KOONARA Wines’ Nicole Reschke has been recognised for her leadership at this year’s Women in Business and Regional Development 2019 Influential Women in Business Awards.

More than 350 people flocked to The Barn near Mount Gambier to support all the winners and nominees at last week’s event.

Ms Reschke said she was excited and humbled to receive the award for best business with over five employees. “It is really fantastic to have been recognised among a crowd of wonderful and hardworking women throughout the Limestone Coast,” Ms Reschke said.

“There is obviously a lot of hard work that goes into a business and sometimes you get too involved in the nitty gritty and you do not actually stop and think about what you have achieved. “It is really nice to then have those achievements highlighted to you by outside forces.”

Ms Reschke and husband Dru are known across the South East for their organic winery and cellar door Koonara. She said the highlight of the winery, which has now been open for 14 years, was building the business from scratch. “We have come so far in the last 14 years since we first started,” she said

“It was really just Dru and I and another staff member. “We were doing every aspect of the business. “Now we are still highly involved in all aspects, but we can say we have had a real growth that we have achieved in our overall business.”

Women in Business and Regional Development chair Jacinta Jones said the depth and quality of entries in this year’s awards was outstanding.

“The awards are a fantastic way to celebrate the women in our community, their achievements, their continuing ability to improve themselves as well as their contribution not just to the business community but to the wider community,” Ms Jones said.

“We are so very proud of all involved in the process, not just the winners but also the nominees, sponsors, judges and the committee that organised the gala event.”

The biannual awards celebrate the achievements of women who have excelled in business and regional development, those operating a business, working in a business or at a community level.

Source: The Border Watch (tbw.newsgroup), Charlotte Varcoe. 14. August 2019