Chair of Judging Panel

Simon Flowers - LBW Business + Wealth Advisors

Simon Flowers is a Principal of LBW Business + Wealth Advisors dealing with taxation, business advisory and financial planning matters.  He is a fellow of CPA Australia, Chartered Tax Advisor with TIA, Affiliate member of CANNZ, Member of NTAA and Authorised Representative of LBW Wealth Pty Ltd.  Simon has been a principal since 2007 and before joining was a manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Melbourne. 

Simon has been involved in the judging of the GBEA for the past 16 years (10 as chair of the judging panel).  He has also been a member of CPA Victorian Public Practice Committee, a past member of the ASIC Business Advisory Committee, a past member and chair of the CPA VICPAC taskforce and has represented CPA Australia at ATO meetings.  Simon is currently a CPA Best Practice external assessor and a member of the CPA Public Practice Advisory Committee.  Simon has a Bachelor of Business from Deakin University, Diploma of Superannuation Management from Macquarie University, Diploma of financial planning and a Masters of Tax from University of Melbourne.

Deputy Chair of Judging Panel

Robert Hunter – Huntercorp Investments

Robert is the Director of Huntercorp Investments which is an asset finance and investment company, he has over 30 years’ experience owning and growing a range of successful businesses, in the fields of Hospitality, Managed print, IT and Finance. Previously Robert was the Director of SC Technology Group, growing the business from two staff in a small retail office, to a team of over 34. 

Robert has always been passionate about the local community, supporting organisations like The Geelong Chamber of Commerce – as the platinum partner, The Geelong Football Club – as an Elite sponsor, Give Where You Live, Braveheart’s and Encompass Community Services just to name a few. 

Bill Winter - family business advisor and past business owner.

Bill currently advises on family business boards as a non-executive non-family board member and an external advisor. Bill has a popular regional business podcast “True Business Stories”

His background includes business ownership, corporate CEO and general management positions at public company subsidiaries and workshop facilitator for Business Victoria.

Past lecturer at Victoria University TAFE for the Cert IV Small Business Diploma in Small Business. Past round table facilitator for The Executive Connection CEO monthly forums.

He has been a mentor for Irish business owner expats and a life member of the Irish Australian Chamber of Commerce. He established the Irish Australian Chamber Business Awards and their National Mentoring Program. In addition, Bill was a national judge on the Australian Franchise Awards.

 Bill was the initial Chair of the AICD Director monthly Nexus form in Geelong and sat on the AICD national mentor panel.

Chris Davies – 2 Bridges

Chris is the co-founder and former CEO of Evologic, a 40+ employee professional services organisation based in Geelong. With a 25+ year career in the technology industry, Chris has led through the rollercoaster of small business phases, successfully selling and exiting the business. He now helps CEOs and Leadership teams gain control of their business and accelerate growth and profitability by implementing the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS).

Chris holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Microprocessor Applications), is a Board Director and Treasurer at the Give Where You Live Foundation and a Mentor for the 2024 Deakin Executive Leadership Academy.

Christine Smith - Destination Accessible

Chris is a 20-year veteran of the police force specializing in trauma crimes,  turned passionate disability advocate & calls it “ironic” to now possess a disability to match her cause. Chris was Deputy - Chair of Tourism Greater Geelong and The Bellarine (2016 to 2021) and used her position to advocate disability rights.  She is a member of the Accessible City Taskforce, and volunteered her time to travel the State with her speech "Access-Orize Your Biz", encouraging businesses to employ people with disabilities.

As CEO of a disability focused organisation in the region, Chris uses her position to continue advocating for people with disability.    She is a State Award winner for Excellence In Creating Inclusive Communities, a 3 x winner at GBEA Awards, a GBEA Finalist "Business of the Year", and GBEA Finalist "Business Leader of the Year".   She is well known in the disability community, cemented by her finalist position as  Disability Leader of the Year in Australia in 2018.

Giovanni Siano – Dovida Geelong (formerly Home Instead Geelong)

Born in Reggio Emilia, northern Italy, Giovanni Siano holds a Bachelor and Master’s degree in Engineering Management from UniMoRe. With a global career spanning IT, logistics, manufacturing, and healthcare across Europe, America, and Africa, Giovanni brought a broad international perspective when he migrated to Australia in 2011.

In 2018, Giovanni founded Home Instead Geelong, an in-home care provider that quickly grew to support over 1,000 clients and employ over 400 people across the region. In March 2025, the business rebranded to Dovida Geelong, marking a new chapter with a renewed focus on empowering people to live independently with confidence, connection, and choice.

