Family Matters April 2018

Family Matters

30 April 2018 Volume 16, Issue 3

Sales set to begin at Peppercorn Hill

Dennis Family Corporation is preparing to April and attracted more than 70 walk-in It is anticipated that the upcoming Stage
commence sales on its latest residential visitors across its first weekend. Attending One release at Peppercorn Hill will offer a
development project - Peppercorn Hill - in to customers are Sales Consultants Jason selection of 36 blocks, which are certain to
early May. Stojanovski and Deb Teazis from the be in strong demand.
appointed selling agents RPM.
Located in Donnybrook in Melbourne’s Peppercorn Hill is an exciting, large scale
outer northern growth corridor, Peppercorn “Most of the initial enquirers who have visited development that will comprise over 4,500
Hill is situated 2.5 kilometres east along the Land Sales Office have been locally lots in total and take more than the next
Donnybrook Road from the boutique based people,” Jason told Family Matters. decade to complete. The Master Plan
Donnybrae project which DFC launched to includes provision for a future town centre,
market in May last year. “They are keen to find out more about the two secondary schools and more than
future plans for Peppercorn Hill and there 50 hectares of parkland and recreational
The Land Sales Office at Peppercorn Hill is a real sense of anticipation around this areas. n
opened for enquiries on Saturday, 14th project,” he added.

Head Office relocation

DFC will be on the move in early 2019, staff, the new premises in Armadale
with the Head Office set to relocate are more modern and offer several
from East Malvern to new premises at advantages over the existing property.
863 High Street, Armadale.
“The new premises are conveniently
“With the Board having given its serviced by all forms of public
endorsement, we have given everyone transport and are within easy walking
early advance notice so that we can distance of both Armadale and Toorak
now focus on planning and preparing train stations,” he notes.
for the move,” DFC Chief Executive
Officer, Peter Levinge reports. “We have secured three levels of the
five-storey building for our use and
“The company has been based at could potentially take more space
Dennis House at 211 Waverley Road, over time. The premises at 863 High
East Malvern for close to twenty years Street have a good existing fit-out,
and not surprisingly the building has which we will be able to configure to
now become quite dated. Our current best suit our needs.”
lease was coming to an end, so the
time was right to find a new base to Under the terms of the lease
better serve our company’s future agreement, DFC will begin to have
needs.” access to the property from late
October and will undertake the
As Peter has recently communicated necessary arrangements to have staff
to all current East Malvern-based relocate early next year. n

