John Anderson ‘stunned’ by Greater Shepparton Citizen of the Year award

By Taylah Baker

Jan 26, 2024

**Honour:** Mayor Shane Sali awarded John Anderson Greater Shepparton and Shepparton Citizen of the Year. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

Shepparton business figure John Anderson was recognised with the highest honour at the city’s Australia Day Awards ceremony on Thursday, January 25.

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Standing with three other finalists on the stage – Damien Stevens-Todd, Daniel Cleave and Jane Tremellen – Mr Anderson was declared the Shepparton Citizen of the Year and, subsequently, the Greater Shepparton Citizen of the Year.

**Esteemed:** Shepparton Citizen of the Year nominees Daniel Cleave, Damien Stevens-Todd, John Anderson and Jane Tremellen. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

In announcing the award, City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Shane Sali described Mr Anderson as honourable, intelligent, determined, genuine and above all humble.

Mr Anderson’s acceptance speech reinforced the truth of those words.

“This is indeed a great honour which I’ll accept with great pride and surprise because I think that as much as I appreciate it, I know that there are many, many people who justifiably would be deserving of this award,” he said.

“I’m so grateful to the people of Shepparton for the support they’ve given me, and the fantastic people I’ve been involved with along the way, and that’s all the organisations I’ve been involved in... This is really their credit as much as mine.”

**Grateful:** After being named Shepparton Citizen of the Year, John Anderson expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the community. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

Mr Anderson, the highly-respected business owner of John Anderson Pharmacy for almost four decades, has been very actively involved in the community.

In addition to serving as a councillor for the City of Greater Shepparton, he has held the position of chairman for the Chamber of Commerce, now trading as the Shepparton Business Network, which supported businesses coming out of COVID-19 lockdowns.

In 2023, after many years of service, Mr Anderson was honoured as a Life Member of the Greater Shepparton Business Network.

“It’s wonderful to be involved in such a great community, and I’ve loved every year of it,” he said.

And now, in 2024, he will need to clear some space in the trophy cabinet after being “stunned” with not one but two top citizen awards.

**Succession:** Mayor Shane Sali with John Anderson, the Greater Shepparton Citizen of the Year, and the previous award recipient, Michael D’Elia. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

When accepting the award, Mr Anderson acknowledged his pillars of support.

“I can only do what I’ve done with the support of my family, my three beautiful daughters, and particularly my wife Agata, who has been my greatest support, my greatest critic, and my conscience at all times; I could be nothing without her.”

In 2023, Mr and Mrs Anderson revealed they were building a home in Ocean Grove.

However, it’s no surprise that the gravitational pull continues to work its magic, and the couple finds themselves returning to visit.

“Wherever we live in the future, this will always be our spiritual home – Shepparton will always be home to us,” Mr Anderson said.