He also founded G&G Accessible Lifestyle, providing supported accommodation and holistic care services.

Passionate about making a meaningful difference in people’s lives, Giovanni is committed to easing pressure on the healthcare system through high-quality, client-centred services. He is equally passionate about fostering entrepreneurship and business excellence in the local community.

Giovanni was awarded the GBEA Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2021, and under his leadership, his business was named both GBEA ‘Business of the Year’ and ‘Emerging Business’ the same year. He has been honoured to serve as a GBEA judge since 2022, contributing his experience to recognise and celebrate the success of fellow local businesses.

He holds an MBA from Deakin University and completed the Leaders for Geelong program in 2022

Hugo Le Clerc – HARWOOD ANDREWS

Hugo is a commercial lawyer at Harwood Andrews advising public and private clients on many aspects of commercial transactions, with particular industry experience in procurement, tendering strategies, contract management and negotiations. Hugo also has experience in private sector corporate advice, including in private capital markets, and asset and business transactions. This experience gives Hugo a unique understanding of the challenges faced by businesses in the region, and enables him to provide valuable insights and perspectives as a judge.

As a passionate contributor to the success of the local community, Hugo recognises the excellent opportunity the awards provide to showcase the hard work and talent of local businesses.

Hugo is also the Deputy Chair of the Give Where You Live Foundation and has a Bachelor of Laws and International Studies (majoring in Chinese) from Deakin University.

James Murphy - Sea All Dolphin Swims

Murph is the director of Sea All Dolphin Swims and the founder of Southern Ocean Environmental Link inc, a not for profit, working to improve the health of the ocean. 

Recognised as one of Tourism Australia’s regenerative tourism specialists, Murph focuses on bringing people to life through unique experiences in nature, swimming with wild seals and dolphins and focusing profits on marine conservation, research and recycling projects.

Sea All Dolphin Swims was inducted into the GBEA Hall of Fame after receiving category wins 2018-2020 and becoming Business of the Year in 2020.  2020 also saw Murph receive the Young Entrepreneur of the Year award, making him the first to receive 3 awards in a single year. 

Murph has a Bachelor of Commerce, major in marketing from Deakin University.  2024 saw Murph became a recipient of Deakin Universities Young Alumni of the year award.  Murph is also a current sitting board member for Tourism Greater Geelong and the Bellarine.

Murph’s focus remains on utilising his businesses to do more for the community and the environment whilst raising his young family – surfing daily and doing his best to enjoy a balanced life on the ocean.

Jessica Anderson – CREW FACED MAKE UP ARTISTRY

Owner & Director of Crew Faced Makeup Artistry specialising in Hair Styling & Makeup Application. With 25 yrs experience working in Editorial, Film, Runway, Wedding & Event Makeup, Crew Faced was established in 2015- employing a team to operate from their professional Geelong based studio. Launching Crew Faced Cosmetica in 2022, Jessica extended her business to include lash and brow services.

Entering the GBEA for the past 5 yrs, Crew Faced won 3 Awards consecutively, entering the Hall of Fame in 2023. Outside of leading her team, Jess is a Cabin Manager for Virgin Airlines for the past 19 yrs. Born in QLD, Jess has lived in Geelong 11 yrs happily raising 2 young children & enjoying the vibrant Geelong/ Surf Coast lifestyle.

Her priority this year is to engage with the local community, volunteering & donating her services to several events hosted by local charities and NFP organisations.

Jess Cotter – Deakin University
Jess Cotter is a leader in partnering, engagement, marketing and communications and brings to the GBEA judging role a well-rounded perspective on business operations based on a career working across corporate, government, manufacturing and infrastructure projects, small business and not-for-profit. Jess is currently the Head of Partnering, Engagement and Experience, in the Infrastructure and Digital Division at Deakin University and holds post grad tertiary qualifications in Marketing (RMIT) and an under-graduate degree majoring in Public Relations and Management Communications (Deakin University). Jess has been involved in judging roles for the Geelong Business Excellence Awards since 2019 and is excited to work with all the amazing people behind Geelong’s business community in judging across the 2025 awards program.

Jo Manderson – Target

Jo is a senior commercial business leader with extensive strategic and operational brand, marketing, communications, and ecommerce experience across not for profit, retail, health insurance, small business consulting, directories advertising and banking. Jo has provided advisory expertise within enterprise level organisations, transformation programs, start-up environments and small to medium businesses and has a strong record of developing and delivering commercially successful brand, customer and marketing strategies, operational improvement, digital acceleration and results driven outcomes for business scale.

