JEREMY Holder of Coffs Harbour has received the 2025 King’s Trust Australia Commonwealth Bank Business of the Year Award at a ceremony at Admiralty House, Sydney.
The former Australian Defence Force (ADF) Special Operations medic turned entrepreneur was recognised for his leadership in turning battlefield medical expertise into a world-class Australian enterprise.
Returning home from service in the ADF, Mr Holder worked as a paramedic and was shocked to find that many of the lifesaving tools he had used in combat – tourniquets, trauma dressings, and specialist gear – were simply not available to Australia’s first responders.
Instead of accepting this gap, he acted.
Launching TacMed Australia from a spare bedroom, Mr Holder set out with a clear mission: to bring the best of military medicine to civilian emergency care.
What started as a one-man operation has grown into a national company employing 27 full-time staff and around 100 casual paramedics.
Today, as a NSW veteran-owned company TacMed equips paramedics, police, tactical teams, and emergency crews across the country with specialist trauma kits and cutting-edge training informed by real-world operational experience.
For Mr Holder, the measure of success is impact.
“As a paramedic in the streets of Sydney and as an army medic in Afghanistan, I could generally only help one person at a time.
“But now as a business owner we can help many, many more people.”
Founded by King Charles, the King’s Trust Australia celebrates not merely business success, but a purpose-driven legacy built on service, expertise, and a deep commitment to protecting those who protect others.
The awards shine a spotlight on the inspiring contributions of young Australians, the transformative power of community engagement, and the entrepreneurial achievements of veterans and the ADF community.
Building on the legacy of the 2022 – 2024 Beyond Service Awards, these national awards reflect The Trust’s commitment to supporting young people through education, employment, and enterprise pathways, while continuing to celebrate the successes of Australian Defence Force veteran and family entrepreneurs.
By Andrea FERRARI
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