Managing director of Paintmobile, Onoufrios 'Newy' Gorozidis was born in Armenohori of Florina, Greece on the 14th of August 1942. In this small village he grew up as the 2nd child in a rural family of four. Family demands meant that his school life was cut short at grade 5. On the 2nd of February 1955 the family arrived in Port Melbourne having left their village for a better life.
He quickly enrolled at Richmond Technical School where he studied until he was eligible to work. At the age of 14 he began work at a foundry earning 3 pounds 2 schillings a week and would sell newspapers at the night at the local Greek clubs, churches, soccer grounds and Flinders st.
Having been told he looked older than he was, Onoufrios decided to fake his age and apply for a new job at Adams Cakes. He successfully accepted the position increasing his weekly earnings to 12 pounds and 8 schillings.
|
 |
|
Even at a young age he was clearly demonstrating an Entrepreneurial flair earning more money than his father. Following a four year stint at REPCO the urge to start his own business was too great. At the age of 21 Onoufrios decided to apply for his cab drivers license and bought the first taxi six months later, convincing his father to mortgage the family home. It took him another 6 years to turn the single cab into a fleet of 14. During this time he built a workshop depot that provided management, mechanical, panel beating and a team of drivers to drive the taxis.
For 20 years Onoufrios successfully ran his business and following a change of law his instinct and motivation drove him to try something completely new. He sold out from his Taxi business keeping two cabs for himself and started to sell paints and accessories from the boot of his car on Sundays at the trash and treasure market.
|
He quickly learnt the need of customers and turned the boot into a Ambulance and from a small Ambulance to a truck. Having added a trailer to the truck, he would cover two markets in one day leaving his 11 and 12 year old kids to sell from the trailer, while he took the truck across town. In 12 months he opened his first warehouse store appropriately naming it 'Paintmobile'. For the next 6 years Onoufrios continued to sell his paints at the markets from his truck and trailer. In 1992, during the recession he purchased a 16,000 sq feet warehouse in Dandenong, stocking it by purchasing Millions of liters of liquidated stock from bankrupted McEwans stores. In 1997, he opened the second store in Preston and this time he stocked his 32,000 sq feet warehouse with automotive paints from a bankrupt Leyland motor factory.
|
|
 |
|
Onoufrios is married to Patricia, they have five children and nine Grand children.
|
Onoufrios is better known in the community for his generosity and commitment in the struggle to highlight the question of the Pontian genocide. This campaign centers on the death of over 353,000 Greeks who were massacred between 1915 and 1923 during the ottoman occupation. He has been involved in a number of struggles in his campaign and will continue until a resolution is found.
In 1996 Onoufrios found an ideal mountain location of 340 acres at flagpole hill, Flowerdale to commemorate the Monastery of the Virgin Mary “Panagia Soumela” that was destroyed during the Ottoman occupation. He has established the Pontic foundation of Panagia Soumela of Australia, where the community has planted over 2500 olive trees and has plans to build a monastery, museum and camping facilities for children.
He is in the process of bequeathing the property to the foundation that today is valued at over 2 million dollars. His community support is extended to EKEME centre along with a number of churches and clubs. |
|
|
|
