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ROLE
The Business Advisory Council (BAC) was created to provide strategic advice and to support the planning, delivery and evaluation of Connectus within the business and community sectors.
MEMBERS
Neil Comrie
Chairperson, Connectus BAC
Former police commissioner, Mr Comrie is an associate professor with Victoria University Business Faculty and has a range of private business interests. Mr Comrie was awarded the Order of Australia and the Australian Police Medal for services to policing in Victoria.
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David Mann
Marketing and Promotions Manager
3AW and Managing Director of Mann Promotions
In addition to his role as Marketing and Promotions Manager at 3AW, Mr Mann occupies a broad array of Government appointments such as a member of the Australia Day Committee (Victoria), Chairman Ministerial Crime Prevention Council, a member of the Public Affairs Committee for the Bureau of Emergency Services and Telecommunications and is also Chairman of the Royal District Nursing Service Board, Chairman of the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Day Council, Member of the Premier's Drug Prevention Council Business Advisory Group and Chairman for the Mount Macedon Memorial Cross Restoration Development and Maintenance Trust. David is also a member of such organizations as; The Thoroughbred Club of Australia, the 41 Club and an Ambassador for Community Safety Month.
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Bill McHarg
Mr McHarg has been operating in the Melbourne Commercial Property market for over 40 years having wide experience in the Development Sale, Lease, Management and Valuation of Commercial Industrial and retail Property in central and metropolitan Melbourne.
In 1972 Bill co-founded Glynn Lynch & McHarg one of the three original companies that later established the Colliers International group in 1976. Bill is an auctioneer and licensed estate agent and has qualifications in economics, valuation and accountancy.
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Bill Noonan
Branch Secretary
Transport Workers Union of Australia (Victorian/Tasmanian Branch)
After working for several years as a transport driver, Mr Noonan was elected to the Transport Workers Union Branch Committee of Management in 1970. He became a full-time elected official of the TWU in 1974 and has been an elected official ever since with the exception of three years between 1989 and 1992.
During those three years he served as a Member of the WorkCover Appeals Board.
Mr Noonan was elected as TWU Victorian Branch Secretary in 1994. The Branch is now officially the Victorian/Tasmanian Branch. He has also served a term as Federal President of the Union.
He holds several positions relating directly to his union role, including Director of the TWU Superannuation Fund, Member of the VicRoads Advisory Board and Director of the Institute of Breathing and Sleep which studies fatigue and sleep deprivation. In a personal capacity he is Deputy Chairman of the Blue Ribbon Foundation and a former President of Victorian Road Runners.
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Ross Millen
Deacons - Partner
Principal practice: Corporate and Commercial
Mr Millen is the leader of the Deacons Victorian Government Legal Team and has recently completed three and a half years as the Managing Partner of the Deacons' Melbourne Office. He has extensive experience in the areas of general commercial law, projects, property development and Government advice.
Ross became a partner in 1986 and has previously been the head of the Banking & Finance and Property Teams and is now the leader of the Victorian Government Legal Team. Ross was Managing Partner of the Melbourne Office from 1999 through to the end of 2002. In that capacity he was responsible for the national integration of the Melbourne Office with the other Deacons' Offices throughout Australia and the largest legal merger ever conducted in the Melbourne market of Deacons with Dunhill Madden Butler in August 2000.
Bruce Anderson
Managing Director
Lee Hecht Harrison
Bruce has worked in a variety of roles and industries most recently with CityLink and now as Managing Director of Lee Hecht Harrison, a career transition business. Historically his major responsibilities have been sales, distribution and customer service with a stint within human resources. All his professional work has centred on leading people through change to meet customer requirements and improve financial returns.
Bruce's community involvement includes the Daffyd Lewis Scholarship Trust, Anglesea SLSC, Connectus - An Initiative of the Premier's Drug Prevention Council and the Uniting Church.
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Edwin Gill
Regional Manager Vic & SA
Perpetual Ltd
Mr Gill has been involved in the finance industry for over 30 years and is currently Regional Manager for Victoria and South Australia for Perpetual Private Clients. He also holds a number of directorships.
Mr Gill has developed a wide range of experience in various roles as Group Chief Executive of Investor Group Ltd & subsidiaries, Managing Director of State Trustees Ltd, General Manager of Arthur Robinson & Hedderwicks /Allens Arthur Robinson and Co., Finance Director of Raytheon Data Systems Ltd/Raytheon Leasing. Mr Gill was also a partner of Wills Denoon.
In addition to being a member of the Premiers Drug Prevention Council, Business Advisory Group, Mr Gill is, or has been, a Director of CRI Ltd, Trustee for CEDA, a Fellow of Australian Institute of Management and a member of AICD and FEI. He holds a Bachelor of Economics and Diploma of Financial Planning.
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David Rayner
Director
Rare Spares
David Rayner has over 30 years experience in the manufacture, wholesale and retailing of automotive spare parts for a wide variety of vehicles. He is the General Manager and a Director of the well known Rare Spares Group. David's Company employs a sizeable number of young people, many of whom are now occupying senior positions. He is especially interested in the development and future of his younger staff, all of whom are encouraged to plan a rewarding career path for themselves.
David is a Life Member of Variety - the Children's Charity and is chairman of the Grants Committee. His association with Variety spans over 16 years and in that time he and his team of volunteers have been able to assist literally thousands of Victoria 's special needs children. He is also one of the organisers of the now famous Variety Car Bash which raised over $1,385,000 net last year.
David is very interested in the Connectus program and is keen to utilise all his business skills and industry associations to help young people secure meaningful employment through Connectus.
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Sandy Grant
Chief Executive Officer
Cbus
Sandy has been in the finance sector for 38 years, principally in superannuation and related activities, and mainly in general management/marketing functions. He joined Colonial Group in September 1966 in a clerical role and finished his degree part time. Sandy joined senior management ranks in January 1978. From there on, has taken up a variety of roles as: Manager W.A. - 1978-81; Assistant Manager for NSW - 1981-84; National Marketing Manager - 1984-87 ; General Manager, Jacques Martin Industry - 1987-93; Deputy General Manager U.K. - 1993-96 and Head of Group Super - 1996-97.
Sandy left Colonial Group in mid 1997 to join Industry Fund Services as Managing Director, remaining there until Septeber 2004, when leaving to take on his current role as Chief Executive Officer of Cbus, the superannuation fund for workers in the building and construction industry. Jointly sponsored by the Master Builders Association and the building unions, Cbus manages $6.5 billion on behalf of 430,000 members who receive contributions from almost 40,000 participating employers.
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Alex Tyrell Graham
Alexandra was the founding director of specialist recruitment firm Scott Recruitment Services, which she sold when retiring from the recruitment industry at the end of 2007. She has over twenty years experience within the recruitment industry coupled with a background in education, retail and generalist marketing. Alex has a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) and currently also sits on the Board of the schooner “Enterprize”.
Jodie Belyea
Grant Researcher
Myer Foundation Philanthropic Services
Jodie is the former Executive Manager of Connectus and joined the BAC after the program began operating through the Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development. She has over 20 years of experience in the private, not for profit and government sectors. Her passion is the delivery of collaborative initiatives for young people who are at risk and lack the social and economic support to achieve their potential. She has developed, managed and gained considerable funding for the delivery of youth services across Melbourne and Victoria. She has also facilitated numerous regional and local networks that foster partnerships that deliver of integrated services.
Jodie is currently employed as a Grant Researcher with the Myer Family office and is responsible for supporting families who are establishing Foundations. She has a Masters in Business Leadership and consults to not for profit and government organisations undertaking: strategic planning, team building, service reviews and evaluation. Jodie's other passion includes taking care of the world we live in through sustainable living practices.
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