A hearty farewell
by AWBF 23 Apr 2020 13:00 UTC
The MyState Bank Australian Wooden Boat Festival has a huge "family" - not only in Tasmania, but throughout Australia, and in many places around the world. It is distressing to see the awful ravages of COVID-19.
My thoughts and best wishes are with everyone affected, but we must all stay strong, follow quarantine requirements, and comply with the health directives provided by government.
The effects of the virus have certainly tempered the euphoria of our gold medal award at the Australian Tourism Awards held in Canberra, on 6 March 2020. To win gold for the best major Festival and Event in the entire country was a remarkable achievement. In my acceptance speech, I dedicated the award to our volunteers; to my fellow volunteer board members; to Paul Cullen whose tremendous work as general manager contributed greatly to this outcome; and to our supporters and sponsors including the Tasmanian Government, and MyState Bank, without whose sponsorship and backing the festival would not be what it is.
I also said in my acceptance speech that we were a community driven organisation and event, and the award is a wonderful tribute to each and every one of our volunteers, members, and supporters who contribute so much passion, love and energy. Thank you, one and all, and enjoy the accolade!
This will be my last Chairman's message. At the beginning of the year I decided that the time had finally come for me to stand aside as Chairman, and to let someone else "take the helm". I have spent, I think, over 20 years on the board, with my first festival in 2001 as a board member; as Vice Chairman of the board for the next two festivals; and then becoming Chairman in 2005, for the 2007 Festival.
It has been my honour and privilege to have chaired the last seven festivals. We have had more than a few challenges along the way, but it has been a great ride, and one of which I am very proud. I have been supported throughout by a wonderful, enthusiastic and incredibly dedicated volunteer board. Many of them have been board members for a long period of time, and they have done, and will continue to do, an extraordinary job. To each and every one of them, I say thank you; but I retire from my position in the knowledge that our organisation and event is in incredibly capable and safe hands.
Of course, I also must thank the Festival Directors or General Managers who have done such an exceptional job during my tenure as Chairman. To Andy Gamlin, Rob McGuire and Paul Cullen, I say thank you; it has been a pleasure to work with each and every one of you. I have also thoroughly enjoyed working with Paul Stephanus, our new General Manager. I know that he will continue the tradition in a fantastic and exciting way.
I must also thank the members and the volunteers of our organisation. I have made many friends along the way, and I know that there will be relationships that will last forever.
I would also like to acknowledge the support and encouragement of not only the team at Events Tasmania, but various Premiers and Tasmanian Ministers for Tourism, with whom I have dealt over many years. I have always found their doors to be "open", and have appreciated the support and encouragement provided.
Thank you also to all of the supporters, organisers, contributors, wonderful volunteers, sponsors, and everybody else with whom I have had the great pleasure of dealing over the years. Thank you for your help, your support, your encouragement, and your contributions. There are far too many of you to mention by name, but I hope that each and every one of you will accept my thanks. I would, however, like to single out our naming rights sponsor MyState Bank and its corporate predecessors, who have been strong and valuable supporters of our event and organisation for many years. I thank the Chairman, Miles Hampton, and to the current Managing Director and CEO Melos Sulicich (and his predecessor, John Gilbert) and express the hope that your valuable support as one Tasmanian institution for another will long continue. It is very much appreciated.
I count myself incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to be Chairman of such an outstanding organisation and event. Long may our Festival continue; long may it continue to grow and prosper and to provide so much fun and enjoyment to so many people.
However, we must first be rid of the scourge that is presently with us, but undoubtedly one day it will go; we will again have blue skies, fair breezes, and be able to get out and enjoy our beautiful wooden boats.
Good luck to everyone, and please keep safe. Thank you, all!
Steve Knight
A message from Deputy Chairman Peter Higgs
Steve Knight OAM,
On behalf of the AWBF family, a massive thank you for your brilliant navigation and helmsmanship over a 20 year period as our Chairperson. You have taken us from a vibrant local event to the internationally acclaimed and successful Festival we have today. It was your skills, knowledge and strategic thinking that brought us here. To you and Lee, we wish you all the very best in your retirement as our Chair.
Looking to the future, the AWBF Board has appointed a subcommittee to manage the very important process of recruiting a new Chairperson. This subcommittee has taken advice from professional recruitment consultants, and we intend to recruit locally through a process of both advertising and recommendations. Applicants will be shortlisted and then interviewed against selection criteria so a merit-based selection can be made. At the conclusion of this process the AWBF Board will make a recommendation to AWBF members for their consideration.
We are hoping to recruit a Chairperson who is passionate about wooden boats, understands and values an inclusive Australian maritime heritage and culture, has senior experience in not-for-profit organisations, and/or senior experience in managing and promoting major events or festivals.
If you know someone who fits the bill, please advise me by email, with their name, contact details and a brief outline of their experience.
Peter E Higgs
Acting Chairman