Little Chip A Part Of Big Celebration

Newcastle Herald

Monday July 14, 2008

with GREG WENDT Business Editor

HUNTER United has celebrated the official opening of its branch at Thornton Shopping Centre.

Managing director John Ford said the organisation's decision to open the branch in the residential and industrial community was based on research identifying a definite lack of banking services.

Hunter United, which began in 1963 as the BHP (Newcastle) Employees' Credit Union, now has nine branches across the region.

The team at the Thornton branch are Mark Grant, Doug Kemp and Rachel Cull.

The organisation also used the official opening last Tuesday to launch its new micro-chipped credit card, available to members from July 21.

NEW DIESEL DIVISION

VALLEY Longwall International has announced the formation of a new diesel division to service the increasing needs of Australia's underground mines.

Established in the Hunter, Valley Longwall is a leading provider of specialised underground coalmining equipment and related services to mines.

The company said the new division, to be known as Specialised Mining Vehicles, brought together some of the industry's best known suppliers of customised diesel machines, including Juganaut, Drift Runner, Brumby Predator and SMV.

The division employs more than 160 people including 30 apprentices at its workshops in Rutherford, Tomago, Wollongong, Mackay and Emerald.

PROUD PROMOTIONS

? PROSPERITY Advisers has announced the promotion of Paul Horne as director of its its corporate assurance division. Prosperity chief executive Allan McKeown said Paul initially joined the firm as a school-leaver and had made a strong contribution to its overall success.

? Brad Lonergan has joined the team at Charlestown-based JSA Financial Planning Group. Brad has nine years' experience in the finance industry, mainly in Bundaberg, Queensland, providing advice to business clients involved in agriculture, mining and engineering sectors.

He moved to NSW in 2004 to work as a financial planner for National Australia Bank.

? Companion Credit Union has announced the appointment of Greg Davis as area manager. Greg, who is a familiar face in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, has 30 years' experience in the financial sector.

COMPUTERS DONATED

WESLEY Mission Newcastle will offer a helping hand to a number of not-for-profit organisations following the donation of 30 second-hand computers by the Greater Building Society. The computers will be refurbished by Wesley Uniting Employment's Work for the Dole computer e-recycling program and passed on to organisations.

POOL PRIZES FLOW

THREE Newcastle companies scooped the pool at the 2008 Pool and Spa Awards in Sydney on Wednesday night.

Tranquility Pools and Spas, Vision Pools and Polar Pools won a swag of gold, silver and bronze trophies at the awards, run by the Swimming Pool and Spa Association of NSW.

EXPANSION TO OPEN

FEDERAL Small Business Minister Craig Emerson will officially open the Lake Macquarie Business Centre's light industrial expansion at Gateshead on Thursday.

The not-for-profit business growth centre accommodates 19 growing businesses.

DIARY DATES

Tomorrow: Hunter Business Chamber: My Business is Your Business Seminar, 5.30pm-7.30pm, Shoal Bay Resort & Spa, Shoal Bay Road, Shoal Bay.

July 21: Newcastle Business Club luncheon, guest speakers Wentworth MP and shadow treasurer Malcolm Turnbull and NRMA Motoring and Services director Kyle Loades, 12.15pm-2pm, Newcastle City Hall.

July 23:

? PricewaterhouseCoopers climate change seminar, "Business Impacts Emissions Management: Where do we start?", 5pm-7pm, Noahs on the Beach Hotel, Newcastle. Phone 4925 1180 for further details.

? Waterford Accountants, free seminar on self-managed superannuation funds, 6pm, Wests Leagues Club, New Lambton.

July 25: Hunter Valley Research Foundation economic update breakfast, guest speakers HVRF research co-director Andrew Searles and BT Financial Group chief economist Chris Caton, 7am-9am, Newcastle Panthers Auditorium, King Street, Newcastle.

The biz

'I have so much

confidence in the

Newcastle CBD that

we have signed a 35-

year lease on the new

premises, so we intend

to be around for many

years to come.'

 Gentlemens Outfitters principal David

McIlwaine on his menswear store

moving to a new address in Hunter Street.

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

Back to News Index | Back to Home