Message from the Family

Marshall Dennis

Welcome to the latest edition of Family without having to proceed to the tribunal for would anticipate
Matters. Penning this message provides a determination. commencing
timely opportunity for me to update you on construction either
recent news from our retail and commercial As part of the mediation process, we by the end of
arm which is now operating under the new agreed to some minor amendments to the year or early
name of Ranfurlie Asset Management. the plan that we had lodged for approval next year. The
eighteen months ago. With that, we were estimated build
As was highlighted at this year’s Staff able to negotiate the permit and achieve time for Stage 2 is
Conference, our latest shopping centre a very satisfying outcome. In agreeing to between ten and twelve months.
development – Tarneit Central – has made take on board some of Council’s concerns
a hugely successful introduction since and considerations, we have still been able Our vision for the extension at Manor Lakes
opening its doors back in October last year. to retain the vast majority of our plan as in Stage 2 closely mirrors the model we
originally devised and, most importantly, have created so successfully at Tarneit
The launch of the centre was a very can now expect things to progress more Central. Planned new facilities include a
satisfying way to finish 2017 and launch smoothly from this point. discount department store, one or two
us into another exciting year of fresh mini major outlets, a gymnasium, ten to
challenges. With Tarneit Central up and We will also refresh the original fifteen specialty shops and family-oriented
running, next cab off the rank for our team development plan for the Activity Centre amenities such as a playground. Now that
at Ranfurlie was to pursue our plans to at Manor Lakes, which is now more than we have more runs on the board through
create the second stage of development at fifteen years old. Given the extent to which what we have been able to achieve at
Manor Lakes Central Shopping Centre. retail and commercial development has Tarneit Central, we are confident in being
evolved in that time, we see that as a able to put Manor Lakes in front of the
In pursuit of that aim, you may recall that we necessary undertaking. Importantly, the same calibre of retailers and secure their
lodged an application for a planning permit work on updating the existing development presence.
with Wyndham City Council approximately plan for the Activity Centre in collaboration
eighteen months ago and had been hopeful with Council over the next six months can The implementation of our plans will add
of being in a position to transition smoothly be undertaken independently of matters a further 8,000-10,000 square metres to
into that project following on from the pertaining to Stage 2 at Manor Lakes, which the existing centre, effectively doubling its
opening of Tarneit Central. Unfortunately, therefore gives us clear air to progress current size. The new facilities will extend
however, some aspects of our intended those plans. from the rearward side of the existing
plan for Stage 2 at Manor Lakes met with building, following the direction of Ballan
objections from Council that have delayed Our focus now turns to our immediate Road.
the process, much to our frustration. priorities which include finalising our list
of anchor tenants for Stage 2 and locking Stage 2 is not the final phase of
We remained steadfast in our resolve to in leasing agreements. We will also be development at Manor Lakes Central. The
maintain the integrity of our plan and were engaging a consultant team for the project evolution of the town centre will continue
prepared to go to the Victorian Civil and and making a submission to the Board for over the next fifteen to twenty years. When
Administrative Tribunal to present our case. formal approval of the development. complete, Manor Lakes Activity Centre will
A four-day hearing had been set to take have virtually everything you can think of
place at VCAT in late May, but pleasingly we It is our hope to be in a position to go out and expect from a vibrant, contemporary
were able to resolve the outstanding issues to tender on construction towards the end town centre. n
with Council at a recent mediation session of this year. Following that appointment, we

ACTIV update from Innovation Coordinator, Narelle Baxter

ACTIV has been out on a roadshow The Innovation Board is now reviewing improvements
over February/March spreading the the ACTIV Ideas at a high level, and across different
word on our 2018 theme - Bridging with the input of key departments that departments so
Silos. are impacted, will allocate time so there is stronger
these improvements can be made. teamwork and
We have collected over 40 ideas The roadshows will re-commence later collaboration.
from staff in Housing across Drafting, in the year. Bridging
Design, Estimating, Marketing, Sales, Silos through
Admin and Supervisors and just Our theme of Bridging Silos is ACTIV is an
recently from staff in our Queensland about bringing people from different opportunity for all levels of staff and
office. Many of these ideas relate to geographical areas together so they management to drive change at
themes about streamlining processes, are working consistently. This will Dennis Family.
improving customer service and make things faster, easier, better and
connecting with other departments to simper for us and our customers As always, if you have an idea you’d
increase knowledge and productivity. and will also give staff more courage like to submit to ACTIV, click this
to make suggestions and drive ACTIV Idea link or head to the Portal
and fill in the ACTIV Idea Form. n
30 April 2018 n Volume 16, Issue 3 n Page 2 of 6

Staff Promotions in Projects
Csuornvefeyrence
Tess Trewin As recently highlighted on Dennis TV, the Residential Ty Matanda
Thank you to everyone who James Hawker Developments team recently implemented a series of Ashley Keys
completed the recent online Daniel Luketic structural changes that have resulted in new roles for Shweta Thadani
survey following the 2018 DFC Rosy Serventy 10 existing staff members in the project delivery and Bonnie Levinge
Staff Conference. Lucy Sawyer operational areas. Rod Jackson

