EIGHTEEN MONTHS AFTER A METRE OF WATER CRASHED THROUGH THE PACK & SEND
TOOWOOMBA STORE’S DOORS DURING THE QUEENSLAND FLOODS OF 2010/2011 , PACK
& SEND TOOWOOMBA, ALONG WITH ITS SISTER STORE IN SUMNER, FOUND ITSELF IN THE
SPOTLIGHT FOR ANOTHER REASON. NOT ONLY DID STORE OWNERS DARREN AND AARJAUN
JOHNSON RECOVER THEIR POSITION, THEY EXCEEDED ALL EXPECTATIONS ... TAKING OUT
THE AUSTRALIAN PACK & SEND NETWORK’S HIGHLY COVETED TITLE OF FRANCHISEE OF THE
YEAR FOR 2012!
D
arren Johnson stood in astonishment at the side
of the ballroom stage. He had flown to Sydney
for PACK & SEND’s annual conference at the
Four Points by Sheraton hotel in Darling Harbour and
had expected to be seated throughout much of the Gala
Awards Dinner which had almost reached its defining
moment ... he hadn’t even considered being a finalist.
“I was absolutely stunned,” said Darren on reflection.
“My first thought was that I wished Aarjaun was with
me - knowing that she’d worked so hard for the success
of our businesses.” Darren’s wife and business partner,
Aarjaun, hadn’t been well enough to fly to Sydney and
was, unfortunately, grounded in Queensland.
Darren looked across at the other finalists. Such high
quality; he felt humbled to be amongst them. He could
barely wait to ring Aarjaun and tell her they’d been one
of the finalists.
And then PACK & SEND’s CEO, Michael Paul, read out
the name of 2012’s Australian Franchisee of the Year ...
“It was obvious to anyone present that I was completely
stunned,” said Darren on having heard his and Aarjaun’s
names announced. “I am not usually lost for words but I
was quite overwhelmed.
“To be chosen by a group of people at PACK & SEND
Systems that we respect, as a standout in such a
strong team of franchisees that I also respect, is a very
humbling experience,” he said.
Looking back 18 months earlier, Darren was in quite a
different place ... standing on top of his Toowoomba
store counter, pressed up close beside his fourteen
year old son and store assistant, Tony, as they kept just
above the muddy river water that crashed in through the
door ́