NAME: 2006 Townsville Region Export Awards
TYPE OF EVENT: Awards gala ceremony dinner
CLIENT: State Development, Trade and Innovation
VENUE: Southbank Convention Centre, Townsville
EVENT SPONSORS: Townsville Port Authority, official airline sponsor Qantas Airways and supporting sponsors the Queensland Government; Sun Metals, Xstrata Copper, Northern Shipping and Stevedoring, Adsteam Marine, Telstra Countrywide, ANZ Bank, Seven Local News, Austrade and AusIndustry.
ORGANISERS: Organised by Tim Bastian and Terri Edwards from Department of State Development, Townsville, in association with a local event management company – Mazmac Event Management for theming and ground work with a team of three.
PAX: 250
BUDGET: Top Secret

WHAT YOU DID: The Export Awards, now in its 17th year, are a prestigious form of recognition for Queensland businesses taking their products to the world. This year’s celebrations were aptly marine themed including antique props from the Maritime Museum, table decorations incorporating ships from Townsville’s past and a menu including roasted scallops and wild barramundi.

SPECIAL TOUCHES: Entertainment included the fabulous Three Waiters (their first time at a Townsville event) who spent some of the evening waiting tables, with guests unaware they were entertainers. Also making an appearance was ‘corporate impostor’ Homer Papantonio’s alias Mr Stavros Pappas Onassis, the founding father of Oceanus Enterprises and son of the younger brother of the famous Greek shipping tycoon, Aristotle Onassis. The character got up to make a speech at one point in the evening, fooling many people at the event into thinking he was a real deal tycoon.

CHALLENGES: The constant alteration to seating requirements and seating plan was a challenge, which was overcome in the final hour through various communication with team members and VIPs. And due to another function going on the same day in the same venue, only two-thirds of the room was available for set up. The remainder of the room was then accessible two hours prior to commencement. Another challenge involved the specially handmade chocolates which were to be placed strategically on the table setting – five days before the event the supplier was confronted with a family emergency and was unable to produce 260 chocolate pillows.

CLIENTS’ COMMENTS: “I just wanted to pass on my thanks to the event organisers for their efforts leading up to and on the night of the Export Awards. They certainly made the whole event much easier to manage and contributed greatly to its success. We have had great feedback about the night. I’ll be in touch early next year to make a booking! We’ve already had a table reserved! Thanks again.”
– Tim Bastian, senior state development officer, State Development, Trade and Innovation

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