Tasmania stole the spotlight this weekend, as more than 125 mortgage broking professionals flocked to Hobart's upscale Wrest Point Hotel for the Finance Brokers Association of Australia's (FBAA) inaugural Tasmania Black Tie Gala.
"It's all about coming together in a more social occasion," Peter White, FBAA's managing director, told Australian Broker. "It's black tie, but relaxed in a formal sense. It's all about enjoying the food, the company, the entertainment and the night, to bring everyone together."
Local Tassy brokers, BDMs, aggregators and lenders — joined by a few mainlanders too — suited up in black tie to celebrate the industry, snap photos, support charity and raise a glass to a night of connection and recognition.
"In an industry where people spend a lot of time on their own, people wind up disconnected and isolated easily," White said. "Staying connected is important; it's good for your mental health. And it helps to keep the glue of the industry together. And especially in a community like here in Tasmania, it's probably even more important than the big city areas. And it also helps people feel like they're a part of something bigger.
"It's nice to come together," he added. "And there's no awards; there's no speeches. There's nothing like that. It is very much a social gathering."
Except Tasmania-based Justin Delanty, who was recently appointed to FBAA's national board, took the stage to rally support for the Run for Kids Foundation, raising an impressive $7,700.
"This event is about the FBAA family in Tasmania," said Delanty, who serves as managing director at Lending 4 U. "We're often forgotten; we're a little state, Tassie. But we've got people who are engaged and involved. And this sort of event tonight proves that people come out and support us; they're passionate about the industry and obviously passionate about causes."
Delanty added that FBAA’s Tasmania-based membership has doubled in the past two years. As a board member, he said the plan is to host roughly four events a year across the state.
"There's been a lot of changes in industry associations with BDMs and things, and we probably didn't have the love that we used to have [in Tasmania]," Delanty said. "And we just decided, well, you know what? We've got some really good people down here, and some really good people who want to be involved and engaged. And we've rocked it on professional development."
On Delanty's recent appointment to the FBAA board, White said: "He's done a lot of things to the table with the work he's done here in Tasmania. He's been highly successful and we're already starting to take his ideas and his thoughts and bring them around the country. So we look forward to his contributions."
As for the funds raised at the gala, Tim Blair, founder of the Run for Kids Foundation, said, "It's wonderful the fact that the FBAA supports charities. It's just magnificent.
"It's great to have a night out and everything else, but it's wonderful to do it for a cause," he added. "This is a financial event. And when we talk about assets, the most valuable asset in the world is a child."
Fifteen sponsors backed the event, including the likes of Credit Fix Solutions, Bluestone, MyState Bank and YBR Aggregation. Guests enjoyed wine and beer, dined on pork belly and steak, hit the dance floor to live classic tunes and snapped photo booth pics with industry mates. 
"The event has been amazing so far," said Andrew Mansour, FBAA's state manager of Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia. "It's everyone from our industry and it's such a vibrant energy.
"I think it's important to come to these events, because it helps the brokers network with their peers and other brokers around the nation, and also to chat to all the lenders and the BDMs," he added.
