United Way this week honoured Bill and Rhonda Wyllie for their support of the WA community.
Mr Wyllie, who heads one of WA’s most successful private companies, the Wyllie Group, returned to WA 11 years ago after 30 years in Hong Kong.
In that time he has become a patron of several charity organisations, including United Way (WA), the Lions Eye Institute, and the Speech and Hearing Centre for Deaf Children WA (Inc).
In addition to being governor of the Arthritis Foundation of Western Australia, Mr Wyllie is the patron of the Hong Kong/Australia Business Association.
Being a good corporate citizen by supporting charitable and medical research organisations, and the arts is one of the responsibilities of business, Mr Wyllie believes.
He also believes he alone does not take the cake for generosity in WA, and has nominated Wesfarmers, Rio Tinto, Burswood International Resort Casino, Stan Perron, Jack Bendat and Phil Crabb as other exemplars of generosity.
The Wyllie Group property, farming, diversified financial services and investments portfolio includes 10 per cent of Burswood International Resort Casino, St Georges Square Office Tower, Sorrento Quay Hillarys Boat Harbour, Murray River Farm, an interest in Brighton Estate, and ownership of the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Mr Wyllie’s professional recognition extends to his reputation for rescuing ailing companies, and in 1977 he was labelled by Time Magazine as ‘South East Asia’s Most Successful Corporate Doctor’.