October 2023 Success Stories Breakfast – Unpacking Progress

16 October 2023
Last Friday we hosted our October 2023 Success Stories Breakfasts featuring Gareth Hearnden from Norman Carriers and Melanie Gill from Helping Hands Mission.

In 1949 Norman Hearnden established Norman Carriers, a family-owned Australian company specialising in wharf cartage to the Melbourne waterfront and local delivery of general freight to metropolitan Melbourne. Evolving naturally, they expanded into containerisation, and in 1976 Norman Carriers was incorporated under the leadership of the founder’s son Grahame Hearnden.

Furthering its legacy the company is now helmed by the third generation, Gareth Hearnden, who has seen Norman Carriers expand their expertise in the last two years to encompass warehousing and third-party logistics services across two new state of the art sites.

Gareth talked about his journey at Norman Carriers – from the early days, including his first visit as a newborn, going to work and riding the forklifts with his Dad as a kid, and working there after school and on holidays as a teen – to now, taking over the business, making the tough calls and redesigning the business for longevity and success.

Melanie Gill also joined us to share her story as CEO of Helping Hands Mission. What began as a small outreach project to regional communities in 2007 has grown to include five Op Shops, an Emergency Aid program that feeds over 500 families a week, vehicles delivering crucial Material Aid daily; training and employment pathways for the long term unemployed; and an army of 300 amazing volunteers.

Contact us if you would like to attend Matthews Steer’s next Success Stories Breakfast.

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