About Us
Our Mission
Cate's Chemist provide 'Convenient Health Solutions'. There are two key elements to this mission. Be convenient, and provide solutions. We make health easier for customers, help solve health problems and navigate a complex health system.
Interested businesses might download our Capability Statement
Our Vision
'All About Health'. Cate's Chemist aim to be sought out by patients, customers and other health professionals because we know ALL about health.
Our Values
Loyalty & Respect. We acknowledge and are humbled by the busy lives and challenges faced by patients, customers, employees and suppliers. The way we represent each other in the community demonstrates we care. We respect families and work life balance.
Honesty. This extends the idea of truthfulness to integrity, straightforwardness, sincerity, fairness, and freedom from deceit and fraud. As we expect honesty, we accept honest criticism. Where there is a choice between an honest action that may be misinterpreted, and another honest act, we choose the latter.
Honour & Courage. This reflects the armed forces heritage of our family business. We develop trust between patients, health professionals, suppliers, managers and employees. We regard the patient and company interest above self. So that managers and staff make decisions for the benefit of patients and the business, perhaps at the expense of personal gain or comfort.
Benevolence. We extend humility and goodwill to our patients, customers, suppliers, allied health professionals, employees and the community. We make this real as value for money, positive relationships, and donations through the Cate's Chemist Community Care Program.
Professionalism. Professionalism maintains the consumers' confidence in us, and gives us the confidence to withstand external scrutiny. It holds our decisions and judgement to high standards of correctness, morals and ethics. It is the basis of our offer to patients, and informs our buying decisions. We seek 'value for money' when purchasing - not the 'cheapest'. We believe value for money includes the quality of services, products, and whether the supplier makes decisions ethically. We do not always insist that suppliers have the same morals as us, just that they have some - that they make some effort to determine right or wrong, good or bad, and don't base business models only on what is legal or convenient or most profitable. Follow our Aequitas Buying Guide> as it develops.
"Just because you can, doesn't mean you should"
Who are we?
Read Cate's Chemist Story here.
Cate Whalan, MPS, MACP, FAICD. Principal Cate’s Chemist Townsville, Pharmacy Manager and Owner Cate’s Chemist Garbutt, Cate's Chemist TAIHS, partner Cate’s Chemist Hyde Park.
In her early career, Cate graduated with a Bachelor of Pharmacy from the University of Queensland, interned at Mater Hospital Pharmacies in Brisbane, and registered in 1995 to be appointed as a pharmacist in the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps. She had postings in charge of barracks Medical Centre dispensaries, medication supply warehouses, and saw operational service with the Combined Health Element of the Peace Monitoring Group in Bougainville in 1998.
In 2006 she purchased her first pharmacy in Townsville, and rebranded it ‘Cate’s Chemist’ with a shopping centre development in 2007. In May 2017, Cate purchased another pharmacy in a Townsville GP Superclinic, and rebranded it to Cate’s Chemist Hyde Park. In October 2018, Cate opened another pharmacy at the Townsville Aboriginal & Islander Health Service. She maintains a clinical interest in chronic disease management for the elderly, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In practise, she emphasises continuity of care; and building health care teams across acute, primary and specialist care; and between community and hospital pharmacy.
In November 2023, Cate retired as a director of Northern Queensland Primary Health Network and wound up her position on the board of the Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre.
In June 2024, Cate secured a third term representing North Queensland on the Pharmacy Guild of Australia (Queensland Branch). In July 2024, she was appointed as a National Councillor (Director) Pharmacy Guild of Australia. In August 2024, she was elected as Vice President Pharmacy Guild of Australia Queensland Branch.
Cate is a member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, Townsville Chamber of Commerce, Townsville Enterprise, and a graduate of the AICD Company Directors Course. She is a member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, member of the Australian College of Pharmacy; Adjunct Senior Lecturer at JCU also sitting on their Pharmacy Advisory Committee.
Paul Willis, GAICD. Principal and General Manager Cates Chemist Townsville, Managing Director Claw Consulting
Paul read a Bachelor of Science at the Australian Defence Force Academy, and served as an Armoured Corps Officer from 1993 to 2006. He served with USCENTCOM in Florida in support of Australian operations in Afghanistan and reviewed operations in Iraq twice to inform training back in Australia. He served in 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment, 2nd Cavalry Regiment and B Squadron 3rd/4th Cavalry Regiment, Headquarters 7 Brigade, Deployable Joint Force Headquarters, Future Land Warfare Branch at Army Headquarters, and his final appointment in the Regular Army was at the Combat Training Centre.
Paul left the Regular Army to develop a community pharmacy in Townsville with his wife. He continues to manage and develop three pharmacies. With five other partners, he built a consulting firm (in maturity of 40 consultants) to service Defence and Emergency services clients. He is an experienced director, company secretary, executive and finance officer.
Paul is responsible for corporate governance at Cate's Chemist and all non-clinical business operations including internet sales. He maintains an interest in leadership, business strategy, planning, and decision making. He supports the Veterans Business Alliance operating from The Oasis Townsville.
Eliese Lloyd, MPS, MACP. Chief Pharmacist & Partner at Cate's Chemist, Pharmacy Manager Cate’s Chemist Hyde Park
Eliese grew up in Townsville and studied pharmacy at James Cook University. Upon completion of her studies in 2006, Eliese began working with Cate at the Garbutt pharmacy.
In 2017, Eliese was invited to partner with Cate at the new Cate’s Chemist Hyde Park, as the Pharmacy Manager. Eliese maintains a clinical interest in paediatric health, women’s health and diabetic management.
In 2024, Eliese bought into the rest of the Cate's Chemist Group, supporting the merger of the group.
Memberships
Cate's Chemist's are members of the Townsville Chamber of Commerce, Townsville Enterprise, Veterans Business Alliance, Veteran Community Business Chamber and their local BNI chapter. See Our Networks | Cate's Chemist.
Structure
Cate’s Chemist, Cate's Chemist Townsville, Cate's Chemist Garbutt, Cate's Chemist Hyde Park and Cate's Chemist TAIHS are business names of C&E Pharmacy Pty Ltd ACN 616 990 973 ABN 77 616 990 973.
Acknowledgement
Cate's Chemist acknowledge the traditional owners of the Townsville Region.
The traditional custodians are the Bindal and Wulgurukaba people. Archaeological sites near Townsville have been dated over 10000 years ago.
The Bindal people call their country Thul Garrie Waja, and an important symbol for the Bindal people is the shooting star. They believe that wherever the star fell, or the direction the star fell, was either dangerous or someone from that direction was in danger.
The Wulgurukaba people call their country Currumbilbarra, and they are descendants of the "dreamtime". Wulgurukaba means "canoe people", and the important symbol for the Wulgurukaba people is the carpet snake (Gabul the Rainbow Serpent). The Wulgurukaba people have a spiritual, physical, social and cultural connection to the land. The creation story tells of the creation snake that comes down from the Herbert River (Ingham area), went out to sea creating the Hinchinbrook Channel and down to the Palm group and Magnetic Island. His body broke up leaving parts along the coast. The tail of the snake is at Halifax Bay; his body at Palm Island; and his head rests at Arcadia on Magnetic Island.