Australia

Barry Maranta

President As recorded in the Who’s Who in Business in Australia Barry has emerged from an academic career to become the founder of a wide range of business ventures in Australia and the United Kingdom.

On leaving academia, he moved into the property sector covering subdivisions,retail, commercial and industrial developments. He introduced the fi rst “Mini-warehouse” projects to Australia after observing the rapid growth of this form of development in California and Arizona.

By the 1980’s, Barry had helped create a successful National Insurance broker network a Sports Management Company (responsible for organising the Australia Tennis Open and the Davis Cup), and the first Property Trust Company in his home state of Queensland, managing almost $200 Million within its first fi ve years.

In sports-mad Australia, perhaps Barry is best known for creating and becoming the Founding Chairman of the Brisbane Broncos in 1987, a professional Rugby franchise which has become the most successful sporting team in the country.

On selling the franchise to Rupert Murdoch’s News Ltd/Fox organisation, Barry was invited by News Ltd to head up a similar franchise in London (UK) which he called the London Broncos. He invited Richard Branson of Virgin Atlantic/Megastores fame onto his Board and within a year, Richard bought out Barry’s equity.

Barry is the Founding President of Sky Shades U.S.A. and will apply his experience in start-up ventures to the CEO’s role in formulating and driving forward the Company’s determination to become a major participator in the burgeoning Shade Industry within the United States

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