Paint industry icon David Haymes addresses South East Networks members at the organisation’s annual dinner last week.By Shaun Inguanzo
MORE than 100 prominent businesspeople including Australian paint icon David Haymes playing musical chairs?
That was the scene throughout the night at the South East Networks (SEN) Annual Dinner, which this year fell during Greater Dandenong’s Mini Business Week.
SEN, based in Dandenong, is focused on networking businesses across Melbourne’s south east.
SEN manager Sandra George instructed attendees at the beginning of the night that following each meal in the three-course dinner people were to move to another table according to the numbers pre-marked on their name tag.
The unique initiative saw people mingle with a host of other business minds, and never remain static at just one table.
Paint industry icon David Haymes – recognisable by his ‘paint is in my blood’ advertisements – was the dinner’s guest speaker.
Mr Haymes spoke about his upbringing in Ballarat and how he eventually succeeded to his father’s business, Henry Haymes Proprietary Limited.
Mr Haymes, whose father passed away in 1955, became managing director of Haymes in 1974 and said when he first took the helm he realised the company was in a poor financial state.
“I was getting calls from companies on my first day with people saying ‘it’s great to have a Haymes back in charge of Haymes – so when are you going to pay us, David?’,” he said.
Working with his bank manager in Ballarat, Mr Haymes said it took a gruelling five years before the $120,000 debt was turned around and Haymes could pay accounts within 30 days.
Mr Haymes now touts his company’s success, and has remained loyal to Ballarat.
He is chair of the University of Ballarat School of Business Advisory Board, executive member of the Committee for Ballarat, and a member of the Advisory Board of the Ballarat Courier.
This year Mr Haymes was inducted into the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame.
