Angelo Puglisi
Angelo Puglisi is considered to be the founder of the modern Queensland Wine Industry and over the past 80 years his family business, Ballandean Estate has been at the forefront of developing and promoting the Queensland wine industry.
Ballandean Estate Wines is without doubt an Icon in the Queensland wine industry. Acclaimed for its hospitality by the Tourism Industry, Ballandean Estate is a member of the Queensland Tourism Hall of Fame.
Heading up the management of this family business, Angelo—known as Queensland’s Godfather of the Wine Industry—has an unsurpassable passion for the industry.
He is highly committed to organising charitable events. Opera in the Vineyard and Jazz in the Vineyard, held annually at Ballandean Estate Wines in partnership with the Rotary Club of Stanthorpe, have raised over one million dollars for Queensland Charities.
During his career Angelo has been on the management committees of numerous industry Associations.
He has been rewarded in many ways including the following:
• Churchill Fellowship to study Winemaking in Europe, 1977.
• Paul Harris Fellow Award for community service, 1995.
• Tourism Ambassador Award, 1998.
• Ambassadors for the Wesley Hospital, 1999.
• Qld Tourism Yellow Pages Business Directions Award, 2001.
• Centenary Medal, 2001.
• Qld Wine Press Club Most Significant Contribution Qld Wine Industry, 2001.
• Queensland Great – awarded by Queensland Government, 2003.
• Bassett Award – awarded by Queensland Wine Industry Association, 2003
• Angelo - Dante Alighieri Society Award for the diffusion of the Italian Language and Culture, 2006.
• Angelo - Australia Day Ambassador, 2005-2011.
• Attended lunch in Brisbane with her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and Duke of Edinburgh as a guest of the Governor of Queensland, 2011.