A total of 249 respondents Tess Trewin has become a Senior Project Manager for
provided their feedback to a Modeina and Sienna Park, as has James Hawker for
range of questions pertaining Manor Lakes and Daniel Luketic for Donnybrae.
to the event.
Rosy Serventy is now a Project Manager for Modeina, as
“Overall, the results were is Lucy Sawyer (Manor Lakes), Ty Matanda (Donnybrae)
excellent,” DFH Strategic and Ashley Keys (Peppercorn Hill). Shweta Thadani has
Business Analyst, Tony changed roles from Estate Maintenance Co-ordinator
Petruzalek told Family Matters. to now be a Project Officer for Manor Lakes and Bonnie
Levinge becomes a Project Manager for Sienna Park
“Ninety-four per cent of all whilst continuing to retain some of the responsibilities
attendees indicated that they from her existing role of Development Agreement
were either satisfied or very Relationship Manager for the foreseeable future.
satisfied with the conference,
which was an overwhelming Former Senior Project Manager, Rod Jackson has been
show of approval for the entrusted with responsibility for the important newly-
event.” created position of Infrastructure Contracts Manager.

The responses also showed “The restructure is a reflection of the rapid growth in
that the company succeeded our projects,” says General Manager - Residential
in conveying the key messages Developments, Peter Farrell.
of the conference – Vision,
Direction and Values – “These changes are being made to ensure we are
exceptionally well. appropriately resourced to meet the challenges ahead
and it is particularly satisfying that we have been able
“In terms of being rated as to identify so many people with the required balance
having been communicated of skills and experience from within our own ranks,” he
either very successfully or adds.
successfully, Vision received
an endorsement of ninety-one The process of recruiting new staff to back-fill a number
percent, Direction eighty-eight of opportunities created by the promotion of the internal
per cent and Values ninety-one staff members in the restructure has commenced.
per cent,” Tony reported.
Congratulations again to the promoted staff members. n
“Another stand out response
from the data collected was the New Faces Since the last edition of Family Matters, the company has
extremely high approval rating welcomed the following new staff:
for key note presenter Rachael
Robertson, along with the Vox At the East Malvern Head Office, Caroline Dwyer has commenced as Victorian Caroline Dwyer
Pop video interviews with staff Sales & Marketing Manager in Developments, whilst at Notting Hill the team Andrew Liu
members which also proved at Dennis Family Homes has been boosted by the arrival of Andrew Liu as a
popular.” Production Estimator and Shailina Dholasaniya as a Management Accountant,
providing temporary maternity cover for Dhammika Wick. Also at DFH, Corinne
Tony revealed that the survey Hui has been recruited as a Sales Associate on a casual basis in Metro North.
results did not identify any
major changes required In other appointments, Agnieszka Ziolko has joined the Westbrook team as a
to the structure of the Staff Sales Associate, along with Luke Maugeri as a Sales Associate based at Manor
Conference in future years. Lakes. Another new arrival is Sean Doherty as Graduate Property Assistant at
Ranfurlie Asset Management on a part-time basis.
“Overall, the format of this
year’s event was well received, Internally in Shepparton, John O’Brien has transferred from a Sales Estimator
however, the responses to a Production Estimator role, whilst Tenielle McKenzie has transferred from a
did also indicate that the Production Administrator to a Contract Administrator position on a permanent
reintroduction of team building basis. The internal changes created at the East Malvern Head Office by the recent
activities would be valued by restructure in Developments are featured in the separate article on this page. n
more than thirty per cent of
participants and was ranked in 30 April 2018 n Volume 16, Issue 3 n Page 3 of 6
the top three preferences,” he
said. n

Promotions stacked with value

The April/May marketing promotions Dennis Family Homes is also running
for both the Inspirations Series and a television commercial in regional
Aspirations Series are currently in full markets to support this offer. The TVC
swing and are due to end on 13th May. will be on air in all regional markets for
two weeks from Sunday 29th April.
Inspirations - “Make a personal
statement in style” Aspirations - “Stack up the value”

