My journey to becoming CEO of the Caloundra Chamber of Commerce has not taken a normal route. 

But as Randy Newman sang, ‘It Feels Like Home to Me’.   

I was raised in Toowoomba and had great aspirations of being the saviour of the Australian Wool industry. 

I took shipment of Australian wool to Bangladesh when I was 21 years old to manufacture machine washable rugby jerseys. 

Needless to say, things did not go according to my well thought out plan. 

I vowed then that I needed more education and started my Economics and Operations & Logistics Management degree at the University of Southern Queensland. 

Whilst studying I was working in the Qantas Call Centre in Brisbane, it was one of the best experiences of my life. 

The people were excellent, but the consistent training was exceptional. 

I finished my degree and moved to Sydney with Qantas. 

I jumped over to P&O Cruises and had the great privilege of working with Ann Sherry. 

From there I went to a small expedition cruise company called Aurora Expeditions as Operations Manager and took over as CEO in the middle of the global financial crisis. 

I was blessed with a great Board of Directors who saw my potential, pushed me but also supported me. 

I took a short break before starting with Scenic Cruises and Tours as General Manager of Product Development and more recently I have set up a consulting business writing cruise ship itinerary, doing port operations, permitting and planning and on the side, I run a helicopter company.

I am thrilled to be the CEO of the Caloundra Chamber of Commerce and my vision for the Chamber over the next three years is to strengthen and expand the membership base so we can continue to effectively support local businesses, promote community growth and advocate for policies that foster a thriving economic and social environment.

I want to ensure that the Chamber is seen as a hub for networking, resources and advocacy, helping to shape the overall health and vibrancy of the local economy and community.

We have a great calendar of events planned for 2025, which includes the return of the much-loved Breakfast of Champions and a new series of Member only Professional Development workshops.

Membership engagement is critical to the strength of the Chamber of Commerce and that will be driven by strong communication, facilitated discussion and personal contact.

The Chamber Board is well known business leaders in Caloundra and the broader Sunshine Coast and they are fully engaged in working with businesses to help them achieve their goals.

The Caloundra Chamber of Commerce is responsible for running of the:

• Caloundra Street Fair every Sunday from 8.00am to 1.00pm on Bulcock Street.
• Caloundra Twilight Markets the last Friday of every month from 5.00pm to 8.00pm on the Bulcock Beach Esplanade.
• Currimundi Lake Twilight Markets the third Friday of every month from 4.00pm to 8.00pm.
• Aura Farmers Markets every Saturday from 7.00am to 12.00pm on the corner of Central Avenue and Whiteley Avenue at Nirimba.
• Aura Twilight Markets the first Friday of each month from 4.00pm to 8.00pm on the corner of Central Avenue and Whiteley Avenue at Nirimba.