COUNTS DOWN 80-71
THESE are Toowoomba’s most influential people, the men and women who make our city what it is today.
Power and influence are a subjective thing, so you might not agree with everyone we have put, or haven’t put on the list.
Email who you think should be on the list and why to news@thechronicle.com.au.
80. Ken Green
The principal of one of Toowoomba’s four state high schools, Ken Green has guided Harristown State High School for more than a decade.
The school is one of Toowoomba’s largest and most multicultural, with 21 per cent of the student body from a language background other than
English.
Under his leadership the school has also recorded rises in NAPLAN results.
This is his first appearance in the Power 100.
79. Wendy Agar
Wendy Agar has been many things to the Toowoomba community over her life, primary school teacher, tourism operator, financier.
But it was her four year stint at drug and alcohol rehabilitation service Sunrise Way that cemented her place on this list.
She helped save the organisation from financial ruin after she joined in 2016 and established a team and infrastructure that will make sure the organisation continues to operate for years to come.
She departed from the organisation at the end of 2019.
She is now CEO of Magneta Community Services, a disability support and aged care service provider in Queensland and New South Wales.
This is Wendy’s second appearance in the Power 100. Last time she placed 59.
78. Amanda Dalton
Amanda Dalton is the CEO of the Toowoomba Women’s Collective, a local charity that helps some of the most vulnerable women in the region.
Having worked in social services for over 20 years, Amanda started the organisation in 2018.
Less than 12 months later, in September 2019, Protea Place was launched, providing a safe day space for women experiencing a housing crisis by offering access showers, laundry facilities, meals, case management, emotional and practical support, friendship, phone charging, internet access and direct referral to a range of health and housing options.
This was the first facility of its kind for women in Toowoomba and has already changed hundreds of lives.
This is Amanda’s first appearance in the Power 100.
77. Jed Hockin
Jed Hockin is one of Toowoomba’s most successful social media exports.
The local football star has a following of 376,000 people on Instagram, and his videos of ball tricks are often viewed by millions.
He holds four Guinness World Records and has attracted the attention of Real Madrid, who have shared videos of his tricks to their millions of fans.
When he posts something, people all around the world watch and listen.
This is Jed’s first appearance in the Power 100.
76. Graham Secombe
Graham Secombe is the CEO of Aspect Architecture, a local architect firm behind many popular Toowoomba venues including the Walton Stores precinct in the CBD.
That project was gamechanging for Toowoomba’s dining scene.
Mr Secombe and fellow architects at his firm have also worked on projects such as the Arbour Boutique Apartments, and a number of school projects around Toowoomba and southeast Queensland.
Graham placed 88 in the 2018 Power 100.
75. John Fitzgibbons
John Fitzgibbon was the longtime manager of Fitzy’s Toowoomba and comes from a long line of publicans that have been involved in venues all over Queensland.
In 2016 he was named Queensland Hotels Association’s Hotelier of the Year, but has since handed the business over to his children.
In more recent years, John was one of the founding members of the It’s a Bloke Thing Foundation.
He continues to serve on the foundation’s committee to this day.
John placed 72 in the 2018
Power 100.
74. Sandy Pottinger
Sandy Pottinger is regarded as one of Toowoomba’s most prominent artists and art critics.
For three decades she has toured the region’s art galleries and reported the stories behind the art for her weekly art column in The Chronicle.
She is also a respected artist in her own right, hosting countless exhibitions in the city.
He also taught the region’s emerging artists for many years at the University of Southern Queensland.
Sandy placed 67 in the 2018 Power 100.
73. Jim Aspromourgos
Jim Aspromourgos owns a number of venues across the Toowoomba CBD including Rumours International and The Powerhouse.
In the 1990s he played a critical role in the establishment of the Toowoomba Sports Club, and every year the Sports Darling Downs dinner is held at Rumours, one of Toowoomba’s major event facilities.
2020 saw Jim bring The Powerhouse back to life, and while COVID-19 has thrown a curve-ball at some of those plans, he’s continued to push ahead with turning the facility back into the great live music venue it once was.
Jim placed 69 in the 2018
Power 100.
72. Mark and Hazel Johnstone
Mother and son duo Mark and Hazel Johnstone own a number of Subway franchises across Toowoomba and the Darling Downs, employing over 100 locals.
They opened their first store on Margaret St in August 1994 and now operate several across the region.
Their passion for the Subway brand has led them to be among the first stores in the world to debut new menu items and new branding.
This is Mark and Hazel’s first appearance in the Power 100.
71. Darren and Deborah Ramm
Toowoomba couple Darren and Deborah Ramm first met in the 1990s when they were working together at the Dominos store at Wyalla Plaza.
Fast forward a few years and the couple married. Fast forward a few more and they now own not only the Dominos store where they first met, but several others throughout the region.
The couple have employed hundreds of locals over the years and have been recognised by Dominos as some of their best franchisees in the country.
During the 2011 floods, the couple kept their stores open and provided free pizza to those in need, as well as emergency service workers and volunteers.
This is Darren and Deborah’s first appearance in the Power 100.