IB Woman
Issue No. 30 - August/September 2006
SAJC takes glamour on a new track
Fiona Hutchins and Helen Lawton-French
by Penelope Herbert
Making every post a winning post has new meaning for the South Australian Jockey Club despite their 168-year history of racing. Giving credit to determined SAJC chief executive officer, Steve Ploubidis, for his vision and the strategic growth of the Club, Fiona Hutchins and Helen Lawton-French are deeply involved in what has become a great success story.
Helen joined the SAJC just two months ago as business development manager after 12 years in corporate sales, marketing and catering with the SANFL. She is invigorated by the atmosphere and the opportunity to be directly involved in a major sporting fraternity outside football.
“I loved my role with the SANFL,” she quickly concedes, “but I am now integrated in a process to achieve a final outcome. The vision, development and moving forward of the racing industry is part of my working life beyond my key focus on catering and feature race days.”
Colleague Fiona Hutchins has been with the SAJC for seven months as sponsorship manager and has seen an astonishing rise in the interest in and diversity of racing related business opportunities. She works closely with Helen in the area of corporate hospitality packages and is proud of the reputation the SAJC has developed.
The SAJC was struggling to make racing relevant to the majority of the population. Research suggested potential sponsors believed sponsorship was expensive without understanding what could be achieved through race sponsorship. To attract smaller businesses the SAJC offered $1000 corporate packages that included hospitality for 10 people, betting vouchers, and non-feature race day race naming rights.
“What many people didn’t realise was that if you sponsor a race, even as part of the $1000 package, your race name was promoted on the day at the track but also in every race guide, TAB, Sky channel and associated outlets nationwide,” says Fiona. “That’s a very cost-effective way to host clients and raise y...
