Firm Adds Up For Clients And Peers

Newcastle Herald

Monday March 13, 2006

Greg Wenst Business Editor

TERRY Lawler, director and founding partner of one of the region's largest accounting practices, believes his firm has developed an understanding of clients' businesses.

"It sounds simple enough but it takes considerable commitment and energy to understand another business well enough to bring further success to them," Terry says.

His firm, Lawler Partners, was named best small accounting firm and received a major award for small professional services firm of the year as part of the Business Review Weekly-St George Clients' Choice Awards.

Terry said the awards were decided through a survey of clients and members of a wide range of professional service organisations such as accountants, architects, lawyers and consulting engineers.

Growth in the Sydney market would continue, Terry said.

"We are growing away from the image of a regional company with an office in Sydney to one of a mid-tier firm in the wider market place."

TRAINING POWERTHE Hunter is powering up growth in Malaysia's electricity industry.

Newcastle firm Connell Wagner will run a high-level training program for 16 Malaysian engineers and power station operators this week.

The overseas crews arrive in Newcastle today to train at Connell Wagner's advanced technology centre on the University of Newcastle's Callaghan campus, before getting some practical experience at Eraring power station.

Training leader Sam McLoughlin said the engineers were being trained to operate the Jimah power station, an electricity project being built in Malaysia.

HEALTHY GRANTMANUFACTURER and exporter AOK Health has won a $27,000 federal government grant that will help it to further develop international trade and create jobs in the region.

AOK Health managing director Bradley Wilson said the grant would be used for marketing.

The company designs and makes health and rehabilitation products and exports to 18 countries, including the United States, Norway and Singapore.

POPULAR CHOICENEWCASTLE Law Society has returned Catherine Henry for a third term as president.

Catherine is a partner of CBD firm King Street Lawyers.

Also on the society's executive are Gary Fox of Attwaters (senior vice president), Merridy Elphick of De Losa Burke Elphick Lawyers (secretary), Wendy Kleyn of King Street Lawyers (junior vice president) and Lyn McLardy of Wood Roberts (treasurer).

LIFE SAVERS SOLDHUNTER-based company Schiller Australia has sold four defibrillators to Victoria's Metropolitan Ambulance Service bicycle response team in case of emergencies at Melbourne's Commonwealth Games venues.

Schiller distributes the Swiss-made defibrillators, which at 12 centimetres square and weighing less than a kilogram, make them the world's smallest.

They can be used to treat people who have a cardiac arrest by delivering a precise electric shock to the heart to restore its normal rhythm.

SUITE BIRTHDAYNINEWAYS Business Centre at Broadmeadow is celebrating its seventh birthday.

The company provides professional office suites and services to more than 100 businesses.

Owner Karen Howard has more than 20 years' experience in business and administration and is a vice-president of Hunter Business Chamber, a Westpac rescue helicopter service director and in July 2004 was appointed to the NSW Government Small Business Development Corporation.

WE'LL DRINK TO THATHUNTER Manufacturers Association chairman Bob Cowan and board members John Coyle, Arvid Taylor, Gillian Gribble and Jodi McKay hosted a cocktail party to thank sponsors and launch the 2006 Hunter Manufacturing Innovation Awards.

More than 70 guests attended the function at Noahs on the Beach, including Waratah Engineering managing director Mark Kingshott, Advitech managing director Larry Platt and Scorpion International Freight Services director Leigh Bryant.

DIARY DATES

Today: NIB corporate lunch for Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, guest former Test cricketer Max Walker, Souths Leagues Club, Merewether.

Tomorrow: Newcastle Business Club, 'The Fall and Rise of the Newcastle Knights', Newcastle Knights chairman Mike Tyler, Harbourview Function Centre, Newcastle.

Tomorrow: Hunter Business Swap, 'Powerful Questions', Christo Norden-Powers, Quality Hotel Apollo International, Charlestown.

March 20: Lake Macquarie Business Club, EnergyAustralia Newcastle general manager Geoff Lilliss, Charlestown Golf Club.

March 21: Hunter Business Chamber, My Business is Your Business seminar, hosted by Newcastle University Research Division, University of Newcastle, Callaghan.

The biz

'It is my role to implement council?s

decisions, and I am quite comfortable

and happy to keep doing that.'

- Newcastle City Council general manager

Janet Dore on councillors rejecting the

organisation?s restructure plan.

© 2006 Newcastle Herald

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