Family Business Australia - Australian Capital Territory

Mr. Matthew Power - Iken Office Furniture (Chairman)

Matthew Power runs Iken Furniture with his parents, Ross and Genevieve Power. Iken Office Furniture is part of the Power Family Group which was established by Ross and Genevieve Power in 1973 as a second hand furniture business.

Included in the Group is IKEN which is a large workstation and fit out business which has showrooms in Canberra, Sydney and Darwin. The continual growth of the company over the recent years has also enabled plans for new showrooms in Melbourne and Suva.

Mr. Mick Burgess - Urban Contractors (Director)

Mick trained as a landscaper and after various jobs in and out of the industry eventually started his own business, Urban Contractors, in 1984.

Urban Contractors started with a six man crew and has grown to a staff of 40 people.

Under Mick's leadership as Managing Director, Urban has completed landmark projects around the Canberra area including landscaping around the National Museum and the Australian War Memorial.

Mick is heavily involved in community activities including participation in the Landscape Contractors Association, Master Builders Association 'of the ACT, ACT Civil Engineering Contractors Association and as Vice President of the Belconnen Football Club.

Mr. Tom Ellis – Bertram Ellis Real Estate

Tom is a next generation Real Estate agent following his mother Everyl into the sales world. Everyl’s grand farther owned a Real Estate firm in Sydney but the Real Estate genes skipped a generation. After leaving school Tom had several years in the industry before Everyl purchased a locally owned family Business that had a good name in the local market.

Now some ten years later they operate two offices in Canberra. Tom has taken direction of the three person sales team and Everyl the property management arm of the business. Total staff of both offices is sixteen.

Tom enjoys the daily challenges associated with facilitating the sale of homes and investment properties for his clients.

Tom’s wife Monique owns her own graphic design business Add Apt Graphics and together they are working on all kinds of fun marketing improvements in the Real Estate business & a huge face lift for the design studio.

In his spare time you can often find Tom renovating or working on a project at home with Monique or playing/watching all kinds of sports.

Carolyn Queale  - SpySee Mystery Shopping and Reviews

Carolyn Queale is the Chief Executive Officer of SpySee Mystery Shopping and Reviews.  SpySee is run by Carolyn and her sister Rachel Power and was started in January 2006. 

Carolyn worked part time in 2008 as the Executive Officer for FBA while growing her own business and so wants to remain an active part of helping FBA to grow in Canberra.  Carolyn would love to see FBA in Canberra become truly representative of all family businesses in the ACT no matter what their size or structure and being a part of making that happen.

SpySee’s key and core competency is in customer service and assisting businesses to reach their true potential through customer service excellence and sound management practices

Ms Irene Cassimatis - NDH Property Services Pty Ltd

Irene Cassimatis in conjunction with her brothers and extended family own and manage NDH Property Services/Evri Group whose core disciplines are property development, construction, property management and asset management. 

The Business’s began in the early 60’s when her father transferred to Canberra and began building speculative cottages and has now grown to over 20 people of which the majority are family members.

NDH has received numerous awards including a Property Industry Award from REIA in recognition of valuable contribution to development and growth in Canberra and is an active member of many associations including the Property Council, MBA, GBCA and FBA. 

Irene is a Certified Practicing Accountant who is interested in not only the financial aspects of the business but also in professionalising the business, development of a family constitution and succession planning.