Elphinston steps down from BNSW Board

Written by Geoff Tripp
8 December, 2018

I wish to advise that I have submitted my resignation to the BNSW Board as an invited Board Member and BNSW Chairman, effective 31.12.2018.

Four years ago I was encouraged by many of you to return to the Board of BNSW and help re-direct, re-energise and lead our sport in NSW, which I accepted with thanks and great enthusiasm.

With the strong and unified support of an excellent BNSW Board, we recruited an outstanding CEO in December 2016 – Maria Nordstrom, who commenced with BNSW in February 2017. Maria came into our organization with a strong commercial background and an impressive role in basketball over many years in Sweden, USA and Australia.

Maria has fulfilled the promise we expected and sought. Maria has spent countless hours travelling the State, supported by her BNSW Staff, in the BNSW Road Shows and events meeting Association Presidents, Boards and Secretaries rebuilding the BNSW ‘Brand” and regaining the trust of our members and stakeholders.

My resignation is predicated on strengthening BNSW, introducing new and younger well-qualified people into the leadership roles to support and work closely with you, the BNSW Staff and our many stakeholders who share a passion for our great sport of basketball in NSW.

Jenny Dean, a very accomplished Partner in a global company, AON, and a passionate basketballer, will become Chair of BNSW from 01.01.2019. Jenny has led the Board in recent years in financial, legal and HR Relations and will also Chair the Board Governance Committee.

Darryl Connolly, who grew up in the Melbourne basketball scene and more recently a highly qualified senior banking official, has joined the Board as the Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee, replacing Amanda Truong who resigned in September for family reasons.

Gina McClements will join the Board on 01.01.2019 replacing myself. Gina has a distinguished career in Marketing and Communications and will be a great asset to our sport.

David Brettell, Lauretta Claus, Bob  McGugan and Paul Beale continue in their respective roles. Bob chairs the Waratah Advisory Committee; Paul chairs the BNSW Country Committee and Lauretta will join the Metro Advisory Committee on behalf of the Board.

The Board has pursued an active agenda to improve the governance of the sport, overseen by the  Governance Committee and now has received a major tick from NSW Office of Sport and Basketball Australia.

The establishment of a BNSW Nominations Committee, considered essential in today’s world of good governance, has overseen the recruitment of new directors for the BNSW Board and will have the same role in the lead up to the AGM. Peter Brettell, a long time Illawarra player and Official and from a strong business career is the independent was appointed the Chair together with a second independent Glen Unicomb plus Board representative Gina McClement.

The Nominations Committee’s first assignment was to recruit the two appointed Director’s Darryl Connolly and Gina McClement. Gina following her appointment will now replace Jenny Dean who was BNSW Board Representative on 1 January 2019.

Through public advertisement, a well qualified Company Secretary, Anna Wyke, has also been appointed together with recently appointed Auditors, Pitcher Partners, following the Board ‘s decision to re-advertise the Auditor role every three years.

The STRATEGIC PLAN updated in 2017 will serve the growth of the sport well in the next two years with particular emphasis being given to the growth in playing numbers, improved governance at all levels of the sport, a dedicated and aggressive campaign to improve playing facilities across the State and support for the volunteers engaged in refereeing , coaching, administration  and technical official roles.

BNSW remains very committed to supporting our “parent organization” Basketball Australia including the urgently needed National Registration System, the national High-Performance system and growth programmes – Sporting Schools and Aussie Hoops.

Led by record number of Aussies in the NBA , US Colleges , the rebirth and growing strength of the NBL and WNBL , seeing the Boomers playing FIBA World Cup games in Australia  and the Opals as No 2 Team in the World – all suggests we are heading into new and exciting times and opportunities for the sport we all love – basketball.

Thank you for the support you have given myself and the BNSW Board.

Bob Elphinston OAM

Chair BNSW