A letter from the Board to members of Hawthorn Football Club
As members of the Board of the Hawthorn Football Club, we have worked collaboratively to set the club up for future success both on and off the field.
Our portfolio-based leadership model has delivered governance aspects essential to sound club management. Such as the creation of an environment for staff to be at their best, and the delivery of regular communications with our membership.
It also has involved the delivery of some bold strategic decisions, such as
- the repositioning of our men’s football program
- the introduction of our AFLW team
- the exiting of gaming
- our commitment to the Kennedy Community Centre
A united sense of purpose, emboldened by stability, has underpinned each of these initiatives.
We are honoured to nominate Peter Nankivell to be the next President of the Hawthorn Football Club. Peter has served the club with distinction over the past eight years and is renowned for his work ethic and commitment to all things brown and gold.
Current board members Katie Hudson and Anne-Marie Pellizzer have also served the club with distinction, chairing their respective portfolios, and their nominations for re-election to the board are fully supported by us all.
Katie Hudson is accomplished in the world of finance, co-owns Yarra Capital and has generously applied her knowledge and experience providing excellent financial leadership as reflected in the club’s recent surplus in an extraordinarily difficult period of time. Katie has dual roles, chairing our Finance and Audit Committee as well as our AFLW Football Committee which she has done with distinction in the team's inaugural year.
Anne-Marie Pellizzer holds the dual portfolios of medical and Hawthorn History Tradition and Past Players. As a senior consultant physician, she provides invaluable medical advice essential in an elite sporting environment but also for the welfare of all staff and past players. With her extensive and long-standing knowledge and involvement with the club, Anne-Marie ensures all that we do reflects the Hawthorn way.
Through a rigorous nominations process, we are also united in our support of Maria Lui’s election to the Board. Maria is a lawyer and has worked for many years as a Hawthorn Football Club Foundation Director and Chair of the Hawks Community Foundation. We are fortunate she has accepted the endorsement of the Board, and Maria looks forward to supporting the other Board-endorsed nominees and Peter Nankivell’s nomination for President.
All four have a long history of working for the club for the benefit of members and have the confidence of those we employ, both in the club’s administration and football departments.
Importantly our recommendation offers genuine diversity of gender and skillsets. It is important the composition of the Board best reflects our membership, particularly now that the club has two women’s football teams competing in the AFLW and VFLW competitions.
The Board does not want to see the delivery of the Kennedy Community Centre put at risk. Losing people now who have intimate knowledge of this project will do just that. This is not the time for the disruption of the delivery of the most ambitious project ever undertaken by the club.
The Board also does not want to see the positive culture and player development nurtured by Senior Coaches Sam Mitchell and Bec Goddard interrupted.
This election is very important. With a number of pressing issues challenging the club both on and off the field, now is not the time to fracture and splinter. Now is the time to unite and maintain stability, characteristics that have defined all our periods of success. One for all and all for one.
Later today you will receive your notice of, and invitation to attend, the Annual General Meeting, which will be held at the Hawthorn Town Hall at 6.30pm on Tuesday 13 December. This notice will contain your membership account ID which will be required for voting, You will also receive separately, ‘Vote Now’ ballot papers for candidates contesting the forthcoming elections. We ask you to open the email, insert the code and your membership account ID that will have been provided to you, and vote immediately.
You have our commitment to continue to act in the very best interests of the Hawthorn Football Club and its members.
Thank you.
Jeff Kennett
Peter Nankivell
Richie Vandenberg
Ian Silk
Katie Hudson
Tim Shearer
Luke Stambolis
Owen Wilson
Anne-Marie Pellizzer
To be eligible to vote in the 2022 Director and President election you must have fully paid your membership subscription to be an Ordinary Member or Life Member as defined in the constitution and over the age of 18 by 19 October 2022. Each Member eligible to vote is entitled to one vote.