Customers who purchase a new Customers who purchase a new
Inspirations Series home during the Aspirations Series home during the
promotional period will have the power promotional period can choose from
to personalise their upgrades, starting a range of upgrades to truly make it
with all the must-haves of the Style their own. Available upgrades include
Pack for just $4,990. Customers can complete flooring, 20mm Caesarstone
also choose from a stunning collection to kitchen, downlights, a dishwasher and
of personal upgrade items to suit their a remote to garage – and many more!
lifestyle. These include evaporative Customers can choose one upgrade, or
cooling, Smeg appliances and a ducted choose them all. And stack up the value!
vacuum system, just to name a few!
There is a 4-page booklet to support this
In addition to the standard booklet, offer, and the DFH Markeing team are
online and point of sale support, promoting it online too. n

Alan Foster (fourth from right) with Area Manager, Don’s note
Jason Watts (right) and his colleagues from the of thanks
Construction team in Shepparton.
DFC Chairman Bert Dennis recently
Alan Foster steps back to slower lane wrote a congratulatory letter to now-
retired Bendigo Building Supervisor,
Shepparton-based Building Supervisor, of work. He has a large family and a big Don Mitchell to thank him for his
Alan Foster recently called time on his circle of friends which will also keep him contribution to the company and
long career with Dennis Family Homes, busy,” he says. extend his best wishes for his
but will continue to provide his expertise retirement. Don responded in turn
and skills as a contractor. Dennis Family Homes Shepparton Area with some wonderful words about his
Manager, Jason Watts acknowledged time at the company, which he has
Alan’s association with the company Alan’s tremendous contribution to the permitted us to publish below.
commenced in 1994 as a maintenance business.
contractor. In June 2003 he joined the Dear Bert,
staff at Shepparton as an employee in “Alan was an accomplished tradesman
a Building Supervisor role. At that time, in the maintenance capacity before Thank you for your letter and kind
the company’s Housing business was going into building supervision, where he words. I feel very fortunate to have
operating under the Executive Homes, developed a real sense of pride in handing been involved with such a great
Triline Homes and Glenbrae Homes over a new home to customers,” Jason company over the past 20 years.
brands. says.
I have enjoyed working with
Shepparton Building Supervisor, Greg “Although Alan has decided to step back everyone, staff, suppliers and sub-
Young has worked closely with Alan over into the slower lane, we are really pleased contractors. I have always been
the past 16 years. “Al’s been fantastic. that he will continue to be involved on proud to say: “l work for Dennis
He’s a wealth of knowledge and just a the tools with us, where his expertise and Family Homes” knowing that there
quality guy,” Greg told Family Matters. passion for building will continue to be will be a good response. I have
seen and felt.” watched the company expand over
“I did part of my apprenticeship with him. the years and although there are
His motto was simply to do a good job Jason noted that Alan’s contribution to many, many talented people within
and we’ll always be in work.” the company widened to become a family the company, it still comes down to
affair. the company values and leadership.
Greg is sure Alan will continue to keep I am envious of your energy!
himself occupied. “Although he aims “We actually indentured his sons Dylan
to take things a bit easier, I know he’s Beau as apprentices and they have gone Anyway, thanks again for the
planning to stay on the tools and do a bit on to become fully accomplished framing opportunity to be a part of it. I have
carpenters for us for many, many years.” n been very busy in my retirement
so far with travelling, minding
grandchildren and doing all the
other things I haven’t had time to
do. I can’t see myself getting bored
for quite a while.

30 April 2018 n Volume 16, Issue 3 n Page 4 of 6

Hair today, Stars in the
gone tomorrow Spotlight
Adam de Jong
Good luck to DFC Compliance Officer,
Aleksia Anderton Dennis Family Homes Sales Manager – Metro an email every Friday to highlight the week’s
(pictured), who is West, Adam de Jong was one of the award successes and identify what to look for on the
planning to shave winners for March in the company’s staff coming weekend,” he explains.
her head in June to rewards and recognition program DFC Stars.
raise money for the “Providing support to the team is another key
Cancer Society. Adam was nominated by several of his focus. You have to put an ecosystem around
colleagues at DFH in recognition of going the team to support them,” he adds.
If you would like to above and beyond for consultants and
donate online in customers, making his team want to come to “I am fairly intuitive and seem to be able to
support of Aleksia’s work and do well, along with his leadership spot straight away if something isn’t right with
cause, click on skills and being very approachable and any of the Team West members when I visit
lex-s-locks-for-cancer always available to lend support. them.”

