Mr Filing, who has in recent years opened several Aussie mortgage broker franchises, received the accolade at the association’s recent awards night at Joondalup Resort.
‘The wonderful thing is this award came from the JBA, which I have a great deal of respect for in helping to develop Joondalup,’ the three-term Moore MHR said.
‘When Joondalup was just a concept and as it grew, a lot of people were quite timid in the sense it takes guts and determination to invest in a new and non-existent city and keep at it until businesses grow. Now people come here and think it’s always been here.
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READ NOW‘There were only four buildings in Joondalup as recently as 1990, three of which were named after Wanneroo (the hospital, council and basketball stadium).’
He said the JBA had ‘always had confidence in and a vision for Joondalup as a place where people could shop and do business in a dynamic environment’.
‘So for me to be recognised in that way was a great honour,’ he said.
Mr Filing was born in Germany in 1955 while his dad was stationed there with the Royal Air Force.
When his dad joined the RAAF, the family moved to Canberra. Mr Filing settled in Perth before serving in the police force for eight years and in Federal Parliament.
In the past six years he has taken on Aussie franchise stores in Currambine, Joondalup, Belmont, Midland, Fremantle, Gosnells and Kalamunda in partnership with his sons, wife Geraldine and business partners. Daughter Isabelle joined Aussie at Joondalup in 2008.
He said he was inspired by Aussie founder John Symond. See also: Awards do the business and Success for dance school