About Errol - Managing Director, JMC Group of Companies

“Creating something great out of not much is probably the most inspiring thing an individual can do”.

Errol was born in Smithton attended Eidith Creek Area and Smithton Primary School before joining Launceston Grammar in 1965 for his secondary Education. After six years at Grammar, he left school with a contract to have a crack at AFL football and in January 1971 joined Hawthorn Football Club for a very short career.

He joined Ford Australia in Sales and Marketing after the Hawks suggested his football career was not going to generate him a big salary. He married in 1972 just prior to joining Ford. In 1978 at age 25 he bought a small Ford Dealership in Bairnsdale Eastern Victoria. After spending 14 years there he moved his family back to Launceston in 1992 to buy Jackson Ford.

His first property purchase in Tasmania in 1993 was the former Glen Dhu Infant School in Wellington Street which he developed and still retains as his Launceston Family home.

His quest to have an automotive business with enough scale to last for 50 years saw him go statewide and over the next 15 years he bought and developed eight sites from Burnie to Hobart. These sites now house 12 brands, employ 420 staff, sell around 8,000 units per annum and service 80,000 cars annually. His two children Troy and Kristy now run the Automotive operations.

In the year 2000 he bought the William Hart Dock directly opposite his head office motor operation in Charles Street Launceston. In the same year he bought the Albuera Street School in Battery Point.

Errol formed a partnership with Chris Morris and together they developed the Albuera Street School, the Seaport in Launceston, CH Smith and the Silo Hotel. Errol and his partners still retain both hotels and a part of C H Smith.

Errol continued to develop as his children gained the skill to run the automotive operations. He now builds large format retail for listed companies or specific properties for Government and corporate groups.

He is presently undertaking the redevelopment of the former Mary Grange Aged Care facility in Hobart to residential, the former Police Headquarters in Hobart to residential and 23 residences in South Launceston. He has plans to build a convention centre opposite the Silo’s along with another 120-room hotel. His businesses now employ 600 people.

His favourite times are with his grandchildren, his family and his dog.