AS ANNOUNCED by President Andrew Newbold at the Club’s 111^th Annual General Meeting in December, Professor Linda Kristjanson and Andrew Gowers have officially joined the Board, following the retirement of Directors Geoff Harris and Jason Dunstall.

Professor Kristjanson, an internationally-renowned scholar and academic leader, is a Vice-Chancellor and President of Swinburne University.

A graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Professor Kristjanson serves on the Boards of the Australian Synchrotron and AARNet. She also chairs the AuScope Ltd Board.

In 2002, Professor Kristjanson was named the Australian Telstra Business Woman of the Year in recognition of her entrepreneurial work in health, science and innovation.

Gowers, who will take on the role of Football Director, was a member of the Club’s 1991 premiership team and played 140 AFL games for Hawthorn and the Brisbane Bears between 1988 and 1999.

Gowers completed a business degree at Monash University and a financial services diploma while playing football, and now owns and manages a financial consulting business specialising in business exit and financial planning.

Professor Kristjanson and Gowers will be appointed to the Board, and will be required to stand for election at the 2014 AGM in accordance with the Constitution.

Newbold recognised the outstanding contribution of Harris and Dunstall during their nine-year tenures on the Board.

“Geoff has made a wonderful contribution to the activities of the Board including the commencement of Hawthorn’s relationship with the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea, and the establishment of the Hawthorn business initiatives portfolio,” he said.

Newbold described Dunstall as the conduit between the Board and Hawthorn’s Football department, providing great help to both bodies.

“Jason was an important part of the Club’s weekly Football sub-committee, where his wisdom in football was of great assistance to Senior Coach Alastair Clarkson.”

“Both men have been great servants of Hawthorn Football Club and we thank them for their hard work and commitment over the past nine years.”