P. John Bennett - Chairman
John is one of the founders of Employers Making A Difference. He started his career in the R.A.F. as an Apprentice Weapons Fitter before moving to Australia with his family January 1973.
Initially he worked with his father in “Bennett & Son Painters & Decorators” before moving into the electronics sector as a Sound System Technician & Installer on large projects such as Shopping Centres and Public Buildings. He also worked as an Engineers assistant in “Microwave Technology”.
In 1986 John started Benbro Electronics with his elder brother Steven and in 1988 they employed their first person with a disability. This became a highly successful ongoing strategy for their business which resulted in nominations for the Prime Minister’s Employer of the Year Award in 1994, 1996 and 1998 for leadership and achievement in the employment of people with a disability.
In 1998 Benbro was announced as both State and National Winner of the Prime Minister’s Employer of the Year Award in the small business division. As a direct result of receiving these honours John and Steve, along with Suzanne Colbert, then Manager of Shore Personnel in Sydney, got together and formed Employers Making A Difference (now the Australian Network on Disability).
Benbro won the Prime Minister’s Employer of the Year Award again in 2003, 2005 and 2006 when they were inducted into the “Hall of Fame”. John has met with many senior government ministers to discuss issues affecting the barriers to employment of people with a disability and is frequently asked to speak to employer groups regarding the employment of people with a disability.
Benbro has a policy that at least 25% of its workforce will comprise people with a disability and employs people on the basis of their capability to do the job well.
John has been active in the community through Apex where he has been a club Secretary and Treasurer, he has been a President 3 times and a Deputy District Governor and in 1992 he was awardednominated as Apexian of the year.
In 1994 Benbro was awarded Local Employer of the Year at the Manly Daily’s Small Business of the Year Awards.
John is currently Chairman of the Australian Network on Disability and is a former Board member of Shore Personnel. He is Director of Engineering at Benbro and is a Justice of the Peace in NSW.
John was awarded the Order of Australia in January 2007.