Bendigo Trust Staff and Board Members

The Bendigo Trust operates the Central Deborah Gold Mine, Bendigo Tramways, Discovery Science & Technology Centre and the Bendigo Joss House. Fifty staff and dozens of volunteers work at the sites, or in The Bendigo Trust offices above the Central Deborah Gold Mine reception area. The Trust CEO is Tom Seddon, Finance Manager is Mal Telford and Sales & Marketing Manager is Evonne Oxenham . The managers at each of The Bendigo Trust's three principal operations are Darren Hutchesson at Bendigo Tramways; Karl Penrose at the Central Deborah Gold Mine; and Angie Carter at the Discovery Science & Technology Centre. Lloyd Cameron, Chair Lloyd is a retired Electrical Engineer who has served as a Director of BRIT (the Bendigo and Regional Institute of TAFE) since 2002, and been vice President since 2005. He is a past Chairman of the Central Victoria Area Consultant Committee. Lloyd has been actively involved with local Rotary, and is a Past President of Castlemaine Rotary Club. Lloyd's interest in Clydesdale horses also led him to hold a position as Honorary Members Secretary/Treasurer of the Commonwealth Horse Society, to which he is now an occasional consultant and show judge. Lloyd has been a member of the board since February 2003. Patricia (Patti) Cotton Patti is a former Councillor, twice Mayor, of the City of Waverley and Commissioner of the City of Knox . She is a Board Director Peter Harcourt Disability Service, Board Director Continuing Education Bendigo, Chairman Human Rights Committee, Council member of Bendigo Agricultural Society, Deputy Chairman Bendigo +25, Deputy Chairman Vision Australia Development Committee, member and past President of the Rotary Club of Bendigo Sandhurst, committee member Friends of Bendigo Art Gallery, National Equine Expo Bendigo and Bendigo Easter Festival 2010. Patti has been a member on the board since 2009. Jos Duivenvoorden, Council Nominee, Company Secretary Jos is the Director of Presentation and Assets with the City of Greater Bendigo . He has broad experience in public administration in various Local Government Authorities around Victoria and South Australia with specific depth of knowledge and expertise in works and operations. He is a member of Bendigo Rotary. Jos has been a City of Greater Bendigo nominee on the board since 2007. Michael McGowan Michael has had a long association with The Bendigo Trust principally through his involvement with the Bendigo Tramways. From it's inception in 1972 he has fulfilled many voluntary roles and devoted considerable time, energy and expertise into the development of the tramway to what has become today. Michael worked as a tram Conductor and Driver with the Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Board between 1976 and 1978. In 1979 he became a teacher with the Department of Education, located to Swan Hill, retiring in 2006 after 28 years as a Teacher and Leading Teacher in both classroom and administrative roles. His other community interests have included pipe bands and administrative roles with local football. Michael has been a member of the board since 2007. Dennis R O'Hoy, Past President Dennis' long association with The Bendigo Trust began as a member of the first Committee set up to preserve the Central Deborah Gold Mine. Dennis was also instrumental in The Bendigo Trust's involvement in the Bendigo Tramways and still shares a great love of trams. Dennis in fact moved the plans to preserve part of the system. Dennis has a background in education, being the former Head of Department Art and Design, and Deputy Dean School of Arts, La Trobe University Bendigo. Former Lecturer, Principal Lecturer for 38 years, retiring in 1996. Dennis has been a member of the board since its inception in 1970. Cr James Reade, Council Nominee Cr James Reade is a Project Officer at Lead On Bendigo - a community youth development organisation. At the age of 19 he was elected in November 2008 as a City of Greater Bendigo Councillor (Sandhurst Ward) making him the youngest ever person to be elected as Councillor in Greater Bendigo. James holds many roles on boards and committees throughout Bendigo including B Central Advisory Committee, Bendigo Bluelight Committee, Bendigo Umpires Association and All Wheels United committee. He is a CFA volunteer with the Axe Creek Fire Brigade, a volunteer at Special Needs Family weekend camps with the Catholic Education Office and is an accredited senior football field umpire. He was the City of Greater Bendigo 's Young Citizen of the Year in 2006. James has been a City of Greater Bendigo nominee on the board since 2009. Tom Seddon, CEO Born and educated in the United States (BA, The Ohio State University; JD, University of Cincinnati ), Tom moved to Australia in 1989 to work with Melbourne legal firm Arthur Robinson & Hedderwicks (now Allens Arthur Robinson.) Tom's interest was in companies and securities law, investment and superannuation funds, and he is the title editor of The Laws of Australia, Title XXII, which covers insurance and superannuation law. Prior to joining The Bendigo Trust, Tom served as director of two international scientific conferences: the Sixth International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific, Melbourne 2001; and the 18th World Conference on Health Promotion, Melbourne 2004, and he still consults occasionally in this field. Locally, Tom is a former chair of Bendigo Tourism and a member of the committee of Monash University Faculty of Medicine's Rural Clinical School. Tom has been CEO since 2005. Clive Walker, Audit Committee Chair Clive began his career holding various accounting positions with ASCO in West Melbourne , before commencing a number of roles with HC Sleigh Limited. In 1982, Clive took up a position with the then Bendigo Building Society. He has been employed by that organisation for over 20 years, having enjoyed all of the successes, including mergers and acquisitions, conversion to a bank, strong business growth and the development of the popular and successful Community Bank concept. He currently has the role of Senior Manager, Financial Reporting & Accounting with the Bendigo & Adelaide Bank Group. Clive loves his life in Bendigo and enjoys giving something back to the community by serving on two local Boards (The Bendigo Trust and Discovery Science & Technology Centre) being treasurer of a local wine & food society and through his long service to the Bendigo Branch of CPA Australia. Clive has been a member of the board since 2003. David Wright, Deputy Chair David has spent his entire career in Local Government having held the positions of Accountant at the Shire of Corio, Deputy Town Clerk at Portland , and Shire Secretary for over 25 years at Gordon Shire at Boort and finally Strathfieldsaye Shire. David is currently a part time Special Projects Officer at the City of Greater Bendigo having retired from the position of Property Manager in 2008. His personal interests lie in the arts and classical music having helped establish The Capital Theatre in Bendigo . As a professional musician, David has occupied the position of Pipe Organist at the Golden Square Uniting Church for over 25 years and has been a performer and Life Member of the Bendigo Community Theatre. David was the Acting Chief Executive Officer of The Bendigo Trust between November 2002 and June 2004 David has been a member of the board since 1996. Helen Yorston Helen Yorston is currently the Manager of the Bendigo Volunteer Resource Centre which she established in 2002. Helen was employed as an Executive Assistant to the CEO and in other various roles at The Bendigo Trust between 2001 and 2005. Prior to this, Helen held a position as a Project Officer in the Property Department of the City of Greater Bendigo and also spent 18 years working in retail in the Bendigo area. Helen is Company Secretary & Public Officer for Loddon Mallee Interchange Inc., Chairman of Eco Living Centre Steering Committee, Vice President of 'Friends of Easter Festival', member of Committee of Management for Bendigo Easter Festival, Committee member of Loddon Mallee Emergency Relief Foodbank Steering Committee, Justice of the Peace (Secretary of the Bendigo Branch), volunteer at The Capital Theatre, trustee and member of the Bendigo Community Theatre Helen has been a member of the board since 2005.