Opus, Geon and Cheque-Mates raise $45,000 at CEO Sleepout

On the night of Thursday 16 June, the CEO Sleepout was held across the state capitals, raising $3.7m for St Vincent De Paul homeless services.

The temperature dropped under 10C overnight at the Sydney event in Luna Park, where Opus chief executive Cliff Brigstocke was joined by executive chairman Richard Celarc, Asia Pacific sales and marketing manager Carrick Wilkie, Cactus Imaging general manager Nigel Spicer and Ligare general manager Wayne Bywater.

Sam Holden, general manager of Opus’ ACT-based CanPrint business, braved -2C conditions overnight in the nation’s capital.

Brigstocke was taking part for the second year so knew he needed to get in early to grab a spot with some cover, and was also prepared for the confronting real-life stories from the people they were trying to help.

“One night is nothing compared with the stories we heard last year and will hear again tonight about the experiences we won’t have to have in our luckier lives,” he told ProPrint last night.

With six representatives, Opus Print Group (pictured) was believed to have the strongest contingent of any company in the country, raising just under $21,000.

Geon’s group chief executive, Graham Morgan, was joined by executive general managers Scott Thompson and Tony Onsley in Sydney, while sustainability and communications manager Kellie Northwood spent a night in Etihad Stadium for the Melbourne event, where the mercury fell below 5C.

Morgan thanked customers, suppliers and employees for pitching in and helping the group raise more than $16,000.

“I used to do work with the Big Issue in the UK so it has always been a cause close to my heart,” he told ProPrint.

Cheque-Mates chief executive Rodney Frost, who raised $6,765, is on the CEO Sleepout organising committee and was taking part for the fourth year.

He said the initiative aimed to raise funds, raise awareness and reduce the stigma,

ProPrint caught up with Frost and Bernard Fehon, who founded the initiative in Penrith in 2006 after trying to organise other events to raise money for Vinnies.

“My kids were doing sleep outs at school and I thought: this is crazy – why don’t we have a CEO sleep out.”

Since then, the project has grown from a single event to a nationwide initiative, which last year raised $2.9m and this year was aiming for $4m, attracting high-profile CEOs such as Commonwealth Bank’s Ralph Norris.

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