The Brisbane City Council’s Human Resource Division Manager, Lyn Russell, has been named Australian Business Woman of the Year. Joining Council in 1992, Lyn was presented with the title at an awards ceremony held in Melbourne in July. She had earlier been voted Queensland Business Woman of the Year, ahead of 200 women from around the State.
Lyn Russell was awarded the Australian Business Woman of the Year title for both her work in transforming the Council, and its 7,000 strong workforce, through workplace reform into a competitive and customer service oriented organisation, and as an acknowledgment of her contribution to the wider community.
“I think that winning this award is excellent recognition for the Brisbane City Council, in particular for team members involved in developing our enterprise bargaining agreements,” Lyn said. “It is very satisfying that the achievements and efforts made by this group of people have been recognised.”
She added that winning this award was also an important step for Human Resources professionals. “I am very happy that Human Resources has been recognised on a national level and that it is now seen as a business partner,” she said.
Lyn is also President of Women in Management – Queensland, a Councillor and Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and Chairperson of the Lorraine Martin College Academic Council. As part of winning the title, Lyn was awarded funding for an overseas trip to research business opportunities in her chosen field.
“I look forward to using this award as an opportunity to promote the Council’s balanced approach to workplace reform as a model for other organisations to emulate,” she concluded.
