Inspirational retail leaders awarded in eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards

AUSTRALIAN leaders in retailing have been recognised in the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards – with top brands Specsavers, Super Retail Group, NRMA Insurance, Priceline Pharmacy and ABC Shop all featuring prominently in the 11 categories.

Priceline Pharmacy was honoured with the coveted 2014 eftpos Australian Retailer of the Year award, presented by eftpos managing director Bruce Mansfield, at Tuesday’s awards breakfast in Melbourne, attended by more than 400 retail professionals and national media. 

Specsavers global retail director, Derek Dyson, and Victorian Minister for Small Business, Russell Northe, delivered keynote addresses at the Australian Retail Awards breakfast. 

“Retail is an important part of the nation’s economy and this year’s award winners provide shining examples of excellence in retailing,” Mr Mansfied said, congratulating all award winners and finalists for their “outstanding contribution to Australian retail”.

“Retail is becoming an increasingly complex industry as more Australians expect to be able to shop and purchase goods online, on mobiles and in store.

“Many of these award winning businesses are rising to the ever-increasing challenges in retail, in the face of strong international competition.

“Eftpos is proud to have served the retail community for almost 30 years with a simple and secure way for customers to access their own money at the checkout. We continue to look for new ways to help Australian businesses meet the challenges of the future,” Mr Mansfield said.

ARA executive director Russell Zimmerman said this year’s awards were more competitive than ever, making it extremely challenging for the expert panel of judges to determine winners and finalists.

“The ARA would like to congratulate the winners of our brand new category for 2014 – the Shop for Shops Australian Retail Store Upgrade of the Year – taken out by Saltwater Wine,” Mr Zimmerman said. He said Saltwater Wine was also named Visa Australian Independent Retailer of the Year.

“Family business Claws ‘n’ Paws Pet Supplies was named the winner of the Victorian Government Victorian Retailer of the Year award for the second year running and ABC shop was honoured with the Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Retailer of the Year award – as determined by Roy Morgan survey results,” he said.

“This year’s FCB Australian Retail HR Practitioner of the Year award went to Laura Rankin from Super Retail Group, and PANDORA claimed their second accolade for the morning – taking out the BDO Australian Retail Employer of the Year award after placing runner-up in the eftpos Australian Retailer of the Year category.

“While Specsavers keynote address enthralled guests with their story of opening 100 retail stores over the course of just 100 days, it was their commitment to innovation that earned the business two new titles of Quest Payment Systems Retail Innovator of the Year and eBay Inc Australian Multichannel Retailer of the Year,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“With the ARA Retail Institute producing graduates like this year’s winners of the Expr3ss! Staff Selection Software Retail Graduate of the Year award, Piyush Bhanot of Aldi Stores for his diploma of retail management and Carmen Apostolatos of Oxfam Shop for her certificate four in retail management, I am confident that the future of the retail industry is in very good hands.

"This year, the ARA Awards were centred on the theme of retail as a career of choice, not just a job,” Mr Zimmerman said.

Take the REST Industry Super Australian Retailer of the Year award winner, Sharon Ida from NRMA Insurance, for example. Sharon has shown true leadership and inspiration to those around her – and it was our absolute pleasure to recognise outstanding individuals such as Sharon on a national stage here today.

“Enthusiasm for our industry was evident through every award submission during this year’s judging process – an unequivocal endorsement that retail is absolutely a desirable and honourable profession offering exciting and rewarding career opportunities.

“It’s unfortunate that many people see retail as only a stepping stone – an opportunity to obtain people skills before moving into other careers. These people are oblivious to the myriad of opportunities that exist beyond the cashier and sales assistant positions of the shop floor.
“The ARA has a long and dedicated history of protecting and promoting the retail industry's interests, including changing the perception of retail as a professional career rather than just a ‘job.’

“After all, the retail industry makes a significant contribution to the overall state of the national economy and employs more people in Australia than any other private sector industry,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“Congratulations once again to all finalists and winners of this year’s eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards – the ARA was proud to recognise and reward you in front of your industry peers today.

“The ARA would also like to acknowledge all sponsors for their continued support – eftpos, Visa, REST Industry Super, BDO, Quest Payment Systems, Expr3ss! Staff Selection Software, eBay Inc, FCB, Roy Morgan Research, the Victorian Government, Shop for Shops, Crowther Blayne and our media partners Inside Retail and Smartcompany,” Mr Zimmerman said.

www.retail.org.au

 

Winners and finalists of the 2014 eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards:

 eftpos Australian Retailer of the Year

WINNER: Priceline Pharmacy 

RUNNER-UP: PANDORA

FINALIST: Supercheap Auto

 

REST Industry Super Australian Individual Retailer of the Year

WINNER: Sharon Ida, NRMA Insurance  

 

Visa Australian Independent Retailer of the Year

WINNER: Saltwater Wine & Stormriders

RUNNER-UP: Beer Cartel

 

Expr3ss! Staff Selection Software Australian Retail Graduate of the Year – Diploma

WINNER: Piyush Bhanot, Aldi Stores

RUNNER-UP: Katherine Barber, Beacon Lighting

 

Expr3ss! Staff Selection Software Australian Retail Graduate of the Year – Certificate IV

 WINNER: Carmen Apostolatos, Oxfam Shop

 

FCB Australian Retail HR Practitioner of the Year

WINNER: Laura Rankin, Super Retail Group

RUNNER-UP: Jarrod Reid, Salvos Stores

 

BDO Australian Retail Employer of the Year

WINNER: PANDORA
RUNNER-UP: Repco

 

Quest Payment Systems Retail Innovator of the Year

WINNER: Specsavers

RUNNER-UP: Tyreright

FINALIST: eyeclarity

 

Victorian Government Victorian Retailer of the Year

WINNER: Claws ‘n’ Paws Pet Supplies
RUNNER-UP: Crocé & Colosimo Couture

 

Shop for Shops Australian Retail Store Upgrade of the Year

WINNER: Saltwater Wine
RUNNER-UP: Clearly
FINALIST: Wine Republic

 

Roy Morgan Australian Customer Satisfaction Retailer of the Year

WINNER: ABC Shop
RUNNER-UP: Foodland

 

eBay Inc Australian Multichannel Retailer of the Year

WINNER: Specsavers
RUNNER-UP: The Co-op.

end

POSTED JULY 16, 2014

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