2023 - 2024

Committee

2023 - 2024
PRESIDENT
Major Ian Harding RFD

VICE PRESIDENT
Major Rob Cumming

TREASURER
Major Michael Little CSC

COMMITTEE
Captain Simon Bliss
Brigadier Michael Bond*
Lieutenant Colonel Garry Collins RFD
Lieutenant Don Crombie
Wing Commander Graham Hook
Commander Daniel Lord RAN
Ms Jennifer Manners
Ms Catriona McPherson

GENERAL MANAGER
Mr Russell Finney



Committee Member – Ian Harding.jpg Committee 2023 24 d Web Res Low Res - Copy.jpg

Committee Members

 

President – Major Ian Harding RFD

Elected to our Club in 1995, Ian served on the Management Committee and Members and Membership Services Sub-committee from 2007 to 2011. Now retired after an extensive career in air traffic management, Ian served 21 years with the Australian Army Reserve in most states and territories and subsequently 12 years with the Australian Air Force Cadets. Ian has had broad experience at the senior and executive levels including project management, business development, change management and cultural change. Major Ian Harding RFD was elected Club President at our 2022 AGM.

Vice President – Major Rob Cumming

Joining the USC in 1982, Rob is a Barrister at the private Bar in Brisbane and was previously a solicitor who worked in private practice, corporate roles and in government legal practice from admission in 1982 until 2017. Between 1975 and 2012, Rob served in the Army Reserve, chiefly as an Artillery Officer in Regimental and Divisional HQ postings culminating in full-time service between 2006 and 2012. During his full-time Army service, Rob deployed on operations to the Sinai (OP MAZURKA) and to Afghanistan (OP SLIPPER). Rob was elected to the Committee in 2019 and is on the Membership and Member Services Sub-Committee.

Treasurer – Major Michael Little CSC

Joining the USCQ in 2016, Mike is a former full time Army officer whose service began at the Royal Military College Duntroon before graduating into the Royal Australian Infantry Corp prior to transferring to the Australian Army Intelligence Corp. As a member of the Australian Intelligence Community Mike has been deployed both domestically and overseas, and resulting from these deployments he is a recipient of the Conspicuous Service Cross, the Australian Active Service Medal with Clasp, and the Australian Service Medal with Clasp. Upon leaving full time military service Mike has embarked on a successful civilian career, specialising in the field of business development, recruitment, and private equity. Mike also has an extensive background in staffing and retention policy, recruitment, workforce development and planning. Mike has also sat on numerous Boards and Committees including volunteer experience with expertise in business development, risk management, governance, member services and finance. Consolidating this experience, he holds qualifications in health administration, business, law and workforce management. Since 2022, Mike has also been a member of the USCQ’s Finance, Audit and Risk Management Sub-committee.

Committee Member – Captain Simon Bliss

Simon was educated at Churchie and is a former full time Army officer who began at the Australian Defence Force Academy and the Royal Military College, Duntroon, graduating to the corps of Engineers. After more than a decade of service Simon moved to the UK for a decade before returning to Brisbane. He has extensive experience in medium and large business. In the UK, he filled the roles of COO/CFO and Managing Director of the Mount Blake Group, a billion dollar turnover group of companies who worked globally in the wholesale and distribution area of the electronics industry. Simon has reported to boards and directed companies in a variety of sectors internationally including food (distribution, wholesale & retail), electronics (distribution & wholesale), logistics (international & domestic) and international security (products & services). Simon currently consults to organisations on very large and complex transactions including opportunity exploitation strategy, tender development and response, risk, change and program management and brings a wealth of practical commercial acumen to a board. Simon has a long involvement with the Club and has been a member for over 25 years; his grandfather, Lieutenant Harry S. Green was a member for 45 years. He has been awarded the Australian Defence Medal.

Committee Member – Brigadier Michael Bond CSC*

Michael is a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland with a distinguished public sector career working in senior positions in the Commission for Children and Young People, the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, and the Department of Child Safety, Seniors and Disability Services. In a parallel career, Michael has served 38 years as a member of the Australian Army (part time), with four operational tours of duty. In 2012, Michael was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross for his leadership of the 9th Battalion, The Royal Queensland Regiment. He was awarded a Bar to the Conspicuous Service Cross in 2017 for outstanding achievement in enhancing the operational outcomes of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. He retired in 2022 as the Director General Reserves (Army). Michael is passionate about the environment and is a Director on the Board of Queensland Water and Land Carers and a Fellow of the Australian Security Leaders Climate Group.

