• Our Board

    The Geelong Community Foundation is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, broadly drawn from the region served by the Foundation.

     

    Val Lawrence OAM DSJ VLawrence
    Joined the GCF Board in 1999. Chairman

    Val is a Civil Celebrant and currently the Chairman of the Geelong Barwon Region of Red Cross. She is also a Board member of the Queenscliff Maritime Museum and a Director of the Queenscliff Point Lonsdale Community Enterprise.  She was a Councillor of the Borough of Queenscliffe from 1999 to 2008 and Mayor of the Borough in 2001 to 2004.

    Val has been a Board member of the Grace McKellar Centre, Vice President of the Barwon Heads Golf Club and member of the Geelong Otway Tourism Board.

    She is an honorary JP, and Chairman of the St George the Martyr Fund raising Committee.

     

    Peter Hudson KSJ  AFAIM
    Joined the GCF board in 2007. Deputy ChairmanPHudson

    Peter is a member of the Deakin University Animal Ethics Committee, the Rotary Club of Highton, Australian Business Volunteers and is currently a board member of the Pam Baker Foundation (Australia).

    He was CEO of United Way Geelong for 10 years prior to becoming CEO of the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation in Melbourne. He has been technical consultant for USAID and United Way International with assignments in South East Asia and the USA. Peter has been a board member of the Fundraising Institute of Australia and President of the Victoria/Tasmania Chapter.

    In addition Peter has been a member of the Consumer Affairs Fundraising Advisory Committee, advisory consultant to the William Angliss (Victoria) Charitable Fund and served as a Regional Chairman of the Australian Institute of management.

     

    Barry Fagg B.Com (Melb) CPA MAICD
    Joined the GCF Board in 1999.BFagg

    Barry is Chairman and part-owner of Fagg’s Mitre 10, a family hardware and timber business, established in Geelong in 1854. He was a Director within the Mitre 10 group of companies, from1987-2004, including Chairman of Mitre 10 Australia Ltd from 2002-2004. He is a member of The Geelong College Council.

    Barry is a past Campaign Director, Past President and a Life Governor of United Way Geelong (now Give Where You Live). He was also Vice-President of United Way Australia. In 2003 Barry was awarded a Centenary of Federation Medal for service to the community.

     

    Ed Coppe B.Com FAICD FCPA
    Joined the GCF board in 2008ECoppe

    Ed is Managing Director of Strategic Investment Management and is currently the Chairman of G21 Geelong Strategic Alliance and also the G21 Economic Development Pillar. He is a board member of the Geelong Chamber of Commerce, the Committee for Geelong and the State Govt. Regional Development Advisory Committee.

    Born and educated in Geelong, Ed had an international business career with Mars Inc. in Finance and Marketing roles before returning to Geelong in 1995. He has been a City of Greater Geelong Mayor and has served on the Major Events, Central Geelong and United Way boards.

     

    Wendy Maloney B Com (Deakin)  M Tax (Melb) MBA CA
    Joined the GCF Board in 2004 WMaloney

    Wendy is a Principal at WHK the fifth largest accounting firm in Australia and the largest provider to the SME sector in Australia. She is a Chartered Accountant and is one of the not for profit specialists of the firm. Prior to joining WHK Wendy worked for mid tier firms in Melbourne.

    Wendy is a graduate of the Leaders for Geelong program, is a member of the Chamber of Commerce Public Finance Committee and Treasurer of the Geelong Club. She has recently completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors course.

     

    Brian Quarrell
    Joined the GCF Board in January 2009BQuarrell

    Brian is a Director and part owner of Wheeler Investment Advisors Pty. Ltd, a leading Geelong financial services business, established in 1964. He has been with Wheelers since 1989 following a successful 22-year career with Westpac in banking, finance and investment-related roles.

    Brian is also Chairman of the Geelong chapter of the Financial Planning Association of Australia, a position he has held for the past 10 years.

    He is a Certified Financial Planner and also a SMSF Specialist Advisor™. Brian has served as a Committee Member of the Geelong Business Club and was President of the Club from 2003-2004.

     

    Diane Ritchie
    Joined the GCF Board in 2010.dr_web

    Diane has a distinguished teaching career across regional Victoria, and in recent years has worked for Rice Village and Kalkee Geelong in public relations and project management roles. She is a former Bannockburn Shire Councillor and was instigator and chair of the Wallington Strawberry Fair and Meredith Country Festival.

    Diane is currently co-ordinating rural Catholic parish and farm duties on the family farm at Bamganie near Meredith.

     

    Kate Betts  B.Arts
    Joined the GCF Board in 2010.KB_web_

    Kate Betts works for Alcoa of Australia’s Point Henry and Anglesea operations overseeing external stakeholder relations and community partnerships. Previously Kate worked for United Way, Westfield and Melbourne Airport and held board positions on Sacred Heart College Council, Dalai Lama Geelong visits, Rainbow Riders and Central Geelong Marketing.

    Kate is a graduate of he Leaders for Geelong prgram and has completed the Partnership Brokers Accreditation Scheme.

     

    John Skidmore
    Joined the GCF Board in 2010.JS_web

    John Skidmore is the Chairmanof Adroit Insurance Group with nine offices across Victoria from Geelong/Torquay in the south, Albury/Wodonga in the north, Ballarat in the west and Traralgon in the East. He has forty years of experience in the Insurance industry in National and Senior roles dealing with International insurers both in Australia and overseas.

    John is a Qualified Practicing Insurance Broker, a Certified Insurance Professional of the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance and a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

    John Miles
    Joined the GCF Board in 2011.

    John Miles recently retired from a distinguished career at Marcus Oldham College spanning 30 years. His roles included Company Secretary and Deputy Principal Business and Development for the College.  John studied accounting at the Gordon Institute and is a member of the Australian Society of Accountants and is a Certified Practising Accountant.

    John was awarded a Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellowship in 1997 and is on the Victorian Chapter Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Selection Committee. He is also a Trustee of the Geelong Advertiser Music Trust.

    Dan Simmonds
    Joined the GCF Board in 2012.

    Dan Simmonds is the Managing Principal of Harwood Andrews Lawyers. Dan is a committee member of the Deakin University School of Law Academic Advisory Board and a member of the University Vice Chancellor’s Community Leaders Group. He is currently the Chairman of the Law Institute Victoria’s Business Law Specialisation Committee, the Geelong Advertiser Geelong Business Excellence Awards and the Salvation Army Geelong Region Area Advisory Committee.

    Dan also holds positions on Kardinia Health Limited, the Committee for Geelong and the Geelong Chamber of Commerce Public Policy Committee.