About 250 people were treated to a night of good food, good wine, and lots of applause at the recently refurbished Government House Ballroom for the 2004 Commonwealth Bank Family Business Awards last month.
On a drizzling winter evening some of Perth’s best family businesses, their colleagues and industry leaders crowded the ballroom’s foyer to enjoy canapes and wine in anticipation of the gala awards ceremony.
With bow-ties and black dresses aplenty the guests walked the red carpet into the ballroom where entree and opening speeches were dished up.
It was the first look at the renovated ballroom for most of the attendees, as the venue was officially launched only a few weeks later.
Government House spent about $2.8 million on the refurbishment.
A humorous interruption by the Fawlty Towers’ Manuel, the dependable waiter who was the frequent subject of attack from Basil, and Basil’s long-suffering wife Sybil, was well received before the finalists in the 2004 Commonwealth Bank Family Business Awards were announced.
The crowd waited in anticipation for the award winners to be announced while the main course was served, which created its own bit of tension for caterers, Zest Catering.
The ovens in the newly renovated kitchen stopped working about five minutes before mains were scheduled to be served.
However, being caterers and used to coping with an ever-changing and unpredictable environment, the team at Zest came up with an ingenious way to cook the remaining beef fillets – kindly donated by Harvey Beef.
The machines that usually keep meals warm for serving were transformed into intermediary cookers and the mains were served without delay.
The generation winners were announced followed by the Youth in Family Business Award winner, Janine Dennison, who received a loud round of applause.
The celebrations continued late into the evening.
Winners list
- Youth in Family Business: Janine Dennison of MSA Security.
- First Generation: Messages on Hold.
- Second Generation: Total Corrosion Control.
- Third Generation: Galvin Engineering.
- Fourth Generation: Richard Noble and Co.