‘Simply the BEST.‘
Gabrielle Frawley recently made this comment when we posted on the PaddleNSW Facebook page about our CEO, Peter Tate celebrating a truly incredible milestone in his career.
Peter joined PaddleNSW 10 years ago, at a time when the organisation was still going thorough incredible growth from having folded the prior entity NSW Canoeing and reincorporated as PaddleNSW.
Throughout the past 10 years, Peter has overseen and shadowed in significant change to the benefit of our members. When Peter joined PNSW, the Board operated as a hands-on operational Board, with members often in the office helping to run programs, process accounts and simply to help keep the lights on for our members.
The Board now operates as a strategic Board, bringing their expertise, passion for the sport and guidance to the CEO who offers guidance to our clubs, committees and individual members. In the past 10 years he has fostered a culture of cooperation and transparency of processes to clubs and members and between paddlesports.
One of the biggest changes Peter has seen this past decade along with other States is the establishment of a unified model across all States and PaddleNSW. One of the biggest benefits of the unified model is that all members operate to the same strategic plan so collectively across Australia we’re all working towards similar goals. The unified model also means that Peter works closely with the Executive Officers around the country and also with Paddle Australia staff.
Our collective congratulations to Peter for a decade of leading PaddleNSW!
As well as celebrating Peter, PaddleNSW celebrates another historical milestone.
At the first Board meeting following the 2023 AGM, the Board members present duly elected not only it’s first female Chair, but the first All-female leadership team.
Annette Mathews joined the PaddleNSW Board in 2022 filling a vacancy position. She was then named as an elected Board member at the 2022 AGM.
Laura White joined the PaddleNSW Board in 2022 as an elected Board member at the 2022 AGM.
For the past year Annette and Laura were co-Vice Chairs of the Board, working with and transitioning knowledge from outgoing Chairs Bob Turner and Kiaran Lomas, who both reached the limit of their service.
The 2023-2024 Board Members unanimously voted Annette in as Chair and re-elected Laura as the Vice Chair for the upcoming term.
Annette is also the current Chair of the PNSW Harbour Racing Series Committee and the Vice President of the Sutherland Shire Canoe Club.
She has considerable experience in state and club level race management and club administration.
With more than 20 years Board experience in the banking sector including being Deputy Chair, Chair of the Risk Committee and a member of the Audit Committee, she brings a wealth of experience that will serve our members well.
Laura was the Chair of the NSW Sprint Committee for 8 years, leading the sport into an era where NSW athletes made up at least half of all national teams.
Laura has been involved in Sprint since she was 10 and began volunteering at 13 and officiating from 18, culminating in qualifying as an International Technical Official (ITO) in 2008. Laura regularly officiates at events internationally, bring that experience to events back here.
At a national level, Laura is driving the development and education of volunteers and officials and is a member of the Paddle Australia Sprint Committee since 2013 and is now also Vice Chair.
One of the first key duties Annette will partake in, alongside Peter is the Paddle Australia paddling forum to be held this coming weekend, where members will begin the process for the next iteration of strategic planning for all paddlesports.
PaddleNSW is excited to have these two women at the helm leading the team for the year ahead.