ABOUT US

Our Board of Directors

Chairperson

Peter Berger, B.Com., F.C.A

Berger Peipers, Chartered Accountants

Peter has lived in Penrith all his life. He attended St Dominics College, Penrith and gained his Bachelor of Commerce Degree at the University of New South Wales. Peter is a fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, a registered company auditor, a registered tax agent and a Justice of the Peace. He is also a past member of the executive of the Penrith Chamber of Commerce.Peter was awarded Honorary Membership of the advisory centre in October 2008 for 20 years of service to the Board.

Peter has been on the Board of the Advisory Centre since its inception in 1988. He held the position of Chairperson from 1991 to 1994 and was re-elected as Chairperson in 2002.

Deputy Chairperson

Trevor Hall B.Sc (Eng), M.I.E. Aust.,C.P. (Eng)

Kneebone Beretta & Hall Pty Ltd

Trevor has lived in the Penrith area since 1971. He graduated from the University of New South Wales in Civil Engineering in 1972 and completed a post-graduate short course in management at the University of Melbourne in 1991. Trevor has been a Director of Kneebone, Beretta and Hall since 1983.

Trevor has been involved in community service organisations (Apex and Rotary) since 1973 and is a past Chairperson of the Penrith branch of the Red Cross calling committee.Trevor was awarded Honorary Membership of the advisory centre in October 2008 for his services to the Board.

Trevor has been on the Board of the Advisory Centre since February 1989.

 Honorary Secretary

 Diane Azzopardi B.comm(Acc),CA,FTIA,JP

 Direct Accounting

Diane is a Chartered Accountant and has been working in the profession for over 15 years.She is the sole principle of Direct Accounting,a Chartered Accountancy practice that commenced in November 2001 as a result of the purchase of a division of a local Penrith business.The business now employs ten staff.Diane prides herself and her firm on professionalism,efficiency and friendly service.

In 2005 Diane was a finalist in the Sydney Business Women's Awards and in recent years Direct Accounting has been nominated in local Penrith Business Awards organised by both the Penrith Star and the Penrith Press.

Diane is also a Board member of the Nepean Medical Research Foundation and an inaugural member of the Nepean Philanthropists.She is the only female business owner represented out of the 50 businesses initially involved.

Diane has been on the Board of the Advisory Centre since July 2008.

Honorary Treasurer

Mark Streater, Bank Manager

Westpac Banking Corporation

Mark has been employed by Westpac Banking Corporation for over 30 years and was appointed Bank Manager of the Penrith Branch in July 2009.Prior to this he was Regional Manager for Business Banking in Sydney South West where he managed a successful sales team.

Mark has lived in the Penrith Region for over 20 years and this has seen his involvement with various sporting organisations.Mark is a member of many local organisations through his role with Westpac such as Penrith Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Mark has been on the Board of the Advisory Centre since Oct 2009.

Director

Ian Hicks,Owner/Director

Hix Group Pty Ltd

Ian has lived in Penrith for many years. Ian is a local businessman and a Director of three local businesses that employs 40 people. Ian is a mentor for the Young Achievers Programme and has helped many apprentices and trades people with training and mentoring, some of whom have won awards.

The Hix Group is now one of the largest businesses in the area and includes six distinct divisions providing Electrical,Data & Integrated Services,Plumbing & Hot Water,Carpentry & Maintenance,Solar Installation and Fire Detection Systems.

Ian has been on the Board of the Advisory Centre since May 2004.

Director

Bijai Kumar,CEO Penrith Business Alliance

Masters in Development Economics & Project Planning

Bijai was the economic development programme Manager for Penrith City Council before his appointment to his current position following Penrith Council's outsourcing of the Economic Development responsibilities to the Corporation.Prior to working on Council, Bijai worked for the Department of Transport & Regional Services and Local Government Shires Association as a Regional Development Manager. Bijai gained his Masters Degree in Development Economics& project planning from Bradford University, United Kingdom.

Was previously Penrith City Council's representative on NSW Business Chamber(Western Sydney Regional Council) and executive member of Penrith & St Mary's Town Centre Associations.

Bijai has been on the Board of the Advisory Centre since February 2003.

Director

Bronwen Johnston-Programme Leader Economic Development

Blue Mountains City Council

Bronwen is currently the Programme Leader for Economic Development at Blue Mountains City Council and is responsible for the development and implementation

of the 2007 LGMA winning Blue Mountains Business Advantage Programme.This programme is an innovative triple-bottom line programme providing businesses

in the Blue Mountains with accreditation in sustainable business practices.She also instigated and run the inaugural BMBA awards which recognise business

excellence in sustainability.Bronwen has a very wide range of business experience for a number of different multinational companies in the medical industry

achieving senior management roles in Marketing and Sales Management both nationally and internationally.

More recently she was Chair of Blue Mountains Tourism for 5 years,Advisory Committee of Tafe Western Sydney and was the Tourism Representative on the World HeritageAdvisory Committee in 2006..

Bronwen is currently Vice President of Biznet-Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Bronwen has been on the Board of the Advisory Centre since July 2008.

Director

Ruth Goldsmith  B App Sc(Env PI),MDR,MPIA,ALGMA

Group Manager,Leadership-Penrith City Council

Ruth has worked in planning roles at Penrith City Council since 1990 and has been in local government for over 25 years.Before that she spent several years overseas,working in a range of business areas.She has a degree in Applied Science(Environmental Planning) and a Masters in Dispute Resolution.In 2004, Ruth also participated in a sustainability study tour to England, Denmark and Canada which examined successful approaches to 'mainstreaming" sustainability in local and regional councils.

As Group Manager Leadership, Ruth is responsible for developing a vision for the City's future together with the City's communities and preparing strategies and actions to help make that happen. Her teams coordinate the 'big picture' planning for sustainability,transport,employment,economic development,heritage,biodiversity and the City's rural, residential and new urban areas.Another key focus is implementing an advocacy programme for Penrith as a Regional City and the broader region.

Ruth has been on the Board of the Advisory Centre since August 2009.

Director

Neel Chand B.Bus, CA, MBA

Chief Executive Officer Penrith RSL Club Executive Officer Penrith RSL

Neel was the Chief Financial Officer of Rooty Hill RSL before his appointment to his current position as CEO of Penrith RSL in July 2010.Neel is a Chartered Accountant with a Business Degree and Masters in Business Administration in Marketing. He has worked in the Corporate and Business profession for over 15 years for various companies including PBL/Acer arena, Sunbeam Corporation and Price Waterhouse Coopers.

Neel has been on the Board of the Advisory Centre since January 2011.

Director

Natalie Ballard BEc,LLB,GDLP,LLM

Lawyer, Adams and Partners Lawyers

Natalie has lived in Penrith all her life.She attended University of Western Sydney and gained her Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Laws before studying her Masters in Law at University of NSW.

She was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW in 2003 and prior to working in Penrith, worked for two mid-tier firms.Natalie is also a board member of Nepean Community and Neighbourhood Services ans sits on the working committee for Gen YQ.

Natalie has been on the Board of the Advisory Centre since January 2011.

Neel was the CEO at Rooty Hill RSL before his appointment to his current position as CEO of Penrith RSL in July 2010.Neel is a Chartered Accountant with a Business Degree and a Masters in Business Administration and has worked in the Corporate and Business profession for over 15 years.He has worked for various companies including PBL/Acer arena, Sinbeam Corporation and Price Waterhouse Coopers.

Neel has been on the Board of the Advisory Centre since January 2011.