MAINTAIN YOUR CLUB'S POSITIVE MOMENTUM
Clinton CaseyManaging Director of Retirement Services Australia Pty Ltd
Clinton Casey has been able to maintain and attract the right blend of board members to continue the recent positive change at Richmond. The current team are leaders in football, finance, marketing and communications - all the elements required to operate a successful club. He is the Managing Director of Retirement Services Australia and the Chairman of the Links Group.
Clinton Casey has shown extraordinary commitment to the Richmond Football Club over the last five years.
Clinton has overseen a complete restructure of the Club and successfully recruited top football and business minds in Greg Miller, Terry Wallace and Steven Wright.
These appointments together with his help in securing major sponsors, and of course some of the best young on-field talent in the country, have laid a solid foundation for the success of the Richmond Football Club.
Clinton has also made a significant financial contribution to the club. His generosity has helped see the massive renovation at Punt Road Oval and the construction of brand new administration offices.
Members too have also benefited under Clinton's direction with a significant membership rewards program. The Club's coterie groups will also undergo an exciting revamp soon to be announced.
These developments give Clinton much confidence in the direction the board has chosen for the Club.
"I am honoured to hold such a position and I feel privileged to have experienced the highs and lows of running a football club. I am hoping that you, the members, will let me and the board use this invaluable experience to continue to develop a thriving and happy football club which enjoys finals success," Casey said.
"For too long near enough has been good enough for Richmond. That's why
I have reshaped this board to include directors with the highest calibre business skills in Melbourne. So far this year we have overseen a complete and thorough re-writing of our strategic plan, enhanced by the recruitment of former Australian Formula One Grand Prix chief executive Steven Wright.
"But perhaps our biggest coup was the signing of Terry Wallace.
With so many other clubs in the
hunt for a coach it was a great endorsement of our club for Terry to join the Tigers."
While Casey admits to some mistakes throughout his five year tenure, he asks critics to name a business that hasn't occasionally taken the wrong road.
"Early on it's true we made judgement calls that didn't go our way - but you'd better believe that the same blue won't be made twice. With the support of a board with no egos or thirst for power we have now got the best people in the right positions at the club. We have written a bullet-proof business plan and we now know that throwing money at the football department doesn't automatically lead to success," Casey said.
"You've read about board splits and unrest but a vote for this board will continue the positive momentum. We are a hard-working, professional and most of all passionate group of Tiger
fans ready to get on with steering this club back to its rightful place as one of the AFL.:s power clubs."
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Greg MillerDirector of Football
Greg Miller is proud to be a new member of Clinton Casey's rejuvenated and reinvigorated Board. He brings the following skills set to the Richmond Football Club:
* 34 years of involvement in VFL/AFL football
* Energy, knowledge, experience and a promise to you that he will not take a backward step
Two years ago I was entrusted to revamp the football department of your Club. I wasn't sure if I could put my heart into it - six months later and after reading your emails and correspondence, seeing the look of frustration and despair I knew that it was all or nothing for me at Tigerland.
Despite what may be presented to you regarding our ladder position, the financials, etc., we have achieved plenty of change that will bear fruit in the years to come. I told you when I started it would take three to four years to educate, change the list and then go forward. To change a culture and to change habits that may have worked during the VFL era takes an education process with the Board, Administration and the players.
I am absolutely convinced that we are on the right track. The list changes in the past two seasons, a very clear direction from the Board, the Administration and our Coach will put us ahead of many of our competitors. The prudent changes to the football budget assisted and accepted by Terry, the relationships we now enjoy with the senior group and the outstanding group of young men who will lead our renaissance are taking your Club where it belongs.
I thought long and hard before I asked the Casey ticket if I could join them. Some may say stay out of it but if I am honest to you I could not sit on the fence. Too many good things are underway to start again.
I want you all to enjoy as "hope" turns to excitement and pride. I believe this proposed Board, this Administration, this Coaching Panel can deliver. Please give us 12 more months to show you the momentum is going to continue.
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Garry Cameron B.Bus (Ace), M.Eco, FAICD, FCPA, FAIM
Garry Cameron is proud to be an existing member of Clinton Casey's rejuvenated and reinvigorated Board. He brings the following skills set to the Richmond Football Club:
* Finance, Treasury and Funds Management
His key responsibilities at Richmond Board level include:
* Finance and Governance Sub Committee
Garry Cameron has always been a Richmond fanatic and trendsetter. He may well have started the novel practice seen on football grounds everywhere of sprinting to the middle to get to the circle first - only he raced onto Punt Road Oval all those years ago to slap Paddy Guinane on the back!
"I was - and still am - mad about Richmond, but I have stopped storming footy grounds!" he said.
Whether it be selling raffle tickets, memberships or simply cheering for the black and yellows from Bay 16, Garry has always had a burning desire to make a difference at the club. With an impeccable business pedigree, a move onto the board in 1999 was a natural progression and one he has relished and attacked with enthusiasm and skill.
Garry has always had a burning desire to make a difference at the club."I was invited to join the board to bring some business and finance experience and special help with the gaming venues.
While unfortunately my football ability didn't allow me to contribute on-field hopefully I'm viewed as a guy who can make things happen off it!" Cameron laughed.
It's no wonder he's been able to contribute to turning around the gaming interests of the Club and set up a stronger governance policy.