DFC Stars winners He appreciates the sentiments offered by the Working at Dennis Family Homes has become
team members who nominated him. something of a family affair for Adam. His
Congratulations to the DFC wife Clare and 24-year-old daughter Meg also
Stars awards winners for March “It feels rewarding to be recognised in such a work with the company as Sales Associates
as follows: way. I’ve worked under a few Sales Managers and are members of Team West.
myself during my career and I guess all I’ve
Adam de Jong – Sales Manager tried to do is take the good side of what I’ve “Clare actually started at Dennis Family
Metro West, Irene Najdecki – seen,” he suggests. Homes shortly before I joined,” Adam notes.
Developments Marketing Executive,
Chloe Attrill – Building Administrator, Adam joined Dennis Family Homes as a Sales “She gave the company a glowing
Metro North, Paul Nailer – DFH Consultant in Metro West in March last year endorsement, telling me how respectful they
Financial Controller and Aida Kubat and quickly made a positive impression on are to their people. We also have a very good
– Modeina Sales Associate. senior management. He was subsequently name amongst our customers. In today’s
promoted from his Sales Consultant role to market, having a strong brand is so important.
Each of the winners received the position of Sales Manager in Metro West, We’ve got a really good reputation which is
nominations from different where he presently leads a team of six Sales the first thing I noticed when I came to work
colleagues for exemplifying various Consultants and six Sales Associates. here.”
DFC core values in their work and
were presented with a $50 gift card Adam has a Masters degree in Project Clare worked alongside Adam at Point Cook
as a reward for the recognition from Management and gained considerable for a period when he was a Sales Consultant,
their peers. previous management experience earlier in but she is now based at the Diggers Rest
his career, which has stood him in good stead Display Centre.
The closing date for the next round in settling into the Sales Manager position.
of nominations will be 29th June “Clare has become a really valuable member
at 5.00pm. If you wish to nominate “It’s a very autonomous role, which is of the team,” Adam says.
a colleague, please complete the something I like,” he says.
DFC Stars nomination form which “Meg joined the business late last year and
is located on the Portal under the “I have been able to get to know my own is also really enjoying it. It’s nice to be able
Forms menu listing in the DFC team very well, but having only been with to see family at work, but we keep it very
Policies section. the company for just over twelve months professional.”
in total, I’m still new in terms of developing
Irene Najdecki Chloe Attrill relationships with other colleagues throughout Adam is very familiar with the western side
DFH.” of Melbourne. He was born in Altona and
currently lives in Ascot Vale. In addition to
An important part of Adam’s approach is daughter Meg, he and Clare also have a
communication and support within his team. son named Bram. His surname de Jong has
Dutch origins and is often mispronounced.
“I’ve created an identity of Team West for our
group, which they seem to have responded “The j is silent, so you actually say it as de
positively to, and I ensure we communicate Ong,” he explains. n
regularly. I visit our Display Centres in the
West to meet one-on-one with the Sales
Team members every week. I also distribute

