Board of Directors

Chairman Michael Ransom

Mitcham Nunawading Probus Club, Victoria

Email: [email protected]

Michael is a foundation member of the Mitcham Nunawading Probus Club in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. He has been a Probus member for over ten years and has served as President, Membership Officer and Tours and Outings Officer, and more recently he has been a Probus Ambassador working with a number of Clubs in the City of Whitehorse.

Micheal has had nearly forty years experience in Government, working in a range of locations around Victoria with the state Government in a range of senior roles with the Environment Department and the Department of Primary Industries. He has been actively involved in community organisations for many years, and more recently has spent time enjoying golf, and served as captain of the Box Hill Golf Club for three years. Michael is married with three adult children and five grandchildren.  

Michael is the Representative Member for Victoria and Tasmania.

Immediate Past Chairman Judith Maestracci AM

Indooroopilly Probus Club and Paddington Probus Club, Queensland  

Email: [email protected]   

Judith is a foundation member of the Indooroopilly Probus Club and has served as that club’s President, Secretary, Newsletter Editor and Guest Speaker Officer. Judith is also a foundation member of the Paddington Probus Club.

She has also served two terms on the committee of the Probus Association of Queensland (PAQ). During a business career spanning five decades, Judith has owned and operated her own businesses and served as Chairman and Director of numerous government and private company boards, commissions and organisations.

She was recognised for her contribution to community, sport and tourism industry in 1996 appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM). 

Judith is the Representative Member for Queensland.

 

Treasurer David Ekert BA (Accounting) MBA, CPA 

Cornubia Probus Club, Queensland

Email: [email protected]

David is a Foundation Member and Past President of the Cornubia Probus Club in Southeast Queensland and has held all Executive positions in his Club.  He is a past Rotarian, a Paul Harris Fellow and has been granted Honorary Membership of his former Rotary Club.  David currently serves as a director of a listed financial services company and has held Committee and Board positions with a number of community organisations.

A qualified Accountant, David has held executive financial and general management roles in Government and industry, as well as program and project management of major business change initiatives

 

Vice Chairman David Malone BE MBA

Meadowbank Combined Probus Club, New South Wales

Email: [email protected]

David is a retired corporate CEO, consultant and current business coach.

As an engineer he held senior roles in many countries and travelled extensively establishing operations.

He is a past president of Rotary and his current Probus club in Meadowbank where he is an active committee member.

He is the course leader for the U3A science series.

David is the Representative Member for New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory.

Director Margaret Drake

Rolleston Combined Probus Club, New Zealand

Email: [email protected]

Margaret Drake is a Representative Member/Director for New Zealand.  In 2005 she became a foundation member of the Rolleston Combined Probus Club and has served as its Secretary and President (twice).  She has also been speaker organiser and newsletter editor.  Margaret has served on the PSPL Board previously, from 2016 to 2020 and was its Chairman in 2020.

Prior to retiring Margaret spent most of her working life as a legal Secretary/Executive in Christchurch, Dunedin, Palmerston North and Auckland so is familiar with the whole of New Zealand.  She had been actively involved in Inner Wheel for many years, serving as Secretary and President of Howick Inner Wheel in Auckland and she also completed three years as District Secretary.

Margaret has been awarded a Paul Harris Fellow twice, and has also been Treasurer of her local Residents Association.

Margaret has been married to David, a Past Rotary District Governor, for 55 years and they have two daughters and two grandchildren, all of whom live nearby.    Her interests, apart from Probus, are family, travelling, reading, walking and she watches most sports. 

Margaret will be responsible for Probus/Rotary liaison in the whole of New Zealand.

Margaret is the Representative Member for New Zealand.

Director Peter Turner

Toorak Men's Probus Club, Victoria

Email: [email protected]

Peter Turner is appointed to the PSPL Board and has many years of business experience in the private sector in Australia and overseas.

He held senior positions in the Royal Philips Electronics Group, Foster's Group Limited and the Australian Corporate Lawyers Association.

He is Past President of the Toorak Men's Probus Club Inc.   

 

 

Director John Hall

Probus Club of Campbelltown Combined, South Australia  

Email: [email protected]   

John operates his own consulting practice in agriculture and environmental management and has 50 years of experience working in rural development projects and with farmers and land managers in Australia, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, China and New Zealand. Overseas experience has involved the preparation of a diversity of industry environmental impact assessments and environmental management planning as well as livestock production systems in Asian Development Bank and World Bank funded agricultural development projects

John is Vice President of the Campbelltown Combined Probus Club, foundation member of the St Peters Probus Club and currently Probus District Chairman for the East and South Metro Adelaide District in South Australia.

John is the Representative Member for South Australia/Northern Territory.

Director Merv Richens OAM

Probus Club of Springwood, Queensland

Email: [email protected]

Merv is a member of the Probus Club of Springwood. He has served the community as an active Rotarian since 1964 and is a Past District Governor, Paul Harris Fellow and Rotary Foundation Benefactor. He has served on a number of Rotary International committees and is still an active member of the Rotary Club of Loganholme. Merv has been actively involved with Probus for a number of years, being convener of the Probus Club of Goonellabah in NSW in 1993 and his present club, the Probus Club of Springwood in 2001. In recent years Merv has served as the Rotary District 9630 Probus Chairman (RDPC) and is currently the Probus District Chairman (PDC) in his area and has been involved with the formation of several new Clubs in Queensland. Most of Merv’s working life has been involved with refrigeration and air conditioning contracting and he retains an interest in computing and the IT Industry.  

Married to Margaret, who is also a Probian, they have three married children with nine grandchildren who all live close by and are an important part of their lives. They enjoy short excursions with their caravan and especially enjoy the fun, friendship and fellowship that Probus provides.

 

Director Peter Olney PSM

Ellenbrook Combined Probus Club, Western Australia

Email: [email protected]

Peter has been an active participant in local and regional community organisations for over 60 years, many like probus.

He was a senior officer in NSW Government as Director of Disaster Recovery with direct responsibility to NSW Premiers and Government Ministers. Peter worked in close collaboration with the Commissioners of Rural Fire Service, State Emergency Services, Metropolitan Fire and Rescue Service, Ambulance Services, Mental Health, and Police. He was a member of the NSW Emergency Management Committee.

Peter has provided extensive training and development services to many volunteers and professionals involved in emergency planning and operations. This included lecturing on recovery aspects at NSW Police College in Goulburn and the Emergency Management College at Mt Macedon, Victoria, and a one-off presentation in 2009 to the NZ parliament. Peter has studied Disaster Management around the world including USA, UK, NZ, Europe. Peter has been involved in both man made and natural disasters including Cyclone Tracy, Granville Rail Disaster, Port Arthur Massacre, Eastern Suburbs Hailstorm Newcastle Earthquake. In addition to the coordination of support in major flood and bush fire events over many years.

Peter was recognised in 2002 Queens Honours List for his contribution for outstanding Public Service to the Community. He and is a recipient of the Public Service Medal (PSM) he was also awarded the National Medal for his role over 40 years in emergency management.

Peter has served 2 terms as President of the Probus Association of Western Australia (PAWA) and is Past President of Ellenbrook Combined Probus Club which he is still a member.

Peter is the Representative Member for Western Australia.