities, and to ensure we grow export capacity which is so essential to a high performing economy.”

“I feel confidant that together, business, community and government can work to secure the jobs we need to achieve a strong future.”   


BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Sunshine Coast Enterprises Pty Ltd (SCE)

Sunshine Coast Enterprises Pty Ltd (SCE) is a company established by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council, with Council as the sole shareholder, to assist Council in the delivery of region-wide economic development initiatives, as specified in Council’s Corporate Plan 2009–2014. The work of SCE will address two themes in the Corporate Plan: ‘Robust Economy’ and ‘Innovation and Creativity’.

The resolution also endorsed that SCE would deliver services to businesses, on a regional basis, based around the following functions:

o    Responding to general business inquiries.
o    Providing access to specific business advice for existing companies.
o    Providing business networking events, facilitating the expansion of existing business networks, and establish new ‘business to business’ networks, where required.
o    Providing access to business development providers.
o    Facilitating business training and mentoring programs.
o    Growing industry clusters, as specified by Council within its agreed Economic Development Strategy.
o    Facilitating the actual locating of business to the region and expansion within the region, based on Council inward investment promotion and lead generation.
o    Accessing external funding resources to deliver the agreed programs.
o    Any other service or function that Council may decide from time to time.

Some of the latter functions will also be carried out by Council.

It is acknowledged that SCE’s financial and human resources are limited and the delivery of these functions will need to be prioritised, with realistic timeframes and budgets. This detail will be set out in the Company’s Annual Business Plan.

SCE’s mission is to

o    drive and facilitate economic development in the Sunshine Coast region, through assisting new and existing business in the generation of increased levels of investment and employment, and  
o    advocate and assist the implementation of key economic, social and environmental infrastructure projects aimed at positioning Sunshine Coast  as a premier sustainable lifestyle region.

Sunshine Coast Enterprises is Your Partner in Growing Business