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ACE - now fun for all the family!
Take 100 consultants. Add 100 spouses and partners. Now throw in 100 children aged from 2 months to 16 years and what do you get?
One hell of a fantastic ACE program! Our brief for the SMS weekend retreat at Lorne was for the sessions to be as entertaining and engaging for the families as they were for the conference delegates. And thanks to multiple programs including the ACE Race and ACE mini Olympics (featuring everything from wandering street performers to venomous snakes!) everyone left on a high. No doubt there was plenty of family discussion on the drive home!
With KPMG, bigger IS better.
With the first KPMG graduate induction program 5 years ago, ACE stretched our resources to accommodate nearly 300 people. 'Wow' we thought...'It doesn't get any bigger than this!' Leap ahead to 2008 and things just keep getting bigger - and better! This year we topped it all to simultaneously engage 560 eager young professionals across dual Project Apricots and 4 ACE Races. It was our biggest day ever and, thanks to ACE and KPMG staff, hugely successful. In fact it ran so smoothly we think next year we can handle the ton!
Dunlop gets amazing.
No one quite knew what to expect when they bolted from the starting line at the Dunlop Foam ACE Race at Aitken Hill last month. But after racing to beat the other teams in everything from boot camp and yoga, to rock climbing and fairy stories, there were plenty of amazed racers crossing the finish line. Even Mary the Fairy flew out on a high - amazed at the enthusiasm and spirit of the Dunlop crew as they competed in this fun and entertaining adventure.
Not just life on Mars - talent too!
When Orson Welles spoke of the horror of an invasion from Mars in the 1930's, he clearly knew nothing of Mars' undiscovered talent! ACE held a spectacular night time talent extravaganza to help showcase the brilliance of the crew from Mars at Aitken Hill recently, with stellar performances all around. There was the weird, the wonderful and the totally out-of-this-world… but nothing remotely alien in sight.
Twinkle Twinkle
What's fast, furious and more fun than a sack of monkeys?* It's Dancing With The Stars - ACE style! Skin care supremos Private Formula started the year with our highly entertaining version of the TV show, and the legal team from ANZ have just finished a dance off more ferocious than any legal battle they’ve encountered! Our version combines solid experiences in creative teamwork and problem solving with all the energy and excitement of a live show. Who knew that stepping out of your comfort zone and onto the dance floor could be so much fun? You’ll be glad to know that host big mike - as Daryl - is equally annoying - but in a good way!
*ACE advises against putting monkeys in a sack.
From little things, big things grow.
It is an immutable law of the universe that the cycle of growth starts small: the big bang, the massive oak from a tiny seed if you will. That's why ACE is more than a little scared about just where Project Apricot is heading! What began as an exercise conducted across a conference table has expanded to include half a tonne of equipment dozens of staff and a cast of hundreds - with a race track replacing the table. Witness KPMG circa 2006 - more than 500 graduates working on ACE's Project Apricot (a complex team building business game) excitedly, collaboratively, triumphantly across nearly 30 teams towards a common goal. Who would have thought such a feat possible 10 years ago and just how big will it be in 10 years time? Note to self: must re-read Einstein on whether the universe is expanding or contracting.
Fire your advertising agency!
How many organizations are simply throwing away money on advertising when they have the dynamic, creative people – visionaries every one – working right under their noses? It was a question ACE set out to address with some of the big banks recently, as we put them through our Director’s Cut movie making activity. We provide a briefing, a vision and some props, then simply hand them a video camera - and what we discovered will shock you!
NAB, ANZ and many other organizations are literally overflowing with creativity, marketing savvy and pure, unadulterated genius! Sure it’s a fun, engaging way to explore some serious concepts, and there is a little editing involved. But the short films produced by the various teams from these organizations give testament to their skills. Now, if they could just get someone to fill in for their day jobs.
Oongala Ooongala feels better now.
The great God Oongala Oongala has presided over many a hard fought team building session, but none have left him feeling in such fine form as the short, fun and energetic session at Aitken Hill recently. He may look angry, but inside he's as happy as the Medibank Private team. With that kind of passion and enthusiasm, no wonder they all feel so good!
Spring Fashion springs into the Springs
Not a horse in sight, just plenty of fashion victims (and their vanquishers!) at KPMG's Music Trivia Extravaganza night held at Hepburn Springs during the Melbourne Spring Racing carnival.We can assure you that all accounts were in order and the only betting was on who would take home the champion's trophy. Although only one team emerged from the fun, festive evening as the champs, all agreed that trivia and high fashion were the real winners on the night.
Danger! Wayne Kerr on site!
It was warm, genuine smiles all round as the Australian Bureau of Statistics confronted, cajoled and (eventually) impressed Mr Wayne Kerr, the self-congratulatory 'client' from the ACE business game Project Apricot. Wayne dropped by to add a few challenging dimensions on a surprise visit during our tailored experiential exercise for the ABS Leadership program at Lancemore Hill. Sadly, Wayne was unable to stay for dinner?could that be the real reason everyone is smiling?
