People

The YMCA Australia (The Y) has announced the appointment of Tal Karp - lawyer, board director, management consultant, sports administrator, advocate, organisational strategist and former Matilda - as its new National Chief Executive.

Karp’s appointment comes after an international recruitment process following the resignation of Melinda Crole, after 17 years of service to the Y, including five as National Chief Executive. Karp’s previous experience includes being an advocate for the rights of young people, especially in the criminal justice system, and building coalitions of support across organisations, sectors and disciplines for strategic solutions to complex legal and policy problems.

Live Nation announces Asia Pacific appointments

Global live entertainment leader Live Nation has made two key appointments to drive its expansion in Australasia and the Asia-Pacific, with Guy Ngata (pictured left) named Senior Vice President - Venue Development Australia and New Zealand and Richard Tsuchida as Venue Director Japan. Each will lead the company’s venue development efforts in key markets, continuing to grow Live Nation’s worldwide portfolio of 200 venues.

People Paralympics Australia names Netball Queensland’s Catherine Clark as new Chief Executive

Catherine Clark, the current Chief Executive of Netball Queensland, has been announced as the new Chief Executive of Paralympics Australia - joining the body at what is described as a “critical juncture” in its history as it moves to convert the success of its Tokyo 2020 campaign into stronger commercial opportunities and record levels of parasport participation.

With an extensive background in sports leadership as both a senior executive and board director, Clark currently serves on the Board of Shooting Australia and previously held a Directorship with Australian University Sport in addition to Chief Executive positions with Gymnastics Australia and Gym Sports New Zealand.

Jim Kotsonis named Regional Vice President at Ticketmaster Asia Pacific

Looking to develop what it calls “immense growth opportunities”, global ticketing business Ticketmaster has appointed Jim Kotsonis to the newly created role of Regional Vice President, Ticketmaster Asia Pacific (APAC).

In this role, Kotsonis will have direct oversight of operations across the region including Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan.

As part of the new APAC leadership structure, Anjelica Devoe will assume the role of General Manager - New Zealand and report to Kotsonis.

Vale

Vale: Bob Romanes OAM

Australasian Leisure Management is saddened to learn of the death of Bob Romanes OAM, who died on 18th November at the age of 86.

Best known for his work with YMCA Australia, for whom he was National Executive Director from 1985 until his retirement at the end of 2000 - having previously been Assistant National Executive Director from 1976 to 1985 - Bob was a tireless advocate for the aquatic, recreation and sport industry.

Trained as a teacher at Ballarat teachers college in the early 1950s, Bob’s first assignment was at the A1 Mine Settlement School, near Woods Point, 180 kilometres east of Melbourne.

Single-handed, he taught 22 students from grades one to seven in a weatherboard hut.

Later, he worked in public schools and lectured police trainees for a number of years, then left the public system and taught at Carey Grammar before moving to the YMCA, where he started as a training officer, working his way up to the National Executive Director role over his 23-year career with the organisation.

His wider work on behalf of industry unity and improving professionalism saw him become the founding Chair of the Recreation Industry Training Advisory Board (RITAB), the Recreation Industry Council of Australia (founded in April 1996) and the Recreation Industry Training Company, for which he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 1999 Australia Day Honours.

Following his retirement he remained engaged with the industry he called ‘recreation’ as a consultant and lecturer.

In 2015, Aquatics and Recreation Victoria (ARV) presented Bob with its Award for Most Outstanding Contribution to Aquatic and Recreation Industry, recognising his lifetime contribution to the industry.

He remained a Life Member of the YMCA.

He is survived by his wife Pam and daughter Jenny, plus four grandchildren and three stepchildren.

Brendan Edwards on the Gold Coast in 2017 (above left), playing for Hawthorn FC in the VFL (above right, credit: Hawthorn FC) and promoting fi tness in the 1970s (below).

Vale: Hawthorn legend and fitness pioneer Brendan Edwards

As briefly reported in the last issue of this magazine, we are saddened to have belatedly learned of the death of former Hawthorn Football Club premiership player and fitness industry pioneer Brendan Edwards.

Edwards, who played for Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League from 1956 to 1963, passed away peacefully in May this year at the age of 85.

For Hawthorn, he was a talented midfielder known for his high level of fitness, chalking up 109 games in the brown and gold guernsey between 1956 and 1963. He was recognised as the club’s best and fairest player in 1960 - a dominant year that also saw him represent Victoria in interstate football. Subsequently, he was named as wingman for Hawthorn’s Team of the Century, an inductee in Hawthorn’s Hall of Fame, and a life member of the club. Known throughout his VFL career for his fitness, after being

Vale: Neil Cox

Experienced venue management professional and long-time music promoter Neil Cox has died in Auckland.

Reputed for leading the rebuilding and restoration of Christchurch’s Isaac Theatre Royal after the 2011 Canterbury earthquakes, Neil had also been a concert promoter and Marketing Director for EMI Music in New Zealand.

More recently he had managed the Palais Theatre in the Melbourne suburb of St Kilda from September 2018 to April 2019, before returning to Auckland as Managing Director of Big Deal Limited, an event procurement, development and venue management business.

Cox’s time at the Isaac Theatre Royal from 2008 to 2018 was a turbulent one, with the venue severely damaged as a result of the Canterbury earthquakes of 2011. forced to retire from the game he went on to found the Brendan Edwards Sports Centres group of clubs in metropolitan Melbourne becoming an influential fitness pioneer through the 1970s - with many of the messages he was conveying then, about weight and inactivity, being as relevant now as they were then.

The late 1970s saw Edwards relocate to the Gold Coast, developing the Club Pacific health resort, getting involved in commercial and residential property development and helping condition the Brisbane Bears (now Lions) in the early years of their AFL history.

Increasing involvement in property development took Edwards away from fitness and recreation but he always maintained an active interest in the industry while also developing a career as a motivational speaker and business mentor.

An acknowledgement from Hawthorn FC noted “Brendan’s career culminated in the inaugural 1961 premiership, where he put together an impressive best on ground performance, amassing over 33 disposals.

“A passionate advocate for all things health and fitness, Brendan pioneered the Hawks’ circuit training model that helped drive the club towards its 1961 premiership - a framework that continued to be utilised throughout the John Kennedy Snr coaching era.”

Edwards viewed his post-sporting career in fitness as being more significant than his VFL career and, to the end, his Facebook page read “my life has primarily been involved in health and fitness centres”.

Promotion for Brendan Edwards Sports Centres from the late 1960s.

Lianne Hawthorne, who worked with him for 10 years at the Isaac Theatre Royal, said Neil was a vital part of the theatre rebuild after the earthquakes, commenting “it is all down to him that we still have this wonderful place.

“He was one of a kind. He was fantastic within the arts industry.”

Noting that he was also friends with actor Sir Ian McKellen, who supported the Theatre’s post earthquake rebuild, Isaac Theatre Royal board member Anna Crighton stated “he was always a smiley guy ... and he certainly put the theatre on the map with his contacts.”

The Entertainment Venues Association of New Zealand (EVANZ) also paid tribute to Neil, with General Manager, Sally-Anne Coates writing “Neil … was a much loved friend, colleague and a man who gave so much of his time to growing the arts and events sectors in New Zealand. “Neil was instrumental behind the Isaac Theatre Royal’s rebuild after the 2011 earthquakes, and received numerous accolades for his work to re-open the building. Neil was a driving force within the events, arts and entertainment community across New Zealand. He was awarded the EVANZ Industry Contribution to Industry Award in 2016, recognising his significant work for the Theatre and the industry at large.” Send your people news to leisure@ausleisure.com.au