The Westhaven Association claimed three gongs at the Dubbo Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) Rhino Awards gala event at the Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre on Friday evening: the coveted Gold Rhino, and Silver Rhinos for Employer of Choice and Excellence in Business.

Chief executive officer Christian Grieves said the Gold Rhino was an unexpected honour.

“I’m just so proud for Westhaven, that it’s such a fabulous recognition for the staff,” he said.

“They work so hard, they care for so many people and they do it every day.

“We’re a business that operates 24 hours a day, so sometimes people are a little bit tired but they go to work and do a fabulous job no matter what’s going on.”

The not-for-profit disability service provider is celebrating its 60^th birthday in 2017, and has experienced incredible growth in the last five years.

Not so long ago Westhaven’s staff numbered “in the low 200s”, yet now “we’re sitting at just over 350”, Mr Grieves said.

He predicted staff numbers would grow to more than 400 within the “next year or so”.

“That means that this financial year, that we’ll put more than $20 million back through the Dubbo economy through people’s wages,” Mr Grieves said.

He said that while a good management team was important, “unless we have the right staff, and unless they care for people, it doesn’t really work”.

“I think once we start talking about it in the media, I think [our staff] will start to realise what the Dubbo business community is saying: that Westhaven is the most outstanding business in 2017,” he said.

“I think it will start to hit home that they are working for a business that is being recognised for it’s success and that really, they’re part of that success. It’s down to them.

“We’re successful because of what people do, day-to-day, working with our clients.”