AEIOU News
Telstra Business Women’s Award winner Cathie Reid an AEIOU Foundation Business Ambassador
Mon, 14 May 12
MEDIA ALERT
May 2012
Telstra Business Women’s Award winner Cathie Reid an AEIOU Foundation Business Ambassador
AEIOU Foundation Chairman Dr James Morton today announced the launch of AEIOU Foundation’s Business Ambassador Program, appointing APHS Packaging CEO and co-owner of APHS Pharmacy Group Cathie Reid as the charity’s new Business Ambassador. The Business Ambassador program is a first for AEIOU Foundation and is designed to encourage Australian business to play a part in the economic development of the Foundation.
AEIOU Foundation Chairman Dr James Morton said as a Business Ambassador, Cathie will be at the forefront of the Foundation's efforts to encourage the private sector to play an active role in supporting AEIOU’s early intervention program for children with autism.
“Cathie is a strong advocate for what we do at AEIOU and how Australian business can help children with autism overcome disadvantage,” Dr Morton said. “In this role, Cathie will visit corporate leaders and encourage the private sector to participate in AEIOU events, contribute philanthropically, help grow their own businesses' corporate social responsibility agenda, and assist AEIOU Foundation to achieve its aim of taking its best-practice program national,” Dr Morton said.
Ms Reid brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the position having been named the winner of the National Commonwealth Bank Business Owner Award category in the 2011 Telstra Business Women's Awards.
Ms Reid said she is committed to ‘giving back’ to her community, both as an individual and as a leader in business. “I’m delighted with this appointment, and look forward to advocating for AEIOU in the corporate sector,” Ms Reid said.
“As a business owner you need to be confident that when you invest in a charity that the maximum benefit is going to be achieved, without any waste on non-value adding activities. And I am confident AEIOU delivers in this arena,” Ms Reid said. “I’m also a firm believer that it’s important to illustrate a shared values connection to any charity you, or your organisation supports, and APHS Pharmacy Group and AEIOU share a very similar values proposition.”
After being named 1998 Victorian Pharmacy Manager of the Year Cathie was inspired to co-found the Active Care Pharmacy group with her husband Stuart Giles. Its success led them to merge with the APHS Pharmacy Group in 2002, moving to full ownership of the combined business in 2010 after the completion of a successful internal succession program.
Cathie’s primary focus in recent years has been the development of the APHS Packaging manufacturing business, which delivers community pharmacies with an outsourced solution for medication compliance packaging for as little as one third of the cost of manually producing a similar product themselves.
Cathie continues to seek innovative solutions for the community pharmacy industry and Australia’s ageing population, as illustrated by the recent introduction of the Medido Monitored Compliance Device, a web-based technology that alerts customers when medication is due and informs carers of a missed dose.
AEIOU Foundation was established in 2005 as a Brisbane based, non-profit organisation which provides best practice early intervention in 10 locations throughout Queensland. More than 70% of children who complete the early intervention program at AEIOU transition to mainstream school with little to no additional support. Around 90% of children are able to communicate functionally. The program supports all children to reach their maximum potential, teaching children to manage their autism, working through the secondary difficulties they experience such as anxiety, challenging behaviour, and mood disorders.
Media enquiries:
Deborah Whiteoak, Communications Manager, p: 3320 7910, m: 0400 552 139, e: deborah.whiteoak@aeiou.org.au
