Peter Michelidis emigrated to Western Australia in 1894, where he excelled, establishing a prosperous tobacco empire with the help of his brother Michael.
The business began by producing handmade cigarettes, where its commercial model of direct production and direct-to-customer distribution enabled it to establish itself as the third largest tobacco company in the country.
But beyond his business acumen, Michelidis also had a remarkable involvement in the community's affairs, where for a number of years, he was elected to the post of president of the Greek Community, making him its longest serving president.