Committee Member – Lieutenant Colonel Garry Collins

A retired high school teacher, Garry has been a USCQ member since 1989. A 35-year career with Education Queensland saw Garry mainly employed as an English department head and he also had year-long exchanges to schools in the USA and Canada. For about a decade up to the end of 2017 he also taught part-time in several universities in SE Queensland, mostly in teacher preparation courses. From 1965, he served for around 30 years in the Army Reserve, mainly in infantry battalions of the Royal Queensland Regiment but also in the Queensland University Regiment which he commanded for three years at the end of the 1980s. Whilst on a teacher exchange in Oregon in 1991 he was attached to a local National Guard unit, 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry Regiment. Garry is a Life Member of the English Teachers Association of Queensland and a past president of both that organisation and its national counterpart, the Australian Association for the Teaching of English.

Committee Member – Lieutenant Don Crombie

Joining the USC in 2008, Don has served on the Club Committee since 2008 and has been Club Treasurer from 2009 to 2023. Don has served on the Finance, Policy & Property, and Finance, Audit & Risk Sub-committees, is a Director and Trustee for the Club’s incorporated company 183 Wickham Terrace Ltd, and is a Fellow of CPA Australia. Don has been a practicing accountant and tax agent in public practice since 1983, with prior experience including sheep and cattle stud overseer and rural property management.

Committee Member – Wing Commander Graham Hook

Over Graham's 32-year military career his roles included Commanding Officer RAAF Base Darwin and Business Manager in the Australian Public Service within Defence. His experience as a board director spans 15 plus years, including president, secretary and director roles. Graham has an MBA, and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (since 2011). "In 2017 I undertook a WWI Battlefield Tour with the USCQ - a wonderful experience that influenced me to join the Club. My love of the Club is around the traditions and history the Club represents... a history that should continue to be told."

Committee Member – Commander Daniel Lord RAN

Joining the USCQ in 2016, Daniel is a current serving Navy Reservist, formally full-time, who qualified as a Maritime then Principal Warfare Officer specialised in Communications, Surface and Sub-Surface Warfare. As a Warfare Officer, Daniel has served both in Australia and overseas which has resulted in him gaining the Australian Service Medal and Operational Service Medal. Daniel's full-time service concluded in Command of the Armidale Class Patrol Boats HMA Ships Armidale, Bathurst, Maitland, Ararat and Launceston, with the first four platforms assigned in Command of the ACPB Crew "Attack Six". Since transferring to the Royal Australian Navy Reserve, Daniel has grown a successful civilian career in Operations Analysis/Data Science including Modelling and Simulation, Project Management, Strategy Management, Management Consultancy (in Capability Management), Education and Training, and Mortgage Broking. Daniel has expertise in Community Boards and Committees focusing on Risk, Governance, Compliance, Change Management, Project Management and Capability Development. Daniel is a Certified Practicing Program Manager/Project Director and holds a Masters in Leadership and Management in Education, a Masters in Project Management, and a Bachelor of Teaching/Bachelor of Arts.

Committee Member – Ms Jennifer Manners

Biography for Ms Jennifer Manners coming soon.

Committee Member – Ms Catriona McPherson

Catriona is an Assistant Crown Solicitor at Crown Law. She leads one of Crown Law’s three Workplace Law teams, and specialises in employment, industrial relations, discrimination and human rights law. Catriona has practised exclusively in those areas of law for more than 16 years, and has extensive experience advising and representing employers in all aspects of workplace law, and in matters across State and Federal jurisdictions. Catriona has also held volunteer positions at the Caxton Legal Centre and the Refugee and Immigration Legal Service, both pro bono legal advice centres. Catriona holds a Master of Laws, a Bachelor of Laws, a Bachelor of Business (Accountancy), and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice. Catriona is the sister and granddaughter of Australian and British Army officers, so she has a great affection and respect for the military heritage of our Club. Catriona is also passionate about younger member involvement and growth at the Club.