He is managing director of the Grand Hotel Group, owners of the Grand Hyatt Melbourne and 14 other hotel properties. He was also the founding director of both the Telstra Superannuation Scheme and the Victorian Superannuation Board. He specialises in finance, treasury, retail and capital acquisition as well as funds management. His contribution also saw Garry earn the Public Service Medal in the Australia Day Honors List in 1991.
"I am proud of my contribution to the Richmond Family, be it talking to young players after a loss when no one wants to know them, helping reconstruct the accounting department, representing the club to the AFL, banks and sponsors, or supporting the Jack Dyer Foundation and Hafey Club by putting my hand in my pocket when help is needed;' Cameron said.
"I am seeking your support to return me to the Board to finish the job I started - to help Richmond get back in the top eight consistently and ensure the financial security of the club."
Garry's energy, enthusiasm and experience demand our vote.
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Rob Dalton BA, FCPA, CA
Rob Dalton is proud to be an existing member of Clinton Casey's rejuvenated and reinvigorated Board. He brings the following skills set to the Richmond Football Club:
* Partner of Ernst & Young and a Giant in the World of Auditing, Accounting, Business and Finance
His key responsibilities at Richmond Board level include:
* Finance and Governance Sub Committee
If there is another football team in the universe, could someone please tell
Rob Dalton. The world to him and his family has been yellow and black his whole life, and there's no change of perspective on the horizon.
Rob is a senior partner in the International Accounting firm, Ernst and Young, and
has recently joined the board to pass on skills learned in a lifetime of accountancy and dedication to detail. Rob will use his expertise to ensure that all of Richmond's reporting systems are in line with best-practice.
"I can't wait to help this club develop the best corporate financial structure in the competition. I've seen the AFL endorsed business plan and there is no doubt the club is going places. With my corporate experience I'm confident I can enhance the governance process already in place;' Dalton said.
So why would you join the Board so close to an election?The answer is simple: "I spoke to Clinton Casey and I asked him a lot of questions about the performance of the Club, some pretty tough questions particularly around the negative publicity on Director departures. He was uncompromisingly honest and his plan for success was very clear. I had no hesitation in accepting a casual vacancy on the board so I could start making a difference now."
So in eight weeks what have you learnt?Dalton has been surprised by what he has seen at the boa rdroom table already. "From what the media would have everyone believe, I thought I'd better get ready for a rumble! But this board is very well structured and every Director has a role in the subcommittee process. It's been very impressive how the Club has come out so positively in recent months. It takes good people to be so positive.
"The other thing I have learnt since arriving is the reasons why the clubs off-field performance was so poor this year. The Board at the time made a decision to recruit a CEO with significant experience in generating revenue from non-traditional sources such as events, a decision supported by trends set with other AFL clubs. Unfortunately costs needed to be incurred in advance to win that revenue, which ultimately didn't eventuate, and hence contributed to the loss. I firmly believe the Board made a very brave decision at the time in replacing the CEO mid-year, with a more traditional Melbourne person in Steven Wright, who focuses on a very tight cost control process so that we won't have such losses in the future. Having worked with Steven these past few months I think it will prove to be a great appointment for Richmond.
"After eight intensive weeks all I can say is that I am sure that this proposed Board will stay together to continue to execute what has already been put in place, so that Richmond can get back to having sustainable success."
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Don Lord B.Com, FAICD, FAIM
Don Lord is proud to be an existing member of Clinton Casey's rejuvenated and reinvigorated Board. He brings the following skills set to the Richmond Football Club:
* Business Executive, Strategic Management and Key Director of the Jack Dyer Foundation
His key responsibilities at Richmond Board level include:
*Chairman of the Jack Dyer Foundation and is on the Governance Sub Committee
Don Lord won't mind the description: wise old head. A thorough gentleman, man of the people and wealth of experience, Don Lord has what it takes to move any organisation to the top of the tree. And mark these words
... Richmond will be a power again if Don Lord continues to have anything to do with it!Don got involved at Richmond a long time ago, but only recently has he taken his skill set and management style to the boardroom table. And what an addition he has been.
His business experience has stood him in great stead to be a fountain of information for business plans and more specifically the on-going operation of the Jack Dyer Foundation. From 1983 to 2001, Don was managing director of Cootes Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia's largest road tanker business. You want to get something moving, ring Don. The Jack Dyer foundation made the call, and the JDF has been a major success story of Richmond since Don took over as Chairman on joining the Board at the end of 2001. In the past three years of the Jack Dyer Foundation has significantly contributed to the funds necessary to cover the costs of the extensive up-grading of our Punt Road home.
In many ways, there is a great irony in the fact that Don is now helping develop and create facilities at Punt Road through his fine work with a foundation named after a man whose grandstand he used to sit in, alongside his mother, and cheer for Roy Wright.
" I'm very proud some years on that I've been able to help develop the grand old girl in a style and way that I'm sure would make Jack Dyer proud. It has been one of life's most satisfying challenges and I only hope I can continue to help in this, and other areas," Don says.
His strengths have also seen him used in areas of membership, coteries and strategic financial planning.
But before doing all this at board level, he most definitely "earned his stripes" as a loyal Richmond member, proudly playing a part in coterie groups from 1992 and a strong contributor to a number of committees that have helped the on-going viability of the Richmond Football Club.
"While I can't get a kick or win a game for the Tigers, I can help ensure that our club has the facilities and the infrastructure to compete and be a force in the AFL. There is still a lot of work to be done and I have the time, energy and passion to get our Club back to where it belongs."
