Winners 2008
Winners of the 2008 Equity Trustees CEO Awards include;
2008 Equity Trustees Not For Profit CEO of the Year
Don Henry, Executive Director
Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF)
Don Henry has led the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) since 1998, successfully positioning it as a strong advocate for the environment by promoting solutions through research, consultation, education and partnerships. more
2008 Significant Innovation Award
Doug Jacquier, Chief Executive Officer
Connecting Up Australia
Since starting in 2000 as CEO of Connecting Up Australia, formerly known as Community Information Strategies Australia Inc (CISA), Doug Jacquier has launched a number of initiatives that are proving invaluable to the Not For Profit (NFP) sector.. more
2008 First Year Achiever Award
Neil McWhannell, Chief Executive Officer
HeartKids Australia
The CEO of HeartKids Australia, Neil McWhannell, is the winner of the 2008 Equity Trustees’ Not For Profit CEO Award for First Year Achiever. more
2008 Long Term Achiever Award
Deborah Tabart OAM, Chief Executive Officer
Australian Koala Foundation
The CEO of the Australian Koala Foundation, Deborah Tabart, is the winner of the 2008 Long Term Achiever Award. more
2008 Judges’ Award
Eric Leach, Executive Director
Every Home Global Concern
TThe Executive Director of Every Home Global Concern, Eric Leach, won a special judges’ award for leading a Not For Profit (NFP) organisation. more
2008 Equity Trustees Not For Profit CEO of the Year
Don Henry, Executive Director
Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF)
Don Henry has led the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) since 1998, successfully positioning it as a strong advocate for the environment by promoting solutions through research, consultation, education and partnerships.
At a time when the effects of climate change are set to significantly impact on people’s lives, Don has done much to raise public awareness and inspire people to achieve a healthy environment.
One of Don’s major aims over the past 10 years has been to build the ACF’s research capacity so that its messages and reports have credibility. This has helped the ACF shift the public agenda towards improved environmental protection.
When he started as Executive Director, ACF was under-funded and lacked a vision and strategy for achieving its goals. In 10 years, ACF has grown seven-fold with an annual budget last year of $14 million.
Don’s leadership style emphasises solutions not problems. He is a strategic thinker who leads by example and inspires through optimism; building staff confidence and earning great respect from all who work with him.
Perhaps Don’s biggest achievement has been to build strong partnerships with the business community. He recognises the importance of what might seem unlikely alliances for an environment group. As a result, ACF has grown into a cohesive organisation with a strong strategic approach and high staff morale.
Don’s career has long been focused on environmental issues, starting in the 1980s campaigning for the protection of Moreton Island, Great Barrier Reef Islands, the rainforests of north Queensland and Cape York.
In 1991 he was awarded a Global 500 Environment Award from the United Nations Environment Program in recognition of outstanding practical achievements in the protection of the environment.
2008 Equity Trustees Not For Profit CEO of the Year
Doug Jacquier, Chief Executive Officer
Connecting Up Australia
Since starting in 2000 as CEO of Connecting Up Australia, formerly known as Community Information Strategies Australia Inc (CISA), Doug Jacquier has launched a number of initiatives that are proving invaluable to the Not For Profit (NFP) sector.
Adopting new information and communications technology (ICT) can be daunting for any business, but it can be particularly difficult in the community and NFP world, where resources are tight and expertise limited. That’s where Connecting Up Australia comes in.
Since 1981, Connecting Up Australia has provided essential community services information to South Australians by producing first a hard copy publication and then an online directory, and developed an events website, Eventspool. This work highlighted the NFP sector’s need to embrace changing technology and new ways of communicating.
Although not a ‘tech-head’, Doug understands the potential for low-cost technologies and the emerging social web to re-empower sectors of our community that have become somewhat lost in the commercial media and lower prioritised by governments.
In the past 4-5 years, he has built links with international organisations with similar interests and identified a model for his small South-Australian NFP to become less reliant on government funding and to take on a national role.
Doug negotiated with TechSoup Global to be the Australian partner of a program whereby major companies like Microsoft and Cisco donate software and hardware. Launched in 2007, DonorTec is helping Australian NFPs to get the latest in ICT, saving them thousands of dollars and millions of dollars for the sector. Other initiatives of Doug’s include starting, in 2004, the annual ConnectingUp conference that focuses on technology in the NFP setting and instigating the Australian Community ICT Awards in 2007.
