Dubbo Chamber Board & Committees - 2018

Matt is the principle of Money Quest Dubbo, a local mortgage and finance broking company. Since 2003 the business operated as Choice Home Loan and recently underwent a re-brand due to some changes within the company.

The business currently employs 5 staff and is already one of the country's leading franchises within the group.

Matt believes that businesses have a certain level of corporate social responsibility to give back to the community in which they operate, especially those business located within a regional location.

Being born and raised in Forbes, and being a local business owner, he has a good understanding of the day to day challenges which many business face in regional areas.

Matt has been involved in the Chamber for 4 years, and has spent several of those years serving as President.

Matt is married with 3 children, and in his “spare time”, Matt enjoys spending time at the gym, playing touch footy and paddling and fishing along the Macquarie River. 

Kerrieanne Nichols is the owner of the Quality Inn, a motel in need of a lot of TLC when she and her partner, Carolyn Rowe, moved to Dubbo nearly three years ago to operate the “worst motel in Dubbo”.  Rising to the challenge, an undisclosed amount has been outlaid in a wide ranging refurbishment to raise the standard of the property to a level which its name indicates.

Kerrieanne and Carolyn literally started from scratch. In the early days they did everything – “you name it, we did it”. Their hard work and the quality of their staff – “they are gold to us” – has paid off with a large increase in guests and repeat business, both in the form of occupancy and patronage of the Reflections restaurant. The popularity of the property has been built on the experience which the partners gained after many years’ in the industry operating motels in Orange, Mudgee, Moree and Lithgow.

Prior to her entry to the tourism sector, Kerrieanne commenced her business career as a professional make-up artist in Orange, participation in Sydney Fashion Week, a stint in David Jones, plus as an extra in a variety of commercials, TV shows, such as, Home and Away, Packed to the Rafters and even a zombie movie.

Kerrieanne loves Dubbo and the potential of the city with an aim of contributing to raising the standard of the region’s accommodation and hospitality sector, particularly through the Chamber. Packed to the Rafters could well be her aim for the city and the motel.

John Southwell brings to Chamber a background that includes marketing, executive and senior level management. This background includes human resources, manufacturing, counselling and people development in government, private enterprise and not for profit. In 2003, John established Coachwell Australia. John is a Certified Graduate of CoachU and holds the designation of Professional Certified Coach as well as a Master of Arts degree obtained in Boston USA in 1989.

In addition to professional coaching, John is a registered trainer of the Coaching Clinic and provides a range of tailor made leadership development programs for senior executives, managers and supervisors.

John looks forward to serving Chamber in ways that will enhance business in the region.

Alex is currently a Senior Corporate Relationship Executive with the Commonwealth Bank, managing high value clients in Dubbo and the surrounding areas.

He has been employed by the Commonwealth Bank for over 20 Years, with the last 12 years of that based in Dubbo within their Business Banking Area. He has worked alongside all levels of business assisting with their finance and banking requirements. 

Alex studied accounting prior to working with the Bank which has given him a sound financial background.

He is a past member of Apex and is active within the Dubbo Golf Club.

Marilyn gained employment with Fairfax Media in 1996 (back then it as known as Rural Press Pty Ltd). She began as a local Sales Representative and moved onto Telemarketing Supervisor in 1998. In 2000 Marilyn was offered the position of Western Magazine Special Publications Co-coordinator and then moved to Sydney with The Land Newspaper to co-ordinate events and sell Fairfax products Australia wide.

In 2005 she returned to Dubbo as The Regional Co-coordinator for The Land Newspaper and then was offered her latest role as Local Sales Manager Dubbo.

In this position Marilyn is responsible for The Dubbo Daily Liberal, Mail Box Shopper and Western Magazine as well as the Nyngan, Narromine and Wellington News papers.

Marilyn has two sons (one studying in Bathurst, the other working on the Gold Coast).

In Marilyns own words "Dubbo is my home and I feel I could contribute to our city as it has so much to offer future generations in Business and Economic Development".