(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Michael Gudinski, chairman of The Mushroom Group of Companies, has raked up another award: the Southern Region Champion of Entrepreneurship 2006 at the recent Southern Region Entrepreneur Of The Year 06 awards night in Melbourne. Earlier this year he received the Member of the Order of Australia medal for service to the entertainment industry.
“Michael Gudinski has put Australian music on the world map, said Ernst & Young Managing Partner Mary Waldron. “His focus, drive and discipline have built a diversified music empire, practically from nothing, which in turn has helped build the careers of many aspiring and established artists. Michael’s receipt of the Champion Of Entrepreneurship award in recognition of his long-term record of outstanding entrepreneurial achievement is truly deserved.”
“I’m proud to receive this award as I believe it also acknowledges the hard work of the team around me and the talents of the many great artists I’ve worked with from the start of their careers,” Gudinksi said.
This year, Gudinski was also named in The Bulletin’s ‘100 Most Influential Australians’ issue, and his touring company, The Frontier Touring Company, was named in Billboard magazine as Australia’s #1 concert promoter.
Judges on the Southern Region Entrepreneur Of The Year awards included business leaders: Peter Kahan, finance director, The Gandel Group of Companies; John Marriott, head of Business Acquisition Group Victoria, Westpac Banking Corporation; Polly Mazaris, CEO and managing director, Baxter Group Ltd; Tim Norton, non-executive eirector, IWL Ltd; Alison Watkins, executive chairman, Mrs Crocket’s Kitchen; and Maureen Wheeler, co-founder and director, Lonely Planet Publications. –Jane Cohen and Bob Grossweiner
