AIOP celebrates National Office Professionals’ Day with awards breakfast

Kristie Batten
OfficeProfessional.com.au

THE Western Australian branch of the Australian Institute of Office Professionals held its annual National Office Professionals’ Day breakfast, Shaping Your Destiny, on May 2 at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The event had a record turnout of over 500 office professionals who enjoyed a sumptuous breakfast, entertainment and an array of giveaways, in addition to the presentation of the 2008 Office Professional of the Year Awards.

AIOP WA division president Jenni Lumsden said the 2008 event was an overwhelming success.

“Feedback received from attendees has been amazing,” she said.

The awards recognise the achievements of office professionals at all stages of their careers, including executive assistants, personal assistants, executive officers, secretaries, office managers and administrators.

There were five finalists in the awards with the final decision placed with an independent judging panel consisting of AIOP’s WA patron Barbara Etter, Emma Dobson from Recruitment Solutions and Andrew Gaspar from Synergy.

“As in previous years, the standard of nominations for the 2008 awards was nothing short of outstanding and the independent judging panel found the decision quite challenging,” said Lumsden.

Kristy Stewart, an executive assistant at professional services group Gerard Daniels, was named the 2008 Office Professional of the Year and said it was a nice surprise just to be nominated by her boss.

“I was just grateful to be named as a finalist, but to win the award was amazing and something I am extremely proud of,” she said.

“I hope to be a good ambassador for AIOP and all office professionals over the next 12 months and hope to continue building my career at Gerard Daniels, who have been so encouraging and supportive over the past four years.”

Gerard Daniels had twice the reason to celebrate with Bozenka Raich, a research associate with the company, winning the Office Professional of the Year High Achiever Award. Like her colleague, Raich was nominated by one of her managers.

“I must say it was totally unexpected and I am most pleased and very happy with my win. I cannot stop smiling,” she said.

Raich said she was already looking ahead to next year’s awards and has aspirations of bettering her 2008 result.

“I am hoping that next year I will definitely be able to win the title of Office Professional of the Year, but in saying that I am also very happy and proud that Kristy, my colleague, won – as she definitely deserves the award,” Raich said.

She added that their success is a testament to Gerard Daniels and that neither of them could have won without their employer’s support.

“Gerard Daniels is treating me well and I am so lucky to be working for a company that supports and encourages their staff as they do,” Raich said.

“I am also very lucky to have such wonderful managers, especially my manager who nominated me.”

This year, as there were no nominations in the Young Office Professional of the Year Award, it was decided a new category would be created. Susan Brown from the Public Transport Authority was awarded the Office Professional of the Year Highly Commended Award.

"It was a great honour to win the Highly Commended Award at this year's AIOP Office Professionals’ Day Breakfast. The award is recognition that the role of an office professional is a valued one and that office professionals play an integral part in any office environment," said Brown.

The three winners received an array of prizes and will represent AIOP as ambassadors over the next year.

In other AIOP news, registration is now open for the institute’s next gala event, the Quaser International Conference to be held in Melbourne, September 7–9.

For more information on AIOP visit www.aiop.com.au.