A FORMER Army soldier and police officer’s invaluable leadership and team building skills has seen him crowned Village Manager of the Year at a national retirement living award ceremony.
Terry Byway, manager of Lendlease’s Buderim Gardens Retirement Village on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, won the top gong at the Property Council of Australia’s inaugural National Retirement Living Awards in November.
Mr Byway has worked as a retirement village manager since 2010, after 20 years in the army and 12 years as a police officer in Tasmania and Queensland.
Since taking over at Buderim Gardens in early 2016, he has overseen upgrades to resident units and other village buildings, ensuring minimal disruption to residents and making savings to the village budget at the same time.
Property Council of Australia Retirement Living executive director Ben Myers said Mr Byway’s work has been remarkable in a short space of time.
“A village manager is the central point of contact for every one of their residents,” Mr Myers said. “Terry has demonstrated his ability to listen, receive feedback and deliver a better village experience, without adding to his residents’ costs.”
In WA, Bethanie Gwelup Aged Care and Assisted Living Campus received the inaugural CSR Hebel Award for Innovation.
The project was recognised for its use of technology to integrate traditionally separate independent living and aged care operations as one smooth-running site.
Consisting of 62 independent living apartments and a 112-bed aged care facility, the ‘campus style’ model allows residents to access different levels of care while remaining on the same site.
Mr Myers said the model enabled residents to have more control over their future and how they want to live.
“Senior Australians have an expectation that when they move to a retirement village, it is the last move they make in their life,” he said.
“The Bethanie campus model enables people to make that move with certainty, knowing their home can be adapted to their changing needs.”
Other winners were:
- Ingenia Communities Future Retirement Living Leader of the Year: Ryan Lane, Regional Development Manager NSW & ACT, Lendlease
- nettletontribe Award for Design Excellence: St Luke’s Green, Greengate
- Ignite Architects Award for Best Refurbishment: Somerton Park Retirement Village, Stockland
- Wise Agency Award for Marketing Excellence: The Village Taigum, Village Retirement Group