Michael Burgess – Farewell

1.

TRINITY COLLEGE FAREWELLS MICHAEL BURGESS

A TRUE ADVOCATE OF THE TRINITY SPIRIT

1. Fmr Trinity College Headmaster, Mr Ivan Banks and Mr Michael Burgess 2. Michael and current Trinity College Principal, Mr Darren O’Neill 3. Mr AC (Tony) Curtis and Michael 4. Michael congratulates Architect Eamon Broderick on a superb design 5. Michael at the opening of the College Sports Centre November 2016 6. Michael with Buildings, Grounds and Maintenance Manager Ross Beatson outside the O’Doherty Cultural Centre

3.

4. 5.

6. After 22 years as Business Manager of Trinity College, Michael Burgess is retiring at the end of 2021. During this period, Michael oversaw an incredible growth at the College.

Michael came to Trinity with great credentials. He had previously been Assistant Bursar at Wesley College and Guildford Grammar School, for five years at each.

During his time at Trinity, Michael was involved in many significant building projects, including the Treacy Technology Centre, the Library/Science block extension, the Curtis Aquatic Centre, the O’Doherty Cultural Centre and the Sports Centre. All of these were great additions to Trinity’s facilities. Michael was also strongly involved in the upgrading and redevelopment of the Waterford Playing Fields and the Camp Kelly Outdoor Education Centre at Dwellingup. Another great outcome for the College during Michael’s time was the acquisition of 3,000 square metres of wonderful waterfront land on the north boundary of the College. This followed seven years of intense negotiation. Early in his time at Trinity, Michael embarked on studying for a master’s degree in Electronic Commerce. This study equipped Michael very well for his future interest in relating digital technology and education. His technological expertise proved beneficial in numerous ways including the establishing of the STEM Room in the Junior School, the introduction of the Virtual Reality classroom in the Secondary School, establishing an online store, developing a student card and combining with Fuji to develop electronic enrolments. Professionally, Michael was strongly involved in the local Association of School Business Managers and Administrators (ASBA) eventually becoming its President. He was also a Director of the national association and became its webmaster. Michael is particularly proud of being a strong participant in the culture of Trinity and says he was “privileged to be part of such a good environment”. Michael Burgess has been a longtime senior member of the Trinity College community. This community recognises his significant contribution and remembers Michael with affection and gratitude for a job well done. Tony Curtis (Old Boy CBC Perth, | Class of ‘56) Past Principal 1994–2003

A TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL BURGESS

During my time at Trinity College, I thoroughly enjoyed working with Michael. He was an integral and hardworking member of the College Executive team and a professional and capable administrator whose sound business acumen ensured the financial security of the College.

In our 12 years together, we completed more capital developments and major improvements at the College than at any other comparable time in the College’s history. In all these developments, Michael was the project manager and he built strong working relationships with the architects and builders and had ‘an eye for detail’ which resulted in professional designs and finishes. Apart from building College facilities, we developed the 25-year Master Plan which was completed following extensive consultation with the College community and is a vison for the future growth and development at the College. As well as this we secured 3,000 square metres of prime riverfront land on the northern boundary of the College for future development in exchange for boundary land between the WACA and Trinity. With a Master’s degree in Electronic Commerce, Michael helped prepare Trinity for digital technology and education systems of the future. This included the College creating exciting learning areas for students with the STEM room in the Junior School and the Virtual Reality (VR) room in the Foley Centre which included flight simulators.

Michael always worked toward educational excellence at the College, ensured the College community was representative of the diversity of the broader community and proudly supported the College’s ethos and traditions of an education in the Edmund Rice tradition. Trinity College was truly blessed to have Michael and I acknowledge and thank him for his hard work over so many years. I wish him, and his lovely wife Lynnette, every happiness in the next chapter of their life. Mr Ivan Banks Trinity College Headmaster 2007–2018

Thanks to Mrs Robyn Jennison - Trinity College Archives for her contribution to this article.