Chair's Corner
Welcome to the fifth edition of Get Connected for 2014.
It has certainly been a busy
few months for the GBSAN! The highlight of our recent events, I believe, was the Gala Dinner and Awards
Night held at the Sofitel Brisbane on Friday 31 October.
Almost 300 alumni, friends, industry
partners, staff and students joined us for the ninth annual dinner and celebrated the remarkable achievements
of our alumni in 2014. I would like to acknowledge St George Bank for their ongoing sponsorship
of this event. I also wish to thank Ms Laura Keele and the dedicated GBS team for working so hard behind
the scenes to make the night possible...
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more of the Chair's Corner
Spotlight on Alumni
Managing Director of Tourism Australia, John O’Sullivan, has been named the 2014 Griffith
Business School Outstanding Alumnus.
The 2014 Young Outstanding Alumnus is David Morgan, CEO
of City Venue Management.
Pro Vice Chancellor (Business) Professor Michael Powell said the
Outstanding Alumnus and Young Alumnus of the Year awards provided an opportunity to, not only to honor
this year’s recipients, but also to celebrate more broadly the remarkable achievements of GBS graduates.
Read more about the 2014
Outstanding Alumnus Awards
Outstanding Alumnus 2014 - John O'Sullivan
Since graduating from Griffith University in 1993 with a Bachelor of Leisure Management, John has
remained an engaged alumnus. In August 2014 John opened the new Griffith Business School building at the
Gold Coast campus.
John joined Tourism Australia in March 2014 as Managing Director. He moved
to Tourism Australia from Fox Sports where he was employed as Chief Operating Officer.
Previously
John held executive positions with Events Queensland, and Football Federation Australia, as well as the
Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Organising Committee and the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
Read
more about Outstanding
Alumnus 2014 - John O'Sullivan.
Watch John's
acceptance speech.
Young Outstanding Alumnus 2014 - David Morgan
David is a Griffith MBA graduate of 2007.
Before emigrating to Australia, David served
with the US Navy for 5 years, where he was deployed in the Middle East. David relocated to Australia in
1998. In the ensuing 16 years, David has been a leading contributor to the Australian fitness, sport and
recreation industry.
David is an active company director, industry board member and a patron
of education. He has worked at a strategic level, representing sport, health and fitness facilities, including
the Western Athletic Clubs in the USA, the Sport and Leadership Excellence Centre in Queensland, and now
as CEO of Queensland’s fastest growing leisure facility management company, City Venue Management.
Read more about Young
Outstanding Alumnusv 2014 - David Morgan
News from Griffith Business School
MBA team shines on global stage
 A
team of Griffith MBA students has taken out third place in the inaugural G20 Global Business Challenge.
Griffith’s Impact Solutions proved the top team in the southern hemisphere, with a side
from Canada capturing the $100,000 top prize and a group from Poland claiming second.
“
We are honoured and humbled, considering the strong opposition from around the world,” team leader
Andrew Zaniewski said when he accepted a cheque for $10,000.
Read more about MBA
team shines on global stage.
20 years of student mentoring honoured
 Gold
Coast financial adviser Frank Byrne has been recognised for 20 years’ mentoring of Griffith Business
School students as part of the Griffith Industry Mentoring Program.
Frank, who is now 73 years
old, was one of the first mentors to join the program when it began in 1994. That was just four years
after he graduated from the Griffith Business School himself.
“I just wanted to give
back to Griffith in return for all the opportunities I have been given as a result of my studies there,”
Frank said.
Read more about 20
years of student mentoring honoured.
Griffith students blitz the AMP University Challenge
 Griffith
Business School students have taken out first, second and third place in the 2014 AMP University Challenge.
Now in its fourth year, the national financial planning competition attracted a record 413 students
from Australia’s leading universities.
The winning team, comprising Bachelor of Commerce students
Matthew Baldi and Stephen McLay, was awarded the top prize by AMP Executive Director Financial Planning
Steve Helmich at a reception in Sydney.
Read more about Griffith
students blitz the AMP University Challenge.
Never too late to change your life
 Debra
Grace was a 35 year old office administrator who took a chance that changed her life.
She is
now Professor of Marketing with the Griffith Business School and a woman who is passionate about spreading
the message that it is never too late to transform your life through study.
Debra’s academic
journey began when she heard about an entry exam which, at that time, Griffith was holding for people
who were thinking about going to uni.
Read more about Never
too late to change your life.
Events
Breakfast and Networking event
Date: Friday 28 November 2014
Time: 7.00
- 9.00 am
Venue: Sharks Events Centre, Southport
Speakers: Professor Evan Douglas,
Dani-elle Davidson, Mark Bignell and Suzette Sutton
Cost: $40 alumni, staff and students |
$45 general admission | $320 Table of 8
More
information
Professional Development Seminar
Date: Thursday 22 January 2015
Time: 9.00
am - 1.00 pm
Venue: The Shore, South Bank, Brisbane (map)
Presenter: Dr Larry
Crump, Griffith University APEC Study Centre, Department of International Business and Asian Studies
Cost: $25 alumni, staff and students | $35 general admission
Expression
of interest form | Registrations open December 2014
|
