PRESS RELEASE: “George Stamas and Jasmine Groves: Turning Dreams into Reality with Australia’s Largest Indigenous Cleaning Company”

Once upon a time, in the bustling city of Sydney, Australia, George Stamas, the Director of GJK Facility Services, had a deep-seated belief that businesses had the power to change lives. It was this belief that led him on a journey to mentor and support an incredible young entrepreneur named Jasmine Groves.

Jasmine had a dream—a dream to launch an Aboriginal owned and operated commercial cleaning company. Inspired by the legacy of her great-grandfather, Herbert Groves, who had passionately fought for social equality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Jasmine was determined to carry on his mission and make a lasting impact.

Herbert Groves had been a prominent activist during the 1950s and 60s, tirelessly advocating for the improvement of lives and basic human rights for Indigenous Australians. He played a vital role in the success of the 1967 referendum, ensuring a brighter future for First Nations people.

Recognizing Jasmine’s passion and dedication, George Stamas became her mentor and together they formed a powerful partnership. Together, they established GJK Indigenous Solutions, a company that would not only offer exemplary cleaning services but also contribute to diversity in the industry and the community.

Cultural awareness training, Indigenous recruitment, and supplier diversity solutions became integral aspects of GJK Indigenous Solutions. Their primary goal was to advocate for and support the economic advancement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, businesses, and communities. Through purposeful engagement, sustainable employment, and overall empowerment, they aimed to make a difference in Indigenous Australia.

Their collaboration soon flourished, growing into a thriving business known today as Killara Services. Led by Jasmine Newman, a dynamic leader inspired by the legacy of her great-grandfather, Killara became the largest Indigenous cleaning company in Australia.

Under Killara’s banner, the JEFA Program, an acronym for “Justice and Equality for All,” was developed to provide Indigenous individuals with education and employment opportunities. The program aimed to follow in the footsteps of Herbert Groves, promoting access to education and advancement for the betterment of Indigenous Australians.

Killara’s dedication to diversity did not go unnoticed. Their memberships with Supply Nation, the NSW Indigenous Chamber of Commercial, and other Indigenous associations and chambers showcased their commitment to meeting both corporate and community requirements as a representative indigenous business.

Through purposeful engagements and specialized programs, Killara fostered strong partnerships with individuals, businesses, and communities. They actively created real and sustainable employment opportunities for Indigenous Australians, ensuring a culturally inclusive and supportive workplace. Their efforts focused on the empowerment and social and economic advancement of the Indigenous workforce, communities, and business sector.

The remarkable work of Killara and Jasmine’s leadership did not go unrecognized. In 2020, they were honored as the Indigenous Business of the Year in the Defense Industry awards. The following year, they were nominated for the Supplier Diversity Partnership of the Year at the Supply Nation Awards and walked away as the winners of the Property Council of Australia’s Award for Best Diversity in the category of more than 250 employees. Their commitment to excellence and collaboration also led them to become winners at the Indigenous Excellence National Awards in 2022.

As they continued to make their mark in the industry, Killara became finalists in the Defense Industry Awards, standing out in the categories of Indigenous Business of the Year, Training and Mentorship Program, and Subcontractor of the Year.

The journey of George Stamas and Jasmine Groves is a testament to the power of belief, mentorship, and collaboration. Their determination to make a difference in the lives of Indigenous Australians has guided them to build a company that not only thrives but also positively impacts communities and creates opportunities for those in need.

Their story continues to inspire others, reminding us all that businesses can indeed change lives and lead the way towards a more inclusive and empowered future.

Featured in Inclean magazine
INCLEAN
2023 Industry
Leaders
Forum
Jasmine Newman
Managing Director and Co-Founder
Killara Services

How was 2022 for Killara Services? What were the highlights? What were the challenges?

2022 was a real foundation year for the growth journey of Killara Services. We undertook a full rebrand to create our own Indigenous identity, our industry came out of one the largest global epidemics, which resulted in substantial labour and resourcing strains, and lastly, we were recognised across the industry via a number of award wins.

This included being awarded Telstra’s Best of Business ‘National Indigenous Excellence’ Award, NSW Indigenous Chamber of Commerce’s ‘Indigenous Business of the Year award at the Infrastructure and Construction awards, and I was luckily enough to be awarded the ‘Indigenous Businesswoman of the Year’ award by Supply Nation which is our governing body for the Indigenous business sector.

What have been some of the learnings has the company taken from the challenges faced over the past 12 months?

With the year-on-year rapid growth we’ve experienced, it’s been particularly hard to ensure we managed our new contract transitions whilst not burning out our people in trying to sustain the growth.

We have also started to compete with the larger commercial cleaning companies through various invite only tender processes, with my executives and management team working tirelessly to ensure we are a cleaning force to be reckoned with and are demonstrating our capability to compete with them.

What do you see as the main challenges the market is facing in 2023?

Each business has their own stressors and challenges, but for me and Killara, we are working to overcome barriers to employment for Indigenous Australians, particularly within the incarceration space and how we can help Indigenous mob get back into normalised life and employment.

Cleaning companies are fighting each other over cleaning workforce, I’m not. I am upskilling and training my mob into cleaning roles all over the country to put ‘bread and butter’ on the table of their homes.

What are the company’s main priorities for 2023?

Sustain our growth trajectory, keep our amazing people in secure employment, and ensure we stay true to being the largest employer of Indigenous mob all over the country.

Are there any key sustainability commitments/targets Killara has made for 2023? How will you measure your progress?

We are currently working very hard to meet our client sustainability targets and also working towards a net zero target ourselves as a company.

This involves ensuring we continue to utilise ‘green’ chemicals across all our service delivery, educating our cleaners on water and electricity minimisation and waste segregation when working in our client sites and choosing the best equipment and products that not only deliver a high-quality, fit for purpose solution but also have a measure of environmental benefit included.

We are also working on a more practical waste solution for our customers that will see technology becoming more involved rather cleaners tracking waste contamination with a pen and paper in hand.

What’s the biggest challenge facing leaders today?

Quiet quitting – people giving up inside your business and saying nothing to see if their concerns can be resolved and fixed. As a leader, I have ensured I am being more accessible to all our team members throughout the entire business. I have increased my WIP calls to weekly for the team members I don’t see every day to ensure I am on point with my people, my finger is on the pulse and I am working to support them as they support my business.

Is there a message that you would like to share with the industry?

Cleaning customers if you’re after a deadly cleaning company reach out to Killara Services.

Killara is a Dhurug word for ‘always there’ which relates to my team always being there for our people, communities and customers.

This first appeared in the January/February 2023 issue of INCLEAN magazine.