2008 Equity Trustees Not For Profit CEO of the Year
Neil McWhannell, Chief Executive Officer
HeartKids Australia
The CEO of HeartKids Australia, Neil McWhannell, is the winner of the 2008 Equity Trustees’ Not For Profit CEO Award for First Year Achiever. What started 25 years ago as a voluntary group of parents and individuals, HeartKids Australia under Neil’s leadership now has a strong financial foundation and a mission to reduce the incidence of children with heart disease and support those that do and their families.
Neil started as HeartKids Australia’s first national CEO in June 2007 and has quickly brought focus and rigour to the Not For Profit organisation, which was previously a loose collection of state-based bodies.
Through drive, passion and dedication, Neil has ensured this fledgling charity is unified and flourishing. He has successfully developed critical partnerships with business; in particular foundation sponsor Manchester Unity has committed $1.5 million over the next five years. Other vital support has come from Pasta Master and Beaver Machine Corporation.
Each week, six Australian children are born with heart problems requiring operations to save them or give them a chance to actively take part in life. Probably HeartKids Australia’s most valuable service is the support it provides to families during the crucial time of surgery through its Family Support Coordinators. The Manchester Unity partnership has meant an expansion of the Family Support Program so that more families receive assistance and the network of these ‘heart mums’ has grown.
Operationally, Neil has built cohesion and better communication between the state bodies and has developed an important governance model. He has identified four key pillars for HeartKilds to focus on – support, research, awareness and advocacy.
2008 Equity Trustees Not For Profit CEO of the Year
Deborah Tabart OAM, Chief Executive Officer
Australian Koala Foundation
The CEO of the Australian Koala Foundation, Deborah Tabart, is the winner of the 2008 Long Term Achiever Award.
For 20 years, Deborah has been committed to saving koalas. She has taken the Australian Koala Foundation from a tiny scientific group to an internationally recognised fauna conservation organisation, dedicated to funding koala research, protection and habitat preservation.
Deborah, who is known around the world as the ‘Koala Woman’, has raised around $8 million to fund koala research and to educate people about the plight of this iconic Australian marsupial.
Deborah has a long history of successful fundraising. Over the past 20 years, she has approached major corporates and high profile Australians for support, persuasively convincing them of the value of supporting the Foundation.
Under Deborah’s leadership, the Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) team has mapped more than four million hectares of land for koala habitat. The AKF’s Koala Atlas won a prestigious Computerworld Smithsonian Medal, which has helped to bring ‘saving koalas’ to the world’s consciousness and secured $3 million for research and conservation biology projects.
Deborah works collaboratively with ethical businesses and organisations to develop models of sustainable development; the best example being Koala Beach, a residential estate on the New South Wales coast. Incorporated into the 260 hectare estate is koala habitat that is protected in perpetuity.
Another successful partnership is long-term sponsorship by the San Diego Zoo. This relationship has endured for the past 15 years and goes a long way to giving the AKF a secure financial foundation.
2008 Equity Trustees Not For Profit CEO of the Year
Eric Leach, Executive Director
Every Home Global Concern
The Executive Director of Every Home Global Concern, Eric Leach, won a special judges’ award for leading a Not For Profit (NFP) organisation.
For nearly 50 years, Eric has directed four NFP organisations, starting in 1959 at the age of 23 when he founded the Gold Coast Crusade that ran a youth camp every year for up to 1000 young people from across Australia.
Over the past 29 years he has developed Every Home Global Concern into a multi-faceted and professional NFP organisation. Its main focus is on providing emergency relief and sustainable community development programs for poor and disadvantaged men, women and children in developing countries.
Every Home Global Concern works in more than 80 countries with community development programs and educational facilities throughout Asia and Africa. Although founded in the Christian faith, Every Home Global Concerns provides services to disadvantaged people no matter what their race or religion. Far from being about handouts, the aim is to transform communities towards self-sufficiency, which gives donors the confidence that their support effectively addresses poverty at its core.
Eric has motivated thousands of Australians, young and old, to be involved in the work of the NFP sector. He is a compassionate, down-to-earth pioneer who possesses both entrepreneurial and administrative skills. His dedication to his work exceeds all bounds.
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