On Monday, 27 November it was time to let our hair down and celebrate an epic year at the annual Black Hops staff Christmas Party. This year’s event took place at the outside deck and bar of the Robina Pavilion, with employees from all areas of the business coming together to raise a hearty toast in recognition of the amazing and tireless work of the entire Black Hops crew.
One of the highlights of our end of year celebrations is acknowledging and celebrating the people who helped define our achievements in 2023, while giving special recognition to outstanding individual performances across all areas of the business.
Here’s how the 2023 Black Hops Staff Awards panned out ..
BH Legend of the Year – Bill Foley: Production Manager
Black Hops CEO Nathan Hyde and ‘Legend Of The Year’ Bill Foley
The Black Hops ‘Legend of the Year’ is the ‘big gong’ of each year’s awards, as voted for by all employees. This year saw the popular and humble Bill Foley gain the ultimate recognition from his peers, taking out the prestigious award for all of his tireless efforts in the workplace throughout 2023.
Bill was promoted to Production Manager in September and prior to this was already acting in the role. He has proven to be a great leader and truly embraced the role.We are now seeing better results from both a cultural and quality perspective. The production team have a sense of overwhelming pride in what they do at Black Hops. It is great to be able to promote from within and Bill is well suited to this role.
Departmental Employee Of The Year Awards
These Awards recognise those Black Hops employees who displayed outstanding work performance across all facets of their respective departments during 2023.
All of our winners are pictured receiving their Awards from Black Hops CEO Nathan Hyde.
Salesperson of the year – Niall McCorry
Black Hops CEO Nathan Hyde, Niall McCorry and QLD State Sales Manager Zoe Commins
Niall has been a valued member of the Black Hops Sales team since 2019, slinging kegs in the Brisbane CBD. After completing his Mental Health First Aid training in 2022, he was motivated to commence studying psychology and subsequently scaled back to part-time employment earlier this year. Since then Niall has still been firing on all cylinders, doing what he does best!
Send it Award (Supply Chain) – Gary Imlach: Logistics Supervisor
There have been a lot of changes over the last year within the Distro team, and Gary joined the team right in the middle of the chaos! He got to grips with his role immediately, with very little handover or guidance. His experience and cool demeanour under any amount of pressure has been hugely impressive, along with his ability to train and support those around him. It’s because of this and much more that he has become a vital and much loved cog in the Supply Chain team!
Hospitality Superstar – Ethan McGary: Taproom Supervisor (HQ)
Black Hops CEO Nathan Hyde, Ethan McGarry and Hospitality Operations Manager Riley Edwards
Ethan was chosen for his commitment to the Black Hops brand and the professional growth he displayed over the past 12 months, stepping into the Burleigh Supervisor Role and not only taking on responsibilities at HQ but also for the opening of Haven!
Production Team Member of the Year – Ella Kelley: Brewer
Ella, a hardworking and friendly brewer, earned the Production Person of the Year award for her awesome attitude and exceptional brewing skills. Her helpful and collaborative nature makes her great to work with, fostering a positive environment in the brewery. Ella’s dedication and approachability have not only enriched the team but also made her a much loved member of the Black Hops family!
Chairforce Superhero – Luke Purdy: Marketing Manager
Luke has become a marketer that is intrinsically linked to Black Hops. Luke’s understanding of brand and the approach to methodologies is key to future brand success. Luke has developed over the last 10 months to become confident within his new found role of Marketing Manager. Luke was promoted at the start of July into this role and continues to impress!
Management Awards
The following three awards are decided upon by the Black Hops Management Team and shine the spotlight on those employees who have either consistently gone the extra mile, displayed outstanding leadership or who have made a big impression upon commencing with the company in 2023.
Rookie Rockstar Award – Thomas Bates and Manu Escudero: Packaging Operators
The Rookie Rockstar award recognises those who commenced full time during the 2023 calendar year and hit the ground running. This year the award was shared by Packaging Operators Thomas Bates and Manu Escudero, who have both made a big impression since joining the Packaging Team this year. Well done guys on sharing this award!
The Extra Mile Award – Mark Ramsey: Supply Chain Manager
The Extra Mile award recognises those who consistently go above and beyond in the call of duty. Since stepping into the vital role of Supply Chain Manager in May 2023, Mark has shown exemplary leadership and diligence. Mark always demonstrates the best intentions for the company and his team and is always willing to do those vital, often unheralded extras around the business. Mark is a real asset to Black Hops and we’re stoked to have him onboard.
BH Leadership Award – Emma Schott: Venue Manager
Emma is such a vibrant go-getter! She leads from the front and is a tremendous asset to the hospitality team. Emma is very well respected and espouses the culture within Black Hops – she gets things done without the fanfare and the team follows suit. Congratulations Emma for displaying all of the attributes that make an outstanding leader in your role of Venue Manager in 2023.
To conclude, here’s a wrap of some of the colourful shenanigans from the 2023 Christmas Party ..