Paul Nailer Aida Kubat 30 April 2018 n Volume 16, Issue 3 n Page 5 of 6

Five minutes of fame
Sophie Litschke n Credit Controller

A country girl by nature, Sophie of income by buying horses, breaking noticed an
Litschke now feels more like a city girl them in, training them up and selling them increase in
after spending the past nine years in on again. the number of
Melbourne. invoices I send
Sophie was born in Bright in Victoria’s When it came time to studying for a career, out. We really
Alpine region and grew up living in Sophie chose to move to Melbourne in are growing
a house that was tucked away in a 2009 to attain an Advanced Diploma in year by year.”
picturesque valley 10km out of the Accounting at Swinburne.
township. She enjoyed an outdoors Sophie is very positive about her
lifestyle and was obsessed with horses “I’d done the small town thing all my life manager Mike Wilton and the workplace
from a young age. and was ready for a bigger adventure. I environment at DFC.
“My parents got me my first horse when I could have studied closer to home, but I
was about seven and for as long as I can figured being an hour away from mum and “Mike is great to work with and it’s the
remember, there was always a horse in the dad wasn’t enough. I needed to put a bit people and the everyday vibe here
paddock,” she says. more distance between us,” she jokes. that I love the most. You never feel
During Sophie’s childhood, her parents uncomfortable or out of place here. It does
owned a bakery in Myrtleford that was Relocating from the country to the city have that family feel. Coming from a family
handed down through the family from her presented its share of challenges to business myself, you want the best for
paternal grandfather. Sophie. your family business when you’ve got your
Sophie showed her resourcefulness with heart in it.”
money as early as the age of fourteen, “It was a pretty big adjustment and it was
when she began generating her own form some of the small things that threw me,” The Finance team is currently in process
she says. of changing software which will have a
Staff Quiz positive impact on Sophie’s role when it
“For example, rain doesn’t smell down is introduced and a conversion to BPAY is
Congratulations to East Malvern-based IT here and there’s no stars. I couldn’t fall about to roll out in the next month.
Project Administrator, Vanessa Camacho
(pictured) on being drawn as the winner asleep at night for ages because of “Apparently, it’s going to make things
of last month’s quiz. Vanessa was one the sounds and the amount of light easier for me and for the clients which is
of several staff members who correctly outside.” a good thing, provided I still have a job of
identified The Shape of Water as being course,” she laughs.
the movie that won the Oscar for Best Fortunately, Sophie had a few friends
Picture at this year’s Academy Awards. from Bright also studying at university Away from work, Sophie describes herself
in Melbourne and she moved in with as fairly active and pretty social.
Your task this month is to provide the them.
actual first given name of acclaimed “I like getting out and trying new activities.
Australian singer-songwriter and “I’ve always had a bit of a crew down Melbourne offers so many cool things to
musician Missy Higgins. here to hang out with the whole time experience. There’s quite a bit of heading
For your chance to win two Village which has helped,” she says. back to Bright for special occasions. What
cinema passes, send your answer to used to be 21st birthdays are now 30ths,”
[email protected] by Sophie’s first two jobs in Melbourne she says.
Friday, 18th May. n were in accounting roles with a
recruitment agency in the CBD and Having become accustomed to city life,
If you have a news item or something you a small family accounting business whenever Sophie returns to Bright it now
would like considered for inclusion, email in Chapel Street, Windsor. She then feels eerily quiet to her.
spent a period at the Novotel in St.
[email protected] Kilda as a Guest Relations Officer. “It seems weird that all the shops close
at six o’clock and the streets are dead by
“I tried that just to spice it up a little eight,” she comments.
and get away from accounting, but I
didn’t see a long career in it and it only “I don’t get back there as much as I used
resulted in making me come back to to, but I still enjoy the skiing in winter and
numbers in the end,” she states. taking the boats out on the lake in the
summer. Mum and dad ended up selling
Sophie then joined DFC in July 2015 the bakery and are now running an IGA
as Accounts Receivable Officer, based supermarket in Bairnsdale. Hopefully,
at the East Malvern Head Office. In they’ll be in a position to retire soon and
her role, which is now known as Credit return to Bright.”
Controller, she is responsible for
handling and control of incoming funds When the time comes for Sophie to
into the business, predominantly in the become a parent herself in the future, she
Housing division. plans to give her own children the same
type of country upbringing that she was
“My job includes following up funds fortunate to have enjoyed.
that we should be receiving and
invoicing to allow for funds that are “One day I will go back and have my
due. I also do reconciling for our main kids in the country and let them have the
account,” she explains. freedom that I had,” she says. n

“In my three years here, I’ve really

30 April 2018 n Volume 16, Issue 3 n Page 6 of 6