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The Annual General Meeting of the Queensland Rugby Union today elected five new directors, two new vice presidents and a new President to take the organisation forward.
Chairman Rod McCall was returned along with the five new directors - Mark Thompson, Michael Arnett, Chris White, Tim Brailsford and Paul McNicholl - who will join Ross Williams (incumbent) and Sean Hardman (player representative) on the new look board.
Former Wallaby and Queensland captain Tony Shaw is the new QRU President, replacing David Crombie, who stood aside to become an ARU vice president.
The new QRU vice presidents are Murray d'Almeida and Bill Ross, who replace Tom McVeigh and Dick Marks.
Earlier, the Queensland Country Rugby Union elected former Western Queensland Rugby president and former Country representative player Boyd Curran as its new President, replacing Peter Curtis.
The QRU AGM also awarded a Life Membership to former Reds captain and player David Bedgood, for his contribution to junior and senior club rugby and for his many years of service to the Reds as volunteer gear steward and player mentor.
Mr McCall thanked outgoing directors Michael Glover, Col Harkness (who both did not re-nominate), Steve Wilson and Peter Carroll for their efforts in especially difficult circumstances, while Mr Crombie said all of Queensland Rugby owed thanks to Mr McVeigh and Mr Marks for their many years of service.
Mr McCall said members had been presented with a strong field of director candidates and encouraged to elect a board to take the business of Queensland Rugby forward. They had responded by selecting a group with a wide range of valuable skills and experience.
"Both CEO Jim Carmichael and I look forward to drawing on the knowledge and experience the new directors will bring, along with those of the new presidential team," Mr McCall said.
"Queensland Rugby members have elected wisely and we're grateful for that as we continue the job of rebuilding our business."
The meeting heard that the QRU had recorded a loss of $3,142,248 for the 2009 financial year.
This included $1.2 million of costs for the proposed redevelopment of Ballymore being brought to book in 2009, $855,000 in depreciation costs and a bad debt provision of $386,000.
The deficit was also inflated by a number of unbudgeted items, including contract payouts to two players who had career ending injuries and additional legal costs due to a Crime and Misconduct Commission inquiry into state government grant funding.
The meeting was told that income generation fell by 21 per cent in the 2009 reporting period compared to the previous year but associated cost cutting had reached the point where any further reductions would have hindered the ability of the business to deliver on its current objectives.
While an agreement with the Australian Rugby Union to provide interim financial support had stabilised the situation, the need to build a sustainable financial model was critical, Mr Carmichael told the meeting.
A motion to change the current method of filling casual vacancies on the ARU and QRU Boards was lost.
New faces:
QRU President
Tony Shaw - A former Wallaby and Queensland captain, now President of the Brothers club in Brisbane, Tony Shaw has been in the insurance broking business for 40 years
QRU Vice Presidents
Murray d'Almeida - Chairman of Bartercard Australia and Rugby Gold Coast Ltd, former QRU director Murray D'Almeida has over 30 years national and international business experience, especially in franchising.
Bill Ross - A former Wallaby and Queensland player and Queensland team manager, Bill Ross is a senior executive with Savills Queensland and a committee member of both the Vintage Reds and Classic Wallabies
Directors
Mark Thompson - A partner at Whytes Accountants and Business Advisors advising participants within professional sport and a former Chairman of the board of St Patrick's College Shorncliffe and Brothers Rugby Club
Michael Arnett - Vice Chairman of Sunshine Coast Rugby Ltd, Michael Arnett is a consultant to the Natural Resources Business unit of law firm Norton Rose and a director of a number of public and private companies in the mining and energy sector
Chris White - A sports and event management specialist, Chris White founded athlete management company International Quarterback and is on the Board of Queensland Events Corporation and chairs Gold Coast Motor Events Corporation.
Tim Brailsford - Professor of Finance and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Business Economics and Law and the University of Queensland, Tim Brailsford oversees a budget of $130 million and around 8,000 students as the executive responsible for all business, economics and law programs at the University.
Paul McNicholl - A former Queensland player in 1970-71, Paul McNicholl is managing director of Delta Group Australia Pty Ltd and has a wealth of business knowledge and commercial acumen gained in both industrial and consumer retail markets.
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