Malcolm joined the Rotary Club of Melbourne in 1973 – that’s 46 years ago, when the Sydney Opera House was opened, ough Whitlam was our PM and Richard Nixon was in the White House. Oh, and the median price of a three bedroomed house in Melbourne was $13,000.
Malcolm commenced his working life as an apprentice in the manufacture of machine tools and studied Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Technology at RMIT. He spent six years as the Chief Engineer of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and also a year involved with the building program of the Royal Women’s Hospital.
In 1956 he joined the British United Shoe Machinery Company of Australia and in 1961 at the age of just 32 was appointed to the Board of Directors. In 1967 he was appointed Assistant Managing Director, the position he held when e joined the Club. He worked in the company’s headquarters in the UK before leaving to take up the position of Managing Director of Pacific Operations for US company Georgia Bonded Fibres Inc.
He founded his own business Simports (Pacific) in 1995 and established a widely acknowledged reputation throughout the Asia Pacific region for personal and dependable service.
His Rotary service has been extensive. He served as Chairman of the Programs Committee, and in various capacities on the International, Vocational Service, Arts, Welfare of the Young and Rotary Park Committees and a number of times as Captain of North Balwyn-Ivanhoe Group. Malcolm has served as Director of Vocational Service in 2009-11 and represented our Club on the Boards of The National Heart Foundation Victoria for 12 years, and Acclaim Ltd for four years.
Malcolm was named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Club in 2013. Just a few weeks ago, Malcolm was observed swirling on the dance floor with his beloved wife Patricia at the Multi-District Conference. So Malcolm, we wish you a very happy 90th birthday!
