The 2025 JN Annual Conference introduced a fresh theme — “Lunch ‘n’ Lawn” — hosted at the beautiful Gledswood Homestead & Winery.
From the moment the buses rolled in from Sutherland and Wollongong and the City crew joined by train, there was a buzz of anticipation in the air. Despite forecasts of rain, the skies held back — leaving us with a cool, cloudy day perfect for long conversations, lawn games and plenty of laughter.
Recognising Achievements
The day began with a warm welcome from Anthony Down, setting the tone for what was to come: reflection, recognition and a whole lot of fun.
Scott McLaughlin took to the stage to reflect on the achievements of those who had stepped up into new roles over the past year, before joining Amie James and Chris Low to honour our long-standing JN team members with service awards.
“The best part of the day was catching up with people I don’t normally get to work with. It’s easy to forget how big our team is until you see everyone in one place.”
– Bridget Chikara,
Finance Manager
Promotions announced over the past year celebrated the hard work, skill and commitment of our people across every discipline:
- September 2024: Alex Brook, Nicolas Leon Lopez, Nick Walker
- January 2025: Kurt Koch, Lachlan Milner
- February 2025: Stephanie Dahan, Luke Meredith
- March 2025: Anthony Mastromauro
- May 2025: Dylan Alexander, Darcy Medway
- New Announcements: Daniel Alderton, Michael Gray, Sam Hunter
This year’s milestones were nothing short of extraordinary — spanning five years of service right through to a remarkable 35 years:
- 5 Years: Dylan Alexander, Robert Mahony, Tony Qi
- 10+ Years: Maria Batman, Chris Guild, Georgia Mullally, Neasha Jeffery
- 15+ Years: Darren Lang
- 20+ Years: Greg Chambers
- 30+ Years: Gerardo Suarez
- 35+ Years: Scott McMillan
It was a celebration not just of milestones, but of the team members whose dedication continues to drive JN forward.
From Lunch to Lawn
With the formalities done, the fun truly began. After a hearty lunch and some wine tasting, the lawn opened up to a festival of games supplied by Game Street Event Hire.
The air filled with cheers as teams battled it out in tug of war and tested their aim with golf pong and bowling. Others tried their luck at giant Jenga, Connect 4 and Kerplunk, while a handful of brave competitors went all-in on the sack races. For those seeking a slower pace, bocce and backyard cricket offered a perfect chance to unwind with colleagues.
“It was great to get everyone together in a relaxed outdoor setting, to catch up with people from all offices. The lawn games, wine tasting and venue were amazing, and the weather turned out good for us!”
– Bradley Mowlam,
Senior Structural Design Engineer
More Than Just a Day Out
A day like Lunch ’n’ Lawn doesn’t just happen. It takes thoughtful planning, coordination and a lot of effort to make it seamless. A huge thanks goes to Amie James, who spearheaded the organisation, along with Chris Low and Sonia Merciai, whose support made the day run effortlessly.
“I loved the atmosphere. You could feel how much people appreciated being together, sharing laughs and celebrating everyone’s achievements. It really showed the culture we’ve built here.”
– Marine Paulsen,
Project Administration Assistant
What made this year’s conference so special wasn’t just the venue, the food or the games — it was the chance to step away from deadlines and projects, connect with colleagues across offices, and celebrate what makes JN strong: our people.
Check out all pics from the day here.
JN has been proudly serving the construction industry in Australia since 1970. In the early years, we operated as a small family business, specialising in the field of structural engineering. Today, JN has grown into a multidisciplinary engineering consultancy with offices across NSW and Queensland, employing around ninety individuals. Our team of experts possesses comprehensive knowledge in various engineering disciplines. JN engineering consultants specialise in civil, structural, electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, fire, sustainable, remedial, traffic and cladding services. We provide support to organisations, businesses and government entities in achieving their engineering and construction objectives. Our services encompass feasibility studies, conceptual design, detailed design, project management, construction supervision, commissioning and maintenance.