Jo is involved in various committees and volunteers at numerous sports and school events, chairing and convening a theatre company committee and presiding over a number of sporting group committees and a Primary School Council.  Keen to support communities and promote the wealth of business excellence in Geelong to broader audiences, Jo continues to enjoy learning more about the many fantastic businesses in Geelong and the greater region.

Mark Edmonds - MRE Consulting

With over 35 years of extensive experience in the business world, Mark has established himself as a seasoned professional with a special focus on the retail industry. Throughout his career, he has held senior positions at ASX listed companies such as Coles Myer, Wesfarmers, ADRT, and served as the CEO of Faggs Mitre 10. In addition to his corporate roles, Mark has also ventured into entrepreneurship, successfully managing his own small businesses in the hospitality sector, and gaining valuable insights into the tourism industry as he built and operated a premium motel in Ocean Grove.

Mark's expertise extends beyond his own ventures as he actively engages in mentoring others. He runs his own small business mentoring program and has previously served as a mentor for VCCI (Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry) and the Geelong Chamber of Commerce. His commitment to the business community is evident in his past presidency of the Geelong Chamber.

Mark is currently a Member of the Geelong Authority, where he is actively involved in the revitalization efforts of Central Geelong. Plus, he is the Deputy Chair of the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority.

Mark has held Chair and Board roles in NFP organizations. His professional achievements are further highlighted by his status as a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), a recognition of his exceptional leadership and management skills.

Nicola Wojcik - WorkSafe Victoria

Nicola has worked in Geelong for over 8 years now. She very quickly established an understanding of the Geelong business community through her role as Manager, Stakeholder Engagement & Communications for WorkSafe.  She played a large part in the project team for integration of WorkSafe to Geelong and was heavily involved in all local partnerships.  She lead the response to Silicosis in her role of Manager for Strategic Health Programs before leading the Research Team, a role she has held for almost 3 years. 

Nicola spent the majority of her childhood in Perth where she completed a degree in Asian Studies, with a double major in marketing and Japanese.  She has spent time in the energy, water and mining sectors and in trade & investment with those roles seeing her work in Perth, London, Port Hedland, Melbourne and now Geelong. She loves to be active and takes her love of sport to the Boardroom where she is entering her 7^th year as a commissioner for AFL Barwon and joined the board of Read the Play a few years ago. She has been involved in the judging for a number of community events and grants and enters her sixth year as a GBEA judge. Outside of working life, Nicola enjoys spending time with her family, reading and traveling.

Peter Temple - Geelong Galvanizing

Peter is the Financial Controller at Geelong Galvanizing.  With a background including roles in sports coaching and administration, policing, allied health, publishing, hospitality, tourism, management consulting, and environmental and project management, along with not-for-profit board positions in youth welfare, education, drug and alcohol, the arts, tourism and public health, Peter’s diverse management experience allows him to assess businesses from a unique perspective. He has worked as an entrepreneurial sole operator, the proprietor of small enterprises, the manager of a family business, and in operational management roles both in medium sized enterprises and large multinational companies. Peter’s areas of particular interest are management, finance and economics.

Tina Perfrement - City of Greater Geelong

Tina has worked with businesses and the public sector to improve performance through sustainability, in Australia and the UK.  Her approach is both strategically driven and practically focused; this is reflected in her achievements during a career spanning more than 20 years. 

Tina has been developing markets for sustainable goods and services for most of her career.  Through her work at the City of Greater Geelong, she's currently working to inspire opportunities for clean technologies which help with the transition to renewables, address climate change adaption and mitigation, and help accelerate a circular economy. This work has resulted in job creation, skills development, and business expansion outcomes for the Greater Geelong community. Tina is a passionate ambassador for Greater Geelong sitting on the Benefit Geelong Committee and the Victorian Cleantech Cluster Board. 

Deb Nash - Truffleduck

Deb is the COO of Truffleduck and has seen this company’s brand consolidate into a position of an industry benchmark for catering and events in the Geelong region and beyond. 

A primary teacher by profession (Bachelor of Education-Deakin), Deb joined Truffleduck in 1989 and hospitality became her passion. She completed a Diploma of Business Management and traded teaching for full-time hospitality in 2003. 

