Double win at Strata Community Excellence Awards 2023

On Friday 27 October 2023, the SCA (Vic) Strata Community Excellence Awards Gala Dinner was held.

Hosted at the Leonda By The Yarra, the evening was a celebration of those who make a significant contribution to the strata industry and community, from Managers to suppliers and everything in between. We would like to send our congratulations to all finalists and nominees in this year’s awards.

The Knight were proud finalists in six categories this year (click the category to learn more about the award and our nominees):

We are proud to share we came away as winners in two categories at this year’s awards: the Strata Community Manager Rising Star Award and the Environmental, Social & Community Impact Award.

Our win in the ‘Rising Star’ category marks our second win in this category in the past 3 years, illustrative of our dedication to nurturing and celebrating our young strata talent. Our win for the inaugural ‘Environmental, Social & Community Impact’ trophy marks our third year running in the environmental category, after picking up the ‘Environmental & Engagement Award’ in both 2022 and 2021.

WINNER: Strata Community Manager Rising Star – Jessa Yen

This category recognises a new entrant to the industry who has shown outstanding progress early in their career.

We were proud to nominate Owners Corporation Manager, Jessa Yen. Jessa strives at providing a tailored approach for her clients and works tirelessly to foster close working relationships. Since joining The Knight in 2021, Jessa has taken on additional training and is currently part of the Emerging Leadership program at The Knight. She is also pursuing further studies to gain a deeper understanding of legislation and legal specifically pertaining to strata and aims to incorporate her passion for sustainability into her work at The Knight.

Congratulations Jessa on being a winner in this year’s awards.

WINNER: Strata Environmental, Social & Community Impact Award

This award recognises sustainable innovation in the sector via individuals or businesses that have introduced and driven an initiative(s) – be it innovative products, differentiated services, progressive partnerships, or unique policies and/or processes – that are contributing to a greener, fairer, better world.

The Knight’s goal is to be one of the most sustainable strata management companies in Australia. Over the past 12 months we are proud to have implemented or continued with initiatives and partnerships which see us support 7 out of 17 of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, including Zero Hunger, Affordable & Clean Energy, Sustainable Cities & Communities and Responsible Consumption & Production.

We are proud of what we’ve achieved so far and will continue to strive to have a positive impact on the broader community.

RELATED – Sustainable Supply Chain: Reducing the impact of your OC >

FINALIST: Essay Award – Sim Firns

This award recognises an individual who displays a sound understanding of the topic and its relevance to the strata community industry.

Sim Firns submitted an essay titled “Ping… You’ve got mail” diving into the expectations as an OC Manager in the strata industry and the effects of working outside of scope. In her essay, Sim highlights the importance of establishing boundaries and working collaboratively with peers to create a more harmonious working relationship with clients.

We are so pleased for Sim to be recognised as a finalist of this category.

RELATED – The Knight wins 2022 Essay Award >

FINALIST: Support Team Member – Karen Young

This award recognises a person behind the scenes in a management or supplier business who has made an outstanding contribution to the success of their team.

Karen is our Training & Managers Assistant at The Knight. In her role as Training Assistant, she has developed a program to help new assistants feel confident and capable in what can be a challenging and complex role. In addition to being a strong advocate for OC Assistants, Karen has built a more streamlined approach to routine operations at The Knight which has proven incredibly beneficial to the team.

We are so proud of Karen for being recognised for her contributions and excited to see what more she will achieve.

FINALIST: Strata Community Manager – Rama Murugesu

This award recognises a strata community manager who has demonstrated excellence in customer service, a commitment to professional development, business acumen and innovative ideas.

Rama has been with The Knight since 2022, his philosophy towards customer service has remained steadfast, always be attentive. Listening to his clients rather than being immediately reactive has earned Rama the reputation of being a reliable and respected manager. Rama actively pursues training opportunities to nurture his professional development and has also joined the Emerging Leadership program at The Knight to take on further responsibilities and support staff in training sessions.

Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition, Rama.

FINALIST: Strata Community Management Leadership – Scott McCann

This award recognises a people leader who has achieved excellent business results through their people.

Scott joined The Knight in 2012, working in a variety of different roles including, Owners Corporation Assistant, Owners Corporation Manager and Client Services Manager before becoming The Knight’s Operations Manager and Director. His experience over his decade long tenure has allowed for a deeper understanding of business needs and staff success in their roles. Scott is valued for always being approachable and willing to listen, no matter how trivial or serious the matter presented to him. He prioritises the wellbeing of the team, finding solutions to a problem, and discovering the most efficient path forward.

Congratulations on being a finalist in this year’s awards, Scott – we’re so lucky to have you on our leadership team.

RELATED – The Knight win big at the SCA Australasia Awards >