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INDUSTRY EVENTS
VICTORIA
Rod Allen Memorial MGA GALA Industry Golf Day 2022
Golfers ready to tee off in the inaugural 2022 Rod Allen Memorial Industry Golf Day
The inaugural 2022 Rod Allen Memorial Industry Golf Day was held on the 25 February at the Greenacres Golf Club, Kew, Victoria. This day honours Rod Allen, a prominent Victorian Independent grocery and liquor retailer and MGA’s long serving MGA Board Director (20yrs) and as President (16yrs). Rod sadly passed away on the 19 September 2019 and led MGA’s Board of Directors to inspire and transform the MGA from a Victorian state-based employer organisation, with 375 members in 2005, into the high-profile national industry employer organisation we know today. A member of the Peninsula Kingswood Golf Club, Rod was a passionate golfer who looked forward to, and supported, MGA GALA Industry Golf Days. This year, the event was strongly supported being fully booked within a week of invitations sent. Attendees, made up of 114 golfers and 30 lunch only participants, took part on what turned out to be a beautiful mild sunny summer day.
mga.asn.au | April 2022 | Edition 2
The Master of Ceremonies, George Samios, commenced the formal proceedings introducing GALA Patron, Ritchie’s CEO Fred Harrison. Fred thanked and applauded the industry for their support and reiterated the important role the independent retailer sector plays in the marketplace, not only with suppliers but also the communities in which they trade. Rod’s family was represented on the day by Heather Allen and their three sons Nick, Kirk, and Zac. Nick gave a moving speech, thanking the MGA GALA Committee for naming the event in honour of his father. He shared stories of his father’s upbringing in South Australia as a young boy and his exploits as an exceptional sportsman. Rod was drafted into the SANFL at the age of 16 where he played for Woodville, winning a club Best and Fairest award and becoming the first Woodville player to reach the 200-game milestone. Nick told attendees how Rod took his competitive nature into business and built a long and lasting business partnership with Ron Corrigan. Together
they built a very successful Mt Martha IGA Supermarket business, with them both being inducted into the 2019 IGA Hall of Fame. Other notable attendees included Doug Hawkins CEO PANCARE Foundation, Billy Brownless AFL/VFL player and Media personality, Debbie Smith MGA President, Rob Pistritto CEO Victoria Metcash, Jeremy Goodale GM ALM Victoria / Tasmania, Rick Wight CEO FoodWorks (AUR), Michael Reddrop CEO Reddrop Group, Frank Palumbo GM LMG Retail Sales & Member Services. This year’s event raised $19,960.00 to be donated to the PANCARE Foundation. Pancare is one of Australia’s leading charities committed to raising awareness, supporting families, and conducting research into upper GI cancers, including pancreatic, liver, stomach, biliary and oesophageal cancers. In 2022, it is estimated 3,391 men & women will die from pancreatic cancer alone.
