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AMSA Chairman: Ted Donnelly
Ted was born in Yorkshire. He started work as a Polymer Chemist and had a number of positions in R&D, Production management & Marketing both in the UK and Australia. For the last 18 years before retirement he was a Technical Consultant, based in the UK, but operating worldwide on new materials for electronic components, particularly printed circuits.
Ted was a founder member of the Lane Cove Community Men's Shed when it started in 1998, is still responsible for its day to day operation and has also helped with the start-up of several other Sheds. He is the co-author of the manual "Setting Up A Men's Shed", developed the website in 2005 and has administered it since. He has been involved in establishing and running AMSA since its inception in 2007. Ted was recognised for his contribution to the Association and to Mens Sheds at the recent Brisbane conference being Awarded the first Perpetual award for Contribution to the Mens Shed movment, the award is now known as the Ted Donnelly Award.
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AMSA Exectuvie Officer: David Helmers
Originally employed by Catholic Care Newcastle as the Coordinator for the Shed at Windale in 2006 for a 12 month term, nearly 4 years later David has dedicated that last 2 years to the development of the Australian Men’s Shed Association. The idea of creating an Association to collectively represent Men’s Sheds National and to freely share information between sheds was conceived at the 2nd National Conference in Manly 2007. Since then AMSA has grown from strength to strength to what is now regarded as the largest Men’s Association in the country. David has represented AMSA at the Senate Hearing into Men’s Health, the National round Table Meeting on the Men’s Health Policy as well as continuously lobbied for the Association and our members at all levels of Government.
Prior to this position David was the General Manager of a large Association, this is why he could see so much opportunity for AMSA, with experience in administration, marketing and tertiary studies, David also has over 17 years experience in a medium sized family business, so his background is quite diverse.
In his spare time David spends time in his shed at home renovating his house or at the Shed at Windale where he is a wood working enthusiast.
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QLDMSA: Graeme Curnow
Graeme took early retirement in 2007 after a career which embraced a diverse range of industries, Pharmaceutical, Cosmetics and Household Goods manufacture, Heavy Engineering and Gambling (not gamboling). He had worked as a Chemist, next in Production Management and then within the whole spectrum Personnel Management.
Shortly after retiring Graeme became involved in the establishment of a Men’s Shed in the western Brisbane suburb of Kenmore under the auspicing of Brisbane City Council. For the past 2 years “Shed West” has functioned with weekly gatherings in a former Scout Hall, prone to flooding, and over 120 men expressed interest in participating at a Shed Workshop, in that period. Shed West is within days of opening that workshop, on a former Council Depot Site where it will provide access to Woodworking machines, Metal working machines, Welders and Computer Terminals. Graeme became involved with AMSA when the BCC contact person asked him to take over this liaison from her.
With the formation of the Queensland Men’s Shed Association, earlier this year, Graeme became the inaugural President.
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SAMSA: Bryce Routley
Bryce started work in the state government in 1975 as a chemist in a water testing laboratory in Adelaide then progressed into industrial wastewater treatment, water catchment management and finally into being an educator of businesses in becoming more energy and water efficient. He has now left the state government to continue this work as a private consultant and to have more time to be devoted to mens sheds.
Growing up on the family farm, sheds and woodwork have been a part of his life, teaching his 4 children the basics of carpentry and running a part time cabinetmaking business at one stage to supplement his income. This has resulted in 2 of his sons being involved in the cabinetmaking industry, one of them operating a large shopfitting business.
He is the chair of the Pooraka Farm Community Centre and has been the driving force in establishing a local mens shed through the centre, resulting in being chosen as a “Living Legend” for 2012 by the local council for his work. His passion for supporting mens sheds is borne out of a belief that the explosive development of mens sheds will be a major force in shaping the future of Australian society in the near future.
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VMSA: Paul Sladdin
Paul Sladdin Victoria, Paul‘s background and qualifications are in community education and community development in which he has been involved for the past 25 years. Since 2000 he has been the CEO of the Mansfield Community Education Centre in North East Victoria which is both a Registered Training Organisation and a Neighbourhood House which auspices the Mansfield Community Men’s Shed. His involvement with the Men’s Shed movement began in 2005 when he was instrumental in the founding and establishment of the Mansfield Community Men’s Shed and contributed to the development of the Victorian Government’s Men’s Shed policy and funding program. Through the Mansfield Shed Paul has been involved with VMSA since its inception and was elected to the committee in 2009 and then elected as VMSA President in November 2010. Paul is also a Director of the Mansfield and District Community (Bendigo) Bank and a Country Fire Authority (CFA) Lieutenant in the Bonnie Doon brigade as well as being a member’s delegate with Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria (VFBV) which represents Victoria’s CFA volunteers.
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WAMSA: Mike Murphy
Mike Murphy Western Australia, Mike started work in 1974 and spent the first 33 years of my working life as an Air Traffic Controller, working both in Australia and overseas. As a way of dealing with the mental aspect of the job, I started tinkering with wood when my children were small enough to think anything I made was good!
I was hooked when I bought my first Triton machine and finally managed to cut edges straight. I’ve been making wooden things ever since.
I started my own part time business in 1990 (Woodeneye Constructions) and made a few things for a few people over the next 10 years. I moved to Melbourne from WA for work in 2004 for 2 years and lived in a flat with NO SHED! Talk about withdrawal symptoms. I have since worked for the Triton organisation, Cerebral Palsy and Mercy Aged Care in WA before getting my current position as Co-ordinator of the Stirling (WA) Men’s Shed in April 2010. It’s an exciting time to be in this business and I’m glad to be part of it.
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TASMSA: John Waters
John spent most of his working in the Life assurance industry working in sales administration and training with a variety of companies.
He was retrenched at age 62 and was invited by a neighbour to come to Pete’s Community Workshed and, although he had no training in any of the activities carried out at the Shed, he embraced the philosophy behind the Shed Movement and has now been actively involved for over 4 years.
As a result of his efforts the TasMensShed Association is now fully operational and has been successful in securing reoccurring funding for all Tasmanian sheds.
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NSWMSA- Kevin Callinan
Kevin retired in 1999 after a long career as a senior manager in government and the private sector. In 1988 he was appointed to a small team that setup Australian Defence Industries P/L (ADI) where he was responsible for all human resources issues including employer / employee relations, managing change, quality management , and occupational health and safety. He holds tertiary qualifications in management of organisations, public administration and economics. He has been active in community organisations holding leadership positions.
As initiator of Ku-ring-gai Community Workshop ‘The Shed’, dating from 2005, he set up a small shed at Turramurra in a disused sports building (50sqm) in 2009 and pursued the longer term ambition to establish a larger purpose built building for The Shed.
After several false starts approval was given for a purpose built building at St Ives Showground (273sqm). This was achieved through funding totalling $132,000 provided under the NSW government Community Builders Program and a matching grant from Ku-ring-gai Council as well as cash and ‘in-kind’ support from a wide range of business and community organisations.
The Shed has been successful in securing grants from government, council and community organisations to outfit “The Shed” with good quality new machinery.
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