11 November 2019

Canberra women recognised at annual business awards

| Dominic Giannini
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Andrew Barr, Holly Komorowski and Karen Porter

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr (left) with winner of the Small Business award Holly Komorowski (middle), and Karen Porter (right) CEO of Solace Creations. Photo: Canberra Women in Business.

The ACT’s best business women have been recognised for their achievements at the Rubik3 Canberra Women in Business awards.

Presented by Chief Minister Andrew Barr, the Canberra Women in Business (CWB) annual awards recognise the achievements of women across nine categories, with over 40 finalists being announced. This year, CWB inaugurated the Indigenous Business Women of the Year Award, which was won by Laurie McDonald.

Ms McDonald established Canberra Furnished Accommodation, which offers short-term rentals of investment properties and currently manages 50 furnished residences in central Canberra.

Ms McDonald had previously been named as the 2009 ACT Businesswoman of the Year, and has continued to be recognised for her achievements a decade later.

The Griffin Legal Business Woman of the Year was awarded to Christine Marr for her work as a co-founder and director of payroll company Bookssorted, while the Solace Creations Small Business of the Year was won by Home.by holly’s very own Holly Komorowski.

CWB President Peta Swarbrick commended the number of women continuing to be part of the CWB community as sponsors, finalists and judges, and praised the communal efforts of women across the industry.

CWB President Peta Swarbick

Canberra Women in Business President Peta Swarbick, addressing the finalists. Photo: Region Media.

“We have created a strong and connected community which we are very proud of, the atmosphere at the event was joyful and celebratory,” she says.

“That was evident with the number of past presidents, committee members and award winners in the room, cheering and celebrating the phenomenal women who got up to accept the recognition of their peers.”

Nominees and winners with Andrew Barr

Left to right: Alan Tse, Julie Samara, Nadia Pessarossi, Andrew Barr, Karen Porter, Jenny Edwards and Annette Braagaard at the Rubik3 CWB awards on Thursday 7 November. Photo: Region Media.

Ms Swarbrick also acknowledged the women who had helped build the CWB, helping to recognise businesswoman for the work that they do and provide a community support network for women across the industry.

“The current committee and I are so glad to know we have the CWB community behind us, as we grow our Awards to include new categories and give more women across Canberra the opportunity to be recognised for their hard work, ingenuity, determination and grit,” she says.

“The Canberra community is richer in many ways, thanks to the contributions of women like our winners and we could not be more delighted with the support.”

The full list of winners and finalists can be accessed here.

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