Alongside our celebration of 10 years of Inspiring Alumni inductions, we also recognised our inaugural group of Young Alumni Achievers. This new award category was introduced in response to the nominations we had been receiving for amazing alumni, who were achieving highly in the early stages of their career and are making significant contributions to the community.
The resulting nominations received uncovered the emergence of some incredible young leaders with a wonderful diversity of passions, talents and achievements. While this made the committees task of selecting the awardees especially challenging, we were pleased to see the bar set so high for the award’s initial presentation. We sincerely congratulate and recognise:
After securing a highly sought-after position in the Graduate Program at Macquarie Capital it took only 7 years before Peter was appointed a Vice President. He has been instrumental in developing improved mental health practices within Macquarie Bank and is currently working with fellow member of the Class of 2006, Simon Hogan, to implement new programs.
Prior to joining Macquarie Capital, Peter made the Dean’s List honours on completion a double degree in Civil Engineering and Commerce at The University of Melbourne. While at University Peter was heavily involved in tutoring and mentoring his peers.
Peter is known for his loyalty to his friends and family, and his undying willingness to give of himself to support others is second to none.
Edwina Goodall is a successful business woman in the building industry and along with her husband is the operator of Warrnambool Timber Industries - the largest glue laminated timber manufacturer in Australia - producing laminate beams for building projects across Australia and New Zealand. Edwina has been working for the business for eight years, and is now heading the organisation.
Edwina is also a member of the Glue Laminated Timber Association of Australia where, she is a member of the Technical Committee that is rewriting the Australian Standards.
Edwina also owns an Engineering and Software design firm – ED Quick Design. Edwina’s engineering software is used all over the southern hemisphere.
Virginia McCormick nee Moloney has a long list of distance running titles from all over Australia. She has represented Australia at the 2017 IAAF World Cross Country Championships and the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the Marathon. However, it was Virginia’s performance at the 2017 Gold Coast Marathon that firmly recognised her as an elite athlete, opening doors for her on an international stage. The race secured her a personal best time and saw her ranked 9th nationally.
Virginia is also a secondary school teacher at Elwood College where she teaches Year 12 Psychology and years 7-10 PE and Health. At the College she also fills the roles of Daily Organiser, Timetabler and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Program Coordinator.
Virginia has also been recently named an Ambassador for AMP Tomorrow Makers Fund.
After working for 12 years in the fitness industry Emma McDowall together with her now husband, alumni Mark McDowall, identified Bendigo as the ideal spot to establish a Snap Fitness Gym. With Emma’s business acumen and passion for health and fitness, the business very quickly went on to become one of the biggest clubs in Australia and has been recognised from over two and a half thousand Snap Fitness centres around the world as: Most Innovative Franchise of the Year in 2016, had the Largest Number of Members in 2017 and has consistently placed in the top 3 for Highest Revenue.
Emma was also individually recognised as the Australian Snap Fitness Club Manager of the Year 2015.
Emma has taken a passion for health and fitness and built it into not only a business, but a large community with a culture of positivity, support and motivation.
The Senior Manager of the Victoria Racing Club at Flemington, Liam O’Keeffe oversees 35 staff to ensure the track is ready for the 600 plus horses that use the facilities on a weekly basis along with having the course ready for the race that stops a nation - the Melbourne Cup. Liam began his career working part time at the Warrnambool Racecourse as part of his Year 11 VCAL studies, which quickly moved into an apprenticeship.
Liam has been recognised with awards from the Australian Golf Course Superintendents’ Association, and Anco and received scholarships to participate in study tours of the UK where he spent time with track managers at Royal Ascot, York and Newmarket, and racecourse operations in Singapore and Hong Kong.
As a professional basketballer Nathan Sobey is achieving at the highest levels. Nathan’s career began locally with the Seahawks, but his dedication and perseverance has seen him quickly progress to playing state level with the Ballarat Miners, then nationally with the Cairns Taipans and the Adelaide 36ers. Nathan is currently playing with the Australian Boomers, whose 2018 Commonwealth Games efforts saw the team win gold. Nathan was also listed in the top 10 of All-American College basketball in the USA.
Nathan is always willing to return to Warrnambool to talk give back to the community giving his time to school groups and at coaching camps. He is also a keen supporter of Muscular Dystrophy Awareness.
As an artist, Aimee Timpson is regularly exhibiting and creating work for clients under her brand Aimee’s Visual Arts . Aimee has recently exhibited at Montsalvat and Art on Piper and is part of the Macedon Ranges Arts Trail. Her work also features on the cover of a recently published book “The Mira Side” by Karla Popovic; and in 2018 Aimee won a National Centre for Farmer Health photography award.
In addition to her own creative work, Aimee also runs a variety of art classes - classes for adults aim to mentor people back into art, and classes for children aim to either support building their VCE folios or for young ones to foster their creativity.
