Fast Facts
Type of person Individual

Damian McGee was the recipient of the 2018 Australia Day, Gawler Special Commendation Corporate Citizen of the Year Award.


My family to Gawler building a house at Evanston in 1985. My father, Brendan McGee was a prominent policeman including serving time as President of the Police Association of South Australia. My mother also had a distinguished career as Housing Manager with the Sa Housing Trust. I have one younger sister, currently living in Canberra working for the Australian Federal Police.

I attended secondary schooling at Blackfriars Priory School (where my father also attended) and University at UniSA, studying an Associate Diploma in Business (Industrial Engineering).

I gained employment as a 15-year-old as a trolley boy at Gawler Foodland (thank you, Mike Johnson), spending 7+ years in supermarkets working a variety of positions including department management. My corporate career began with a sales role at Kimberly Clark Australia with a 5-year tenure. My fathers passing in 2003 saw me leave mu initial corporate foray to follow my dreams to buy the lease of The Exchange Hotel with a friend. I only lasted 18 months; well and truly learning that friends and business were the poorest of mixes.

I re-entered corporate life with GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare and was promoted quickly in my 5 years resulting in a State Management role responsible for both the SA and WA markets. An ill-advised move from pharmaceuticals into medical saw me have a short stint as State Sales Manager for Healthscope Pathology. the role was a poor fit for me ethically and professionally and I soon moved into the roof many men's dreams... a Sales Manager for Carlton and United Breweries.

During my time with CUB, the opportunity to purchase the business of the Exchange Hotel was again afforded to me. I ran the hotel under management for 2 years until the growth of the business started to cause some conflict of interest concerns with CUB given my senior role there. Subsequently, I resigned from CUB to better into the hotel in a full time working capacity where I currently remain.

I have been married to Jess for nearly 5 years, with a beautiful 22-month-old daughter Pippa, both of whom I adore immensely.

Please <click here> to view photos of Damian McGee.

Please click the Youtube link below to watch Damian McGee's presentation on the Exchange Hotel, filmed at the July 2018 Gawler History Team meeting.

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References


2018 Australia Day Gawler Special Commendation Corporate Citizen of the Year Damian McGee
2018 Australia Day Gawler Special Commendation Corporate Citizen of the Year Damian McGee

Memories of McGee Damian

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