McLardy McShane names award winners as conference returns in style

More than 300 attended the McLardy McShane conference on the Gold Coast after a two-year hiatus due to covid.

Don McLardy, CEO of the fast-growing brokerage and authorised representative (AR) network, told insuranceNEWS.com.au it was “really important” to bring back the conference, which last took place in Queenstown in 2019.

“We build our business on personal relationships and seeing people regularly and we believe heavily in the face-to-face environment, so not having everyone together for three years was pretty tough for us.

“While we’ve been ok, it’s not the same as getting everyone together and sending a common message. It was really exciting to have our whole group there.”

Themed “One Helluva Ride”, Wednesday night’s welcome event took place at Movie World and attendees had the chance to climb aboard some of the park’s famous rollercoasters.

The following day speakers at the The Star Events Centre included Richard Harris, who played a key role in rescuing 12 trapped young soccer players and their coach from a Thai cave system in 2019, tsunami survivor and Head of AFL Queensland Trisha Squires, and four-time Olympian Steven Bradbury.

That night a 1970s-themed gala dinner was held and awards were announced, with McLardy McShane Swan Hill named branch of the year and Linx Insurance AR of the year.

More than $150,000 was raised for charity at the event, with funds supporting The Reach Foundation, epidermolysis bullosa sufferers, and the GoFundMe page of Megan Affinita, an Elantis Premium Funding employee battling stage 4 cancer.

Here are the 2022 award winners in full:

MCLARDY MCSHANE COMMUNITY AWARD: MATTHEW KOHLER

MCLARDY MCSHANE AR EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR: DI BARRY, LINX INSURANCE

MCLARDY MCSHANE EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR: TANIA UVAROVA, MC MC PARTNERS, AND MARIE VRANJES, MC MC WA

MCLARDY MCSHANE RISING STAR – BRANCH: MCLARDY MCSHANE SOUTH EAST

MCLARDY MCSHANE RISING STAR – AR: PEAK CONSULTING, MATTHEW KOHLER

MCLARDY MCSHANE RISING STAR – INDIVIDUAL: TAHLIA COATES, MC MC WARRNAMBOOL/HORSHAM

MCLARDY MCSHANE CULTURE AWARD: DANIELLE SCHWANDT

MCLARDY MCSHANE AR OF THE YEAR: LINX INSURANCE

MCLARDY MCSHANE BRANCH OF THE YEAR: MCLARDY MCSHANE SWAN HILL