Rosemary Nixon was MC and opened the 19th Meeting of 2024/25 meeting and all time Club meeting No. 5056 in the usual way.   The reflection was delivered by Barbara Yerondais and a copy of which is included later in this Bulletin.  Congratulations to Barbara on the arrival of her first grandchild. President Catherine Baxter then proposed the loyal toast.

Catherine thanked everyone for their understanding of her absence from the last meeting while she celebrated her mother's 85th birthday over lunch with some visiting relatives.

Catherine then welcomed guest speaker, for this meeting - Tammy Medard, Managing Director of Institutional Australia and PNG for ANZ. She then welcomed two guests of the Community Welfare Committee from partner organisation, Launch Housing: Shirl Brown and Anna Sims. Catherine also welcomed Alberto Balbo who will be inducted as a member shortly.

Other visitors and guests of members are listed at the conclusion of this bulletin.

Tammy Medard also won the wine raffle.

President Catherine then invited Richard Parker from the Community Welfare Committee to update all present on the Make a House a Home (MAHA).

The impact of the project was reinforced in remarks from Shirl Brown, Launch Housing coordinator of distribution of the boxes, who expressed appreciation gleaned from recipient feedback on how valuable the home kits are to clients who have experienced the deprivation resulting from homelessness and domestic violence.

The project aims to help eliminate homelessness by providing homeware boxes containing essential items such as blankets, pillows, and kitchenware, to individuals and families who have been homeless and are finally getting housed. The project has been running for several years in partnership with Launch Housing.

President Catherine then announced the Award of the Forth Bridge Trophy to Richard Parker and the MAHAH volunteer team for their outstanding contribution to the community through this project.

Finally, the raffle in support of the Smith Family was drawn and the winner of the $2,000 cycling voucher from My Ride, Collingwood was won by Vice President Mary Barry.

Chair of the Day, Past President Philip Endersbee then introduced Tammy Medard to deliver the keynote address for the meeting.

Tammy's presentation centred on the paramount importance of trust in both corporate and community environments. She began by introducing herself and sharing highlights from her career, including her 20-year tenure at ANZ Bank, and roles in New York with JP Morgan and Standard and Poor’s. She has spent a significant portion of her career in Australia and has taken on high-responsibility roles, such as CEO for ANZ's operations in Laos and handling institutional banking in Australia.

Tammy detailed how trust is the cornerstone for significant business deals and community projects. She argued that without trust, efforts in both spheres are fruitless, no matter the scale of the project or initiative. She shared personal anecdotes to underline her points:

• Professional Journey and Cultural Integration: Tammy spoke about her experiences during a recent visit to the Tiwi Islands, where she learned firsthand about the importance of building trust through cultural respect and genuine engagement. This encounter emphasized a slower, more deliberate approach to relationship-building, contrasting with her fast-paced New York background.
• Challenges of Building Trust in Teams: She illustrated the internal dynamics of trust within business teams, noting that a lack of trust often leads to misaligned agendas and inefficiencies. Tammy suggested practical measures like transparent communication and addressing issues directly to foster a culture of trust.
• Trust in Client Relationships: Trust with clients, she suggested, involves being consistent and reliable over long periods, stressing that decisions sometimes need to be based on trust rather than stringent financial models, especially in times of crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Case Study: Zambia: Tammy shared a powerful story from Zambia, where she witnessed a 20-year journey of women farmers building a successful co-op based on trust and transparency. This community lifted itself from extreme poverty to self-sustaining prosperity through consistent and shared commitments.
• Rebuilding Trust Post-Crisis: Addressing systemic issues in the banking sector, Tammy spoke about the industry's efforts to rebuild trust post the financial services inquiry through better practices and increased transparency.
• Digital Age and Trust: Tammy acknowledged the challenges posed by technological advancements like AI in maintaining human relationships, emphasizing the irreplaceable role of human judgment and interpersonal interactions in building and retaining trust.

Tammy’s presentation concluded with a lively and insightful Q&A conversation.

After expressing appreciation to Tammy for her presentation, Chair of the Day Philip Endersbee reminded us that next week’s meeting will feature guest speaker is Dr Peter Larkins, Specialist Sport & Exercise Physician, Author, Media Personality on the topic: ‘Exercise is the Key to High Performance in Life’.

Please note that a recording of this meeting will not be posted at the request of our guest speaker.

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