Born: 1939
President: 1996 – 2005
Hawks Forever - The Historical Committee of the HFC: 2005 – 2008
Life Member: 2005
AFL Life Member: 2008
AM General Division of the Order of Australia for service to the community of Victoria, to Australian Rules Football, and to business: 2010
Hall of Fame Inductee: 2019
Ian Dicker’s love for the Hawks began in 1962. Like so many supporters he was another face in the outer who took great pleasure and pride in watching the team each year, win, lose or draw.
All this changed in August 1996. Ian was in the United States when he received a fax telling him that there was to be a meeting that would involve the merger of the Hawks. He rang Ron Cook to let him know he was prepared to assist with any fight to save Hawthorn’s identity.
Ron Cook referred Ian to Don Scott who was the leader of the group that was endeavoring to save the club. In August that year, Ian joined the group with the intent of developing a business plan for the future success of the Hawks.
Ron Cook announced at the Merger Meeting on September 16 that Ian Dicker would be the next President of the HFC and was duly elected in December. Ian was to go on and serve the club for nine years and three months.
When Ian’s presidency started, the club’s membership stood at 12,000 members and by the end of 1997 the membership had risen to 27,000, recording a profit of $301,000 after having sustained a loss of $1.1 million the previous year. An amazing effort given that it was volunteer driven under Ian’s leadership.
The strategic plan that Ian presented was:
? To focus on the south and south-east of Melbourne
? To build a national presence
? To build a community-based club
? To grow long-term support through community programs
? To build on past successes particularly through the Past Players Association
? To continue to raise the club’s profitability enabling HFC to compete with the strongest club’s in the AFL
Under the Dicker regime, Waverley Park became fortress Hawthorn. In 1999 when the ground closed due to AFL ground rationalization, Hawthorn’s home crowds had jumped 8.36 %. The last game attracted 72,103 people; such was the club spirit that Ian Dicker had inspired.
With the loss of Waverley, Dicker won a substantial compensation package from the AFL then brokered the deal of a lifetime when he gained access back to Waverley Park as an administration base and training centre for the peppercorn price of $1.
Notable Achievements
? Building the all important membership base which now sits beyond 41,000
? Home games relocated to the MCG ensuring a continuing family atmosphere and growing crowds with a better economic return
? Cleared all bank debt and set up safe income earning investments streams
? With the players becoming fulltime, instilled a program of educational and life skill programs for life after football
? Joint relations with Box Hill Hawks, Premiers 2001, Runners Up 2003
? Sponsorship with the Tasmanian Government with four home games a year played in Launceston
? The appointment of Alastair Clarkson as coach which has been proved to be an inspired choice
? From a personal level recognized with HFC Life Membership 2005
? Has been a significant benefactor for the Hawks Museum (14 Glenferrie Golds) and assisted with key donations of memorabilia for the Club Collection
? Donated his extensive Memorabilia Collection to the HFC December, 2018
