Board of Directors

The Board is responsible for the corporate governance of ADCU. That means broadly, it is responsible for making ADCU work for the benefit of its members while retaining its financial viability, but ensuring it complies with the law.

The Board of your credit union is comprised of seven directors elected by the members. ADCU Directors are elected for a three year term. So normally, about one third of the Board is elected at each Annual General Meeting. The Board elects its own Chair and office bearers.

The Chief Executive Officer is the Secretary of the Board and attends Board Meetings.

ADCU Directors are normally, but not necessarily, serving or retired Australian Defence Force personnel or Australian Public Service officers. There is no particular qualification needed other than that they be members of ADCU and meet the basic requirements of the Corporations Law.

However, there are strict regulatory requirements as to the fitness and propriety of Directors and the Board is required to ensure that these requirements are met before approving the appointment of a new Director. Experience has shown that a good working knowledge of the Department of Defence, strong financial, business, strategic planning and risk management skills and a penchant for considerable additional reading and research are necessary.

John Wood, Director and Chair of the Board

Captain John Wood retired from the Royal Australian Navy in 2002. His Service background was in logistics management, operational logistics and resource management whilst his later postings included Command of large Navy and Joint Service units in Western Australia, Sydney and Nowra.

John joined ADCU in 1983 and was appointed a Director in 1997. He was elected Chair of the Board in December 2001. As Chair, John is committed to good corporate governance to ensure the continuing profitability of ADCU through sound financial management and innovative direction. His continuing aim is to ensure that this profitability is appropriately directed to the benefit of all members.

John is a graduate of the Royal Navy Staff College, the Joint Services Staff College and the Australian Defence College. He is a Fellow of the Australian Defence College, a Graduate Member and Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of the Australasian Mutuals Institute.

John and his wife Judith have four adult children and reside on a property in Milton on the South Coast of NSW. He is a very keen sportsman and, after many hectic years on the cricket and rugby fields, has now settled down but still enjoys a competitive game of golf.

Warren Thomas, Director, Chair of the Remuneration Committee and Deputy Chair of the Board

Warren Thomas joined ADCU in 1984 and was elected to the Board in 1996. He has served on the Audit Committee for 8 years including 6 as Chair of that committee. He has been Deputy Chair of the Board since 2007. He is also a member of the Risk Committee and was recently appointed as Chair of the newly formed Remuneration Committee which is an APRA requirement to monitor salaries of senior ADCU executives.

Warren was a public servant in the Department of Defence for most of his 37 year career. During his early years he served as a junior officer in the Army, including a one year posting to South Vietnam. Upon return to the Department, he gained experience in personnel, finance and contract administration. His last 20 years in Defence was mostly in appointments as the principal financial advisor to military Commanders in Navy and Army, completing his service in this role with Navy Systems Command.

More recently Warren devotes his time to his role as an ADCU Director and to several volunteer positions in the community. This includes, in particular, assistance to veterans as President of Cronulla RSL Sub-branch. He is also Director of Cronulla RSL Memorial Club and a member of the Club Directors Institute of NSW.

Warren has tertiary qualifications in Accountancy and holds a Graduate Diploma in Company Directorship. He is also a member of the Australasian Mutuals Institute and is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
His special interests as a Director are the long term viability of ADCU and the provision of first class service to its members. He is pleased to serve as Deputy Chair and will assist in sound corporate governance of ADCU and continuing relevance to defence members.

Warren is married to Sue and they have five adult children. His hobbies include travel, golf and skiing.

John Brooks, Director

Group Captain John Brooks (Retd), joined the Royal Australian Air Force in 1975 as a Supply Officer. As a junior officer he served in a variety of supply and logistics positions. As a senior officer he specialised in logistics management and support for operations. He has commanded at unit (Air Lift Logistics Management Squadron) and wing (503 Wing Richmond) level. John joined the Board in August 2000.

John graduated from the University of NSW with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in economics and is a graduate of the Royal Air Force Staff College and the Australian Defence College. He is a Fellow of the Australian Defence College, a Member of the Australasian Credit Union Institute and a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. John retired from the Air Force in January 2004 and currently owns and runs a newsagency in regional NSW.

John believes that growth, competition and a wide range of quality products will ensure that members continue to obtain the best possible rates and services. At the same time John understands that the credit union is a medium size business that has to be managed in a professional, sensible and accountable way.

John is married to Wendy and they have four children. He enjoys most sports and the odd game of golf.

Michael Morrison Pike, Director and Chair of Renewal Committee

Mike Pike joined ADCU in the early 1980s and was appointed as a Director in 1993. He was elected by his fellow directors as Chair of the Audit Committee in 1994 and served in that capacity for five years. In November 2001 Mike became the Deputy Chair and last year became the Chair of the Renewal Committee.

Mike was a supply officer in the Royal Australian Navy for 28 years. Following his attendance at the Joint Services Staff College in early 1993, he was promoted to Captain and posted to Maritime Headquarters as the Chief Staff Officer (Support) and Fleet Supply Officer. Mid 1995 saw Mike appointed as the Director of the RAN Staff College, Director of the Leadership and Management Training Centre and as an Honorary aide-de-camp to the Governor General. Mike now manages his own management consulting company DEFCONSULT and undertakes occasional Naval Reserve service.

Mike is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management, a Fellow of the Corporate Directors' Association, a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an Associate Fellow of the Australasian Mutuals Institute. Mike holds a Graduate Diploma in Management, a Graduate Diploma in Strategic Studies and a Masters Degree in Management Economics.

Mike has three sons, one serving in the Army and a brother whom recently transferred from the RAAF to the Air Force Reserve. Representing all ADCU members equally, Mike continually strives to improve members’ benefits through lower fees and loan interest rates and the introduction of new and relevant financial products.

Brigadier Jane Spalding, Director and Chair of Audit Committee

Jane Spalding is a Brigadier in the Australian Regular Army. Since joining the Army in 1983 Jane has filled a variety of logistics, training and personnel postings including Officer Commanding Proof and Experimental Establishment, Graytown and Commanding Officer Army School of Logistic Operations.

Jane is a graduate of the Australian Army Command and Staff College, Royal Military College of Science (UK) and the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies and holds a Bachelors degree in Social Science (Human Resource Development) and Masters degrees in Military Studies, Defence Studies and Strategic Studies.  Her service postings and tertiary studies have provided her with a good understanding of financial and resource management. Jane brings a Defence oriented perspective to the Board that means, through her leadership, ADCU will continue to provide the services that serving people and their families need.

Jane enjoys photography, archery and a wide variety of sports (although primarily as a spectator these days).

Commodore Clinton William Thomas AM, CSC, RAN, Director and Chair of the Risk Committee

Clinton Thomas is a Commodore in the Royal Australian Navy. He is currently the Director General Logistics - Navy. In the recent past he has served as the Director General Supply Chain in the Joint Logistics Command, Head of the SeaChange Implementation Team in Navy and the Director General Strategic Logistics. He has been a Director of ADCU for 10 years and has also been Chair of the Risk Committee for 5 years.

Clinton’s Naval career has been oriented generally to the Supply and Logistics field and has included a number of key appointments in this area, including: OIC Logistic Services in Cairns, Supply Officer HMAS Darwin (including three Gulf deployments), Supply Officer HMAS Adelaide, Deputy Fleet Supply Officer, Head of the Supply and Health Faculty HMAS CERBERUS, and the FFG