Jeffrey John Hopp was born in Brisbane, Queensland. Hopp was educated in the Catholic school system in St Joachims Primary School, Holland Park and attended Cavendish Road State High School. He enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force as a youth and settled in Perth Western Australia.

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He is one of six children to Mervyn Hopp and Marjorie Jeffries; siblings, Patricia, Margaret, Terry (deceased), Trevor and Ken.

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After leaving home at the age of 17 to join the Royal Australia Air Force, Hopp received a Discharge of 'Services No Longer Required' to pursue a career as a musician and drummer in pop band, Richard and the Lionhearts in the Riverina district. The band supported many Australian top acts including the Easybeats, Johnny Farnham and Normie Rowe. After an invitation from Harry M Miller, the band worked at The Stage Door in Christchurch, New Zealand for several months. Upon his return to Australia, Hopp worked as a manager for Volvo Australia in the motor vehicle industry in Perth.

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In 1974 Jeffrey founded and established Jesus People Welfare Services to help and support homeless young men and women.

 

In 1989 he left the charity to pursue a career in the commercial world. He established Awards Australia to highlight the positive achievements of ordinary Australians achieving extraordinary things.  With the success of the Australian of the Year Awards program he took the concept to New Zealand and founded the New Zealander of the Year Awards 2008.

 

He also founded and established The Fundraising Group Pty Ltd to support schools in healthy fundraising options for schools throughout Australia and New Zealand.

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He is currently an Australian businessman, company director, philanthropist and entrepreneur.

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