Board

Congratulations to a great team for a great result.

Half a year ago we started to sail into uncharted waters, knowing not what was ahead. COVID-19 was a different challenge, with little experience from the last pandemic, 100 years ago, to assist us.

Imagine Captain James Cook 250 years ago, with nervous trepidation, wondering what was over the next horizon, around the next headland. But I guess with experience, he built on the knowns, with he and his crew's collective strengths and experiences.

Similarly, we at GTE employed a similar philosophy, using well developed strengths, knowledge and experiences, fined tuned over many years, to form the basis of our way forward. This was not without a little trepidation, but with better technologies and communication we reacted and planned the best way forward. I offer sincere thanks, on behalf of the Board, to all staff, who willingly went over and above normal work practices and efforts, to assist us to collectively get to a position of relative stability during these stormy times. Their concern, for the wellbeing of our apprentices and trainees, customers and hosts has been commendable.

We have had a change in staff, with Greg taking over the General Manager's position and given a baptism of fire. Rosalie retired after a fantastic 21 years of dedicated service, but assisted us in our time of need, and then seamlessly changing over to new Finance Manager Natasha (Tash) Attiwill. Our new field officers Brad Stafford and Damian Radley have completed 12 months. Deb Waye has also completed her contract with us.

The strengths of a group training organisation and more particularly GTE, have come to the fore, during these times of change, with our ability to negotiate continuing opportunities for our Apprentices and Trainees, whether it be local industry, Local Government, State or Federal Governments.

Behind every great organisation is a great Board.

I have been proud to have seen our Board, operating at close quarters, with their collective talents and efforts assisting GTE to remain a viable, compassionate and effective organisation, now and in the future. I thank the recently formed Executive of Scott Whicker, Neil Engler and David Mezinec, who gave their collective talents, at short notice and frequently, to ensure that our path forward was not littered with too many 'mines'. Thank you.

During this past 12 months, Ted Jordan has doggedly assembled, with assistance of Graham Greenwood; Colin Thompson, Steven Toope, Brenton Lewis, Greg Megaw, Rosalie Eustace and Sue Agars who have compiled the history, of our fine organisation over the past 35 years. This project has now been completed, with printing of 'The GTE Story', save for the official launch, at a future time.

Sincere thanks and congratulations to the very talented team, of every Staff and Board member of GTE, on a great year.

I recount Dolly Parton - 'If you want a rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain'

Ray Herbert Chairman GTE 2019-20

Rear L-R: Barry Stafford, Ray Herbert (Chairman), Scott Whicker (Deputy Chairman), Ted Jordan, Neil Engler.
Front L-R: Marcy Lopriore, Greg Megaw (General Manager), Julie Reis, Tania Plunkett. 
Inset Left: David Mezinec.
Inset Right: John Woodland.
Absent: Samantha Brown, Paul Jenner.