Citation
Garry Fowler was inducted in January 2008 with the Classification of Audit Services. Garry qualified as a Chartered Accountant in South Africa and in 1986 he and his family moved to Australia where he took up a position as a partner with Arthur Young. Garry was senior audit partner with Arthur Young and subsequently Ernst & Young from 1986 to 2000. He retired in September 2000 and continued for a further 5 years as a consultant to the firm specialising in quality and risk management, sustainability (otherwise known as triple bottom line reporting) and corporate governance.
Garry has made a significant contribution to the Club in many areas and over several years. He became Minute Secretary to the Board, and subsequently served as Honorary Secretary for three years. He has been a member of the International Programs Committee since 2008 and chaired the Committee in 2009/10. He is also a member of the arts, investment, and audit and risk committees and the special action group for golf.
In 2020 Garry was instrumental in establishing and co-chairing Rotary Melbourne’s Environment Sustainability Committee in response to Rotary International’s designating Environmental Sustainability as the 7th Area of Rotary Focus.
Since its creation, the Committee has provided leadership across the Club in making sure its activities take proper account of their environmental impact. The Committee has done this proactively by engaging in Rotary Park, supporting pollination and Bee Keeping, launching the Rotary Melbourne Environmental Sustainability Award which has now been award for its second year, as well as initiating the annual World Environment day luncheon.
Of particular note has been Garry’s work on developing a Carbon Calculator which can be utilised in Rotary Clubs and other similar organisations to measure their Carbon emissions. This has now been launched and has helped estimate and provide the basis for Rotary to purchase Carbon Credits to offset the carbon emissions resulting from the Club’s activity.
For his sustained service to the Club, and his demonstration of Service Above Self as Chair of the Environment Sustainability Committee, and his hands on work creating the Carbon Calculator Rotary Melbourne Awards Garry Fowler this Paul Harris Fellow – Double Sapphire.