Baby, You're a Star
 Imagine
cramming 230 Commonwealth Bank high flyers into one hotel in the heart of Sydney and then forcing them to work collaboratively
across multiple rooms and floors using lifts, stairs, phones and walky-talkies. Add to that the madness of Project
Apricot: one of the most deviously intricate and mind-boggling business games ACE have ever devised and you'd be
as impressed as we were at the stellar performance of the CBA Star Forum team. From the black hole of confusion
emerged a shining example of heavenly teamwork. (pun count = 5)
Financial Quid Pro Quo
 And
we thought balancing the ACE books was difficult! Our recent outings with some of Australia 's leading financial
institutions has given us a little more perspective on the heady world of finance. After ongoing work with NAB,
ANZ, BT and CBA, ACE have mastered the use of acronyms ? and gained some valuable financial advice (cut costs, increase
profitability!) ? while simultaneously helping build better teamwork, improving communication and adding a whole
lot of fun. Roll on tax time!
A 'Dream' start to the year!
 The Dream Team - a new and highly innovative ACE team building activity - was successfully launched at the start of the year. A fun, creative, multi-faceted and hugely entertaining team exercise, The Dream Team highlights the benefits of collaboration, is suitable for groups of up to 50 delegates and can be conducted at any venue.
Bigger IS better!
 ACE were back at Stadium Australia, Sydney, to kick start the year - new, improved and 30% larger. No, it's not
an ad for breakfast cereal, it was the National Graduate Induction program for KPMG. After kicking
some goals (and learning a few tricks) with 300 delegates at last year's conference, we're happy
to report that this year's 375 graduates firmly endorsed the event as an outstanding success. I wonder
if we can FILL the stadium next year?!
Puttin on the Ritz
 You would be forgiven for mistaking Flowerdale Estate for the scene of a Gatsby-esque party had you been there
a few months ago. ACE ran a four day conference for Private Formula International that was nothing
short of theatrical! A great start to the year, it had everything a good party needs including a red carpet awards
night, conga lines, fashion parades, wine, women and song and dancing all night long. On top of that, the company
actually managed to engage in some important work and strategic planning ? with style, of course!
When the going gets tough
 If a change is as good as holiday,
the recent MAB conference at stunning Aitken Hill must have left the delegates relaxed beyond comprehension!
Asked to design an experience that was both physically and mentally challenging, ACE wove water,
rock, trees, paint and the vast grounds of Aitkin Hill into an afternoon session to highlight the value of teamwork,
creative thinking and strategic planning. MAB braved sunny conditions and a warm wind to spend the afternoon rock
climbing, orienteering, canoeing and problem-solving team activities. Come to think of it, as they triumphantly
headed back for well-earned showers, they DID look pretty?relaxed!
Looking for miracle cures
 Finding a cure for cancer may well take a miracle ? but it will also take great teamwork and collaboration. In
looking to the future of medicine and research, 100 scientists and biochemists from Mayne Pharma
participated in a very successful ACE business game to learn how to improve collaboration within their division.
Let's hope their huge success in the field of team building leads to even greater success in the lab.
Whoever dies with the most toys, wins!
ACE were able to unveil some of our new technological wizardry over three memorable rainforest sessions for Siemens
Hearing Instruments.
After overcoming a few airline hiccups on the way to Brisbane , the sessions ran with a lot of pizzazz ? and without
a hitch ? thanks to our shiny new Apple G4 Powerbook and some new high-powered DVD presentations. As it turns out, ?Whoever
dies with the most toys, wins? is not just for T-shirts and coffee cups!
We're singing in the rain!
As luck would have it, when Melbourne experienced its greatest rainfall in recorded history,
ACE were right in the middle of the deluge on the way to Werribee ? one of the worst hit areas. As roads disappeared,
cars were swamped and traffic became a soggy nightmare with the freeway at a standstill for tens of kilometres.
Thankfully (and with a little ingenuity!) an impromptu mission control centre was set up to guide delegates to the
higher ground in the back streets of Werribee. All arrived at the Mansion Hotel a little damp but safely and (mostly)
on time.
Creative, Crazy Conferences!
 The genius and innovation of ACE clients never ceases to amaze us. Take the recent Private Formula International conference at the Country Place for example. (see feature on our favourite venues for more on The Country Place). This fantastic 3 day event covered everything from indoor training, movie making and outdoor activities to demonstrations, karaoke and a fancy dress murder mystery evening. We even managed to slip in a winery tour and a make over!
On an equally inspiring note, ACE facilitated a very enjoyable multi day business banking conference for Bendigo Bank. Of interest was the quality of key presenters, particularly an inspirational address by CEO Rob Hunt
All Conferences Great and Small
 Over 300 KPMG graduates were involved in the biggest, most complicated business game that ACE have ever organised, which took place in and around the Sydney Olympic Stadium. Buoyed by the lack of concern shown by QANTAS baggage handlers over the 250 kg of equipment we took on the plane, ACE vow that next year will be even bigger! From one end of the wedge to the other, ACE's smallest conference for the year was held in Sydney recently. Four senior managers from L3 Communications embarked on a two day strategic planning conference at the Stamford Hotel in Sydney. Dan was happy to report that, unlike KPMG, learning delegate's names wasn't a problem.
Sisters are doing it for themselves
 Testosterone was at an all time low at recent conferences with Flight Centre, Enjo and Private Formula International, with most of the delegates being women. While there were subtle differences in behaviour over, say, all-male conference groups, there was nothing subtle about the ongoing success of these three companies. Dan and Mike - token males at the events - were even inspired to try a skin rejuvenation cream with, I can report, positive results.
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