She has been involved in the GBEA awards since 2006 when Truffleduck won the first of their three awards cumulating in the GBEA Business of the Year in 2008 and being inducted into the hall of fame. Deb then became a judge for the awards until 2016. She is delighted once again to be on the judging panel and to be a part of the exciting journey entrants in the 2024 GBEA will experience. 

Sarah Charleston - Co-Founder/Director SJ Personnel

Sarah is a HR and Resourcing specialist with over 18 year's recruitment experience across local and international recruitment firms. As a Senior Recruitment Consultant for prominent recruitment companies and HR Manager for the renowned Adventure Park in Geelong.
After 10 years working in key positions Sarah founded SJ Personnel, an ethical, transparent and proven recruitment company. SJ Personnel quickly developed a trusted reputation that has seen the company grow to encompass the Geelong, Ballarat and metropolitan markets
SJ Personnel specialisis in providing recruitment & HR support exclusively to businesses located across Greater Geelong, the Surf Coast and regional Victoria.
 

Dr. Simone Boer - A Fresh Approach

Dr. Simone Boer, uses the power of neuroscience and strategy to fuel transformation in both individuals and organizations. With a PhD in Neuroscience and over 20 years of experience in human behavior, Simone has navigated through many diverse careers, exemplifying her belief in the limitless potential for personal and professional growth. She is renowned for her vibrant approach to coaching, utilizing innovative 'brain hacks'.

Simone's strategic prowess has been instrumental in developing and implementing significant initiatives, including Geelong's 30-year community vision for Geelong to be internationally recognised as a 'Clever and Creative' city-region.

Her leadership in strategy, engagement, and innovation has catalyzed organizational transformations, making her a beacon of inspiration and change. As a passionate advocate for authentic living and professional alignment, Simone empowers individuals to unlock their true potential, embodying her commitment to inspiring deep, impactful change.

Guest judges

DAVID PETHERICK - BARWON DISABILITY RESOURCE COUNCIL 

David Petherick started work with the Barwon Disability Resource Council (BDRC) in June 2021 as the Executive Officer. He is excited about being a part of the great work that the BDRC has been doing in Geelong since 1975 and he continues to learn from everyone in the disability advocacy community. He has worked in the disability sector for almost 30 years.

David has had leadership roles in a number of disability organisations and is passionate about full inclusion for all. He is a member of the Geelong Accessible City Taskforce and is excited about Geelong becoming the most accessible city in Australia.

David barracks for the Richmond Tigers and loves long distance, multi-day hiking with his wife.

Jodie Dunn - Envisage HR Solutions

Jodie Dunn, Director and Principal HR Consultant of Envisage HR Solutions, has over twenty years of HR / Management and Recruitment experience in various Senior HR, Consulting, Management, Advisory and Recruitment Management roles.  Jodie’s philosophy is simple.  She is passionate about People. She is a well-qualified, experienced, and business focused professional with a proven ability to mentor, coach and drive optimal performance and productivity of a team at an operational and strategic level.  Jodie works closely with her clients on Retention Strategies, HR Audits, DiSC Profiling, Organisational Restructures, Employee Engagement Surveys, Performance Reviews, Career Progression Plans, Workforce Strategies, Developing HR Strategies, Performance Management Strategies, Improving Culture, Leadership Mentoring and Coaching and Recruitment to name a few.  Jodie has led many successful teams, and combined with her HR, Leadership and Recruitment Consulting skills, guarantees her clients receive wide ranging HR Services.

DR WAYNE READ - DEAKIN UNIVERSITY

Growing up in Ocean Grove, Wayne has always been a Geelong local. He worked locally in several small businesses while he studied Bachelor of Psychology and Management at Deakin University Waurn Ponds campus. Despite his honours and PhD research requiring more trips up the highway and to conferences, he is still proud to call Geelong home.

Now based out of Deakin's Waterfront campus, Wayne is a lecturer at Deakin University, and also the Academic Coordinator for the Work Integrated Learning in the Faculty of Business and Law. Wayne is no stranger to innovation. As part of his role, Wayne oversees the faculty's suite of Internship and experiential units, including Entrepreneurship Experience. Wayne's research has been published in leading Marketing journals and focuses on consumer engagement, social media, technology and connections people make to brands and products.

All judges and reviewers are required to sign a legally binding confidentiality agreement. This ensures all details of your submission are kept private and confidential.

Judges are not allowed to judge or view the submission of another competitor/similar industry they work in or a close friend or business mentor.