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| Grant Dwyer with Jennifer Hawkins (centre) |
GRANT DWYER is well spoken young entrepreneur who often does business the old gentlemanly way-on a handshake.
Running a medium sized model and promotional agency from chic premises in Double Bay, he has had countless successes. Dwyer has a unique eye for spotting talent amongst the dozens of young aspiring models who walk through his door.
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| Jamie Foxx |
In just the past few years, many of the careers launched by Dwyer have become household names.
Model
Ashlea Talbot, teenage water skiing champion
Lauryn Eagle,
Celebrity Apprentice winner
Jesinta Campbell, TV presenter
Rachael Finch and the most successful
Miss Universe ever
Jennifer Hawkins.
Donald Trump's Miss Universe contest was languishing in the doldrums until Dwyer spotted the young Newcastle demonstration model Hawkins and persuaded her to enter the quest. A panel of judges that included fashion photographers, journalists and the Oscar winning actor
Jamie Foxx all concurred with Dwyer's choice and sent Hawkins off to the 2004 quest in Ecuador.
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| Lauryn Eagle |
When Hawkins took the
Miss Universe crown the contest became a major media event that astonished even the jaded Trump who couldn't believe his luck. Dwyer organised a home coming tour that would have been the envy of any chart topping pop group. Hundreds of fans rushed Hawkins. TV and newspaper cameras followed her every move over a two week tour of Australia culminating in the famous fashion slip in Sydney that catapulted Hawkins back onto front pages and TV screens around the world .
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| Rachael Finch |
Now a legal stoush has broken out over one of Dwyer's top discoveries Rachael Finch
On Wednesday in the Downing Street Local Court Finch's current manager
Deborah Miller was ordered to pay Dwyer $9406 after Dwyer said he brokered a deal for Finch to appear as a celebrity
ambassador for the McHappy Day fundraiser, which raises money for Ronald
McDonald House Charities, after learning the beauty once worked for the
fast food chain.
The rewards enjoyed by Dwyer's discoveries can be considerable. Even though Finch only came fourth in the 2009 Miss Universe contest in the Bahamas, Dwyer was already negotiating deals before she had returned to Sydney including a $45,000 make-up deal and a Disney promotion for $36,000.
As for Jennifer Hawkins, as the face of
Myer department stores and with her own range of swimwear, Hawkins is estimated to earn up to $5M a year.
Tropfest's death have been greatly exaggerated (we are guilty too). Fortunately they have found a new sponsor and the event will take place on Sunday February 14th this year. The location will be Centennial Park and the weather should be perfect at that time of the year instead of the original December date which really can be quite humid.. And that's a Very Good Thing. And congrats should go to Tropfest found John Polson for persevering in the face of adversity.
