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EES 30TH ANNIVERSARY SPEECH

LADIES & GENTLEMEN, GOOD EVENING.

HI, MY NAME IS KATHY HENDERSON. IT’S AN HONOUR/ PRIVELEDGE TO BE INVITED TO SPEAK AT THIS SPECIAL OCCASSION AND I AM DELIGHTED TO BE HERE THIS EVENING TO CELEBRATE THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF EES.

EES SHIPPING WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1979 IN SYDNEY BY THREE FOUNDERS, MARK SALMON, ROD BROWN AND JOHN HULL. IT WENT ON TO BECOME THE BIGGEST CONSOLIDATOR IN AUSTRALIA. IN THE 80’S AND EARLY 90’S, EES HAD OFFICES AUSTRALIA WIDE AS WELL AS NEW ZEALAND AND LOS ANGELES. WE HAD A SERVICE TO SINGAPORE FROM SOMEWHERE IN AUSTRALIA JUST ABOUT EVERY DAY ! SINGAPORE WAS VERY IMPORTANT AS IT WAS THE KEY TRANS-SHIPMENT HUB FOR AUSTRALIA.

IN 1983, JEAN MET MARK SALMON HERE IN SINGAPORE. SHE THEN FLEW TO SYDNEY TO BE ENDORSED BY BOTH MARK SALMON AND JOHN HULL TO ESTABLISH EES SINGAPORE PRESENCE.

THE NAME; E.E.S. ; STANDS FOR EXACT EXPORT SERVICES, THIS IMPLIED THAT IT ONLY DID EXPORTS AND THUS IT WAS CHANGED TO EES IN ( 1981) AS AUSTRALIA IMPORTS MORE THAN IT EXPORTS.

EES AUSTRALIA USE TO SEND 40 GROUPAGE CONTAINERS MONTHLY TO SINGAPORE, WHICH BACK THEN WAS QUITE AN ACHIEVMENT.

I WORKED AT EES SHIPPING IN MELBOURNE AS IMPORT OPERATIONS MANAGER,
EES WAS A GREAT COMPANY TO WORK FOR, AND A PLACE WHERE, LIFE LONG FRIENDSHIPS WERE MADE. THERE WERE MANY SOCIAL OCCASSIONS AND IT WAS AND STILL IS A VERY EXCITING INDUSTRY.

TODAY IS A SPECIAL DAY.

IT IS 30 YEARS AGO THAT I MET A YOUNG LADY CALLED JEAN FROM SINGAPORE.

JEAN LEFT A LASTING IMPRESSION ON MYSELF, FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU.

JEAN WAS PROMPT AND PROFESSIONAL AT ALL TIMES, BUT IT WAS HER FIERCE DETERMINATION, BUSINESS ETHICS AND ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS THAT REALLY DISTINGUISHED HER. …. EXCELLENCE, ALL EXCELLANCE INVOLVES DISCIPLINE AND TENANCITY OF PURPOSE, JEAN HAS THESE QUALITIES.

I’D MET MANY OVERSEAS AGENTS, ,,, BUT JEAN WAS THE – ONLY – FEMALE AGENT WE HAD, SHE WOULD VISIT MELBOURNE & SYDNEY FREQUENTLY TO DO JOINT SALES CALLS WITH EES AUSTRALIA SALES STAFF.
FREIGHT FORWARDING IS CHALLENGING AND EVEN MORE SO IN A MALE DOMINATED INDUSTRY.

I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT, THAT THE 80’S /90’s WAS A TIME WHEN MORE BUSINESS DEALS WERE MADE OVER A FEW BEERS IN THE PUB THAN IN A BOARDROOM. ( IT ALSO HELPED THAT JEAN LIKES A BEER. )

IN MY OWN DEALINGS WITH EES SINGAPORE, THEY PROVIDED A HIGH STANDARD OF SERVICE AND EFFICIENCY, WITH ATTENTION TO DETAIL. ( AT A TIME PRIOR TO EMAIL ) SHIPPING DOCUMENTS WERE PROMPT AND ACCURATE . I AM SURE THIS IS, ONE OF MANY REASONS THAT HAS CONTRIBUTED TO SUCCEEDING IN A VERY COMPETITIVE MARKET.

WE ALL KNOW THAT LEADERSHIP IS CRUCIAL FOR ANY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS.
30 YEARS AGO, EES SINGAPORE STARTED WITH 3 STAFF, IT HAS GROWN TO MORE THAN 50 STAFF IN 3 OFFICES !!!! QUITE AN ACHIEVEMENT WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE UNCERTAINTY IN THE INDUSTRY AND WORLD ECOMONY. EES SINGAPORE HAS GONE FROM STRENTH TO STRENGTH, A CREDIT TO EVERYONE AT EES SINGAPORE.

TO MY DEAR FRIENDS, GILBERT AND JEAN, I AM PLEASED TO CONGRATULATE YOU AND YOUR STAFF ON THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF EES FREIGHT SERVICES. I WISH YOU MANY YEARS OF CONTINUED SUCCESS AND GROWTH. CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU.

NOW IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE,,,,,MR GILBERT TJONG : CEO AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF EES TO COME UP ONTO THE STAGE.

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G’day from Sydney Australia

To Jean, her family and her Team I wish you all a Happy Birthday!

I salute EES Singapore on reaching such a milestone and applaud the Company in reaching their 30^thanniversary of operating.

I know how difficult it is to continue to be enthusiastic, competitive and maintain the will to succeed but EES Singapore has done this with aplomb.

I go back a long way with Jean, way, way back, back to when she was a young lady just starting her career. Even then she showed how focussed and determined she was flying to Sydney and approaching the Directors of EES Australia asking permission to use our name and start her own Operation and call it EES Freight Services Singapore. This was the beginning of a long personal relationship with Jean and her family.

You will hear many times in the Shipping Industry  “It’s not personal it’s just business” this phrase could never be further from the truth it is all about the personal relationships created both locally and overseas.

Something I have never forgotton, many years ago my Grandmother was visiting England and became ill, my Mother flew to England to bring her home. My Grandmother’s medical condition meant that she had to break the trip and rest for a few days in Singapore Jean was extremely kind to two very important people in my life looking afterv them, I have never forgotton this kindness. Jean has stayed in contact with my mother and still visits her when she is in Sydney.

I visited Singapore in September 2012 and again Jean and Gilbert were extraordinary hosts to my wife and I.

I am sorry that I could not be there tonight but rest assured I will toast the occasion on Saturday night.

Cheers

John Hull former Director and CEO of EES Australia

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