Sandy Winkworth, Buderim Veterinary Surgery
The 'AVBA Business Manager of The Year' award shines a spotlight on that hardworking group of people so essential in successful veterinary businesses - the practice or business manager! In recognition of the importance of this group, the inaugural award was generously supported by Lyppard Australia.
The AVBA judging panel - comprising Directors, David MacPhail, Diederik Gelderman and Warren Kelly, along with Office Manager, Loren Murray - was given the challenging task of choosing a winner from a high quality field of applicants. After much deliberation, Sandy Winkworth was unanimously selected as the inaugural winner.
Sandy is the business manager at Buderim Veterinary Surgery. As part of her management philosophy, she rates empowerment, open communication, integrity and realism as her personal strengths. She likes to celebrate the practice strengths and to improve on weaknesses. When contacted, Dr Geeta Saini, one of the practice owners, had this to say about Sandy, "She has unbelievable organisational skills and is extremely trustworthy in all respects. She handles the financials as if they were her own".
For her win Sandy received a $1000 cash prize, a framed certificate and fully funded attendance at the AVBA Conference at Melbourne's Crown Promenade. Sandy is pictured below, at the conference dinner, received her award from Brian Oakley, Managing Director of Lyppard Australia and Jane Bindloss, AVBA President. Sandy said, "It's wonderful to have an organisation like the AVBA to support people in a role such as mine."
To read more, please go to page 24 of the Spring 2011 issue of In The Black.