A scholarship win for an Endeavour Energy employee who changed career and studied as a mature age student.
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The retirement of a much loved academic and business leader.
The latest development in a very popular Australian Story about a quadriplegic farmer and his wife.
And a changing of the guard with Professor John Glynn and Janine Cullen stepping down from the board and new directors being elected.
They were among highlights at The Illawarra Connection’s final networking dinner of the year at the Novotel on Tuesday.
The meeting included Prof Glynn being awarded a Life Membership.
“We are extremely grateful to previous board members Professor John Glynn and Janine Cullen OAM for their contribution to The Illawarra Connection,” Mr Summerill said.
“Prof Glynn has announced his retirement (as Executive Dean of the Faculty of Business after 19 years) and Janine has stepped down after eight years to give someone else an opportunity.”
New members are TIGS principal Stephen Kinsella, University of Wollongong Early Start chief operating officer Michelle Kellaway and Associate Professor Dr Grace McCarthy, of the University of Wollongong’s Faculty of Business.
Mr Summerill continues as president and Graham Lancaster, Nick Hartgerink, Peter Buckley, Wendy Gee, Corinne Whiteman and Natalie Burroughs remain on a board that features an equal number of men and women.
Prof Glynn’s final task was to announce the winner of the Sydney Business School/University of Wollongong Faculty of Business/TIC Masters scholarship.
He was responsible for instigating the scholarship which is awarded annually to a member of TIC or one of their employees.
Previous recipients present were Amy Harper, of Kells, Claire Leslie, of LifeLine, Mike Leask, of SV Partners, and Peter Buckley, of Thomas & Coffey.
In naming Matthew French, of Endeavour Energy, as the winner Prof Glynn said the quantity and the quality of applicants was again high.
In introducing him Mr Summerill said “John has made a valuable contribution to the board of The Illawarra Connection, the University of Wollongong and the Illawarra as a whole with the inception of the Sydney Business School and its ongoing success”.
Mr French, 37, started as a mature age apprentice with Endeavour Energy seven years ago. He previously worked in sales and marketing at a Caterpillar dealership.
“I decided to start something completely new which was a bit of a gamble at 30,’’ Mr French said.
