Our Executive Team
The Stevens Group is led by Managing Director and Owner, John Stevens. John’s leadership and entrepreneurial skills, have enabled him to assemble a highly experienced team of qualified professionals, many of whom have been with the group for more than 10 years.
Our team of industry professionals include: Engineers, Project Managers, Architects, Town Planners, Property Sales, Asset Managers, Financial Controllers, Lawyers, Leasing and Marketing, Hoteliers, Residential Building Managers and Cost Estimators.
John Stevens
Founder and Managing Director
John is the Founder and Managing Director of the Stevens Group and the driving force behind the success of over 250 + development projects to date. John’s passion to embrace the industry, has seen him grow the company to specialise in projects across the commercial, retail, residential and retirement living sectors. With over 36 years at the helm, his passion and natural intuition for this industry are as focussed today, as it was in the beginning. He unites an experienced senior level management team, to strategically drive the company’s objectives in design, delivery and quality standards, to not only meet expectations but exceed them. John is fully immersed in all of the Stevens Group projects. John’s proven track record of bringing concepts for developments to life, has resulted in a number of National and State Awards being delivered to his projects including the Glengara Retirement Village and the recent National AHA Award for Headlands Hotel at Austinmer as the Best Regional Hotel in Australia... John sits on the board of Hunter Valley Wine Tourism Association in the Hunter Valley and is also the President of the Terrigal Trojan Rugby Club on the NSW Central Coast.
Brett Harrod
Development Director
Brett is the Associate Director for the Stevens Group and is responsible for the acquisition and management of new development projects as well as overseeing developments through to delivery. Throughout the development process Brett holds a key primary role in the ongoing management, consultancy and delivery of projects. Brett has an in-depth knowledge of property development from over 40 years’ experience in the industry and has been involved in the delivery of commercial, residential, retail and industrial property projects. Having started his career in Real Estate, Brett’s industry knowledge and experience is instrumental when it comes to delivering the best possible outcomes for both the Stevens Group and our clients.
Michael O'Brien
Finance and Operations Director
Michael leads the finance team and is a qualified CPA accredited Accountant, having gained tertiary qualifications in Financial Administration, Accounting and Finance from the University of New England. He is responsible for overseeing all functions of the organisations financial operations and forecasting for the Stevens Groups diverse range of assets and brands. With a wealth of experience in the field of finance within the building, construction and funeral services industries, Michael’s leadership, combined with his considered approach, is credited to the group’s profitability and financial capability to fund future projects.
Paul Cutting
Senior Development Manager
Paul is a retained consultant development manager responsible for both acquisition and delivery of projects across a diverse range of asset classes. Paul has decades of experience in industrial, commercial, medical, retail, hospitality, automotive and residential development to name a few; as well as land subdivisions and civil projects. His keen eye for detail and his experience in negotiating and delivering high quality projects plays a pivotal role within the development team.
Lin Armstrong
Planning Services Manager
Lin is a qualified town planner and holds the key position of Manager for Planning Services within the Group. Lin has over 25 years experience in both the public and private sectors having held senior positions in both Local and State Government. In her role with Stevens Group, she is responsible for taking projects from inception through to construction and negotiating the raft of approvals required in property development. Lin’s knowledge of the NSW planning approval process and legislation allows her to respond to the varying demands of regulatory authorities with expertise and professionalism. Lin is highly regarded within the planning industry and is a corporate member of the NSW UDIA.
Ben Johnson
Senior Development Manager
Ben Johnson is a qualified Civil Engineer with tertiary qualifications from the University of Queensland with over 20 years’ experience in the engineering and building industry. Ben is responsible for the management and delivery of projects including overseeing the Stevens Group hallmark site The Vintage in the Hunter Valley. Ben brings his technical understanding and experience, as well as his hardworking and meticulous approach to all aspects of his role with the Stevens Group.
Janine Jeffery
Executive Assistant and Office Manager
Janine is responsible for providing a high level executive support to John Stevens the Managing Director of Stevens Group. Her extensive experience, dedication and commitment enable her to adapt to a fast paced work environment with professionalism and accuracy. Having worked for the Stevens Group for over 15 years, Janine is highly regarded among her colleagues and clients and is the heart of the Stevens Group team.
Jason Capuano
Development Director
As Development Director, Jason’s role is focused on acquisition and new site development. Jason works closely with all major fuel and fast food retailers to find new development site opportunities and also manages the end to end delivery of many of our residential apartment development projects.
Ben Gove
Development Manager
Ben is an experienced Development Manager responsible for the delivery of fuel, food and retail projects from design to completion. He is a proactive manager who has a detailed understanding of all aspects of design, with experience managing client and contractor relationships throughout the development process. Bens outgoing personality and his background in architectural design make him a valuable contributor to the design process.
Geoffrey Beale
Project Manager
Geoff is a qualified builder with a carpentry and joinery background who holds tertiary qualifications in Building and Construction and Project Management. In 2016 Geoff was accepted to the Master Builders Association of NSW Building Consultants Council as an Accredited Building Consultant. Having over 17 years industry experience, working across residential and commercial projects, Geoff brings a diverse practical and technical knowledge base to the Stevens Group and is a key part of our delivery team responsible for the coordination and management of multiple projects.
Amy Magurren
Assistant Town Planner and PA
Amy has over 10 years’ experience working as a Personal Assistant in large firms within the building industry, before moving into Town Planning. Amy is responsible for assisting Lin Armstrong the Manager for Planning Services with the timely delivery of planning services within the development process. Having already completed a Bachelor of Business, Amy is currently completing a post graduate Diploma of Urban and Regional Planning to formalise her qualifications in Town Planning.
David Burgin
Solicitor
David is a lawyer consulting to and operating out of the offices of Stevens Group offices, for the past eight years. Admitted as a solicitor in 1979 he has almost 40 years’ experience as a sole practitioner and law firm partner on the Central Coast of NSW. In all that time he gained experience in most areas of law and has developed a keen interest in property and development law.
Julie Wilson
Legal Assistant
Julie is an experienced Legal Secretary working alongside David Burgin. She brings professionalism and attention to detail to her role. Julie has extensive experience in Property and Development Conveyancing having worked with David previously as a Legal Secretary for over 10 years within his own firm. Her ability to adapt to changing situations and manage ongoing matters has seen her become a valued member of the Stevens Group team.
Wendy Eschler
Residential Sales Manager
Wendy is an experienced Marketing and Sales Manager and specializes in residential land subdivisions. She is dedicated to assisting buyers when securing residential land by utilising her detailed knowledge and experience in assessing the slope, orientation, and aspect of each block to help take advantage of the best design solutions possible. Wendy offers her clients expert design advice for their new home, based on over 15 years’ experience working with quality residential subdivision designs.
Mackenzie Stevens
Assistant Development Manager
Mackenzie has been with the Stevens Group since the start of 2016 where he has assisted in the acquisition department. He is responsible for assisting in the delivery of industrial and commercial sites including the Gateshead, Steel River and North Wyong industrial warehouses of which he has been the main project supervisor . Mackenzie is currently balancing work with study and is completing a Bachelor of Construction Management (Building) with honours at the University of Newcastle.
Josh Harrod
Assistant Development Manager
Josh joined the Stevens group as an Assistant Development Manager in 2015 and as a part of our development team has been involved in a number of our landmark commercial, industrial and residential developments. Josh is currently studying a Bachelor of Business at The University of Newcastle, whilst studying Josh has been able to build his knowledge of the development industry through firsthand experience working alongside expert property professionals at the Stevens Group.
Kelly Mitchell-Kilbride
Group Accountant
Kelly is a qualified Management Accountant with a diverse background in commercial finance environments giving her a strong foundation to achieve the efficient operation of the company’s financial resources. She provides accurate financial and management accounting information for the development team as well as oversees the head office finance department operations. Kelly’s qualifications include an Advanced Diploma in Accounting and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Newcastle.
Kim Waterhouse
Marketing and Communications Manager
Kim’s experience in the Marketing and Communications industry has spanned over 20 years. Primarily working in Hotels, Tourism and Brand Agencies both within Australia and Overseas, her specialty areas focus on Digital Marketing and Innovative Brand Identity. She has worked in senior management roles for some of the world's leading hotels; including Leading Hotels of the World, Mirvac Hotels, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Hayman Island Resort and the Golden Door Resorts and Spas. With a degree in Marketing and in Communications, Kim believes the key to success is that we must stay ahead of our client’s needs and discover what that want before they do!
Accounts Team
Team
Our dedicated accounts team are the backbone of the company. They ensure the team is focused on their budgets and keeping the processes in place for successful financial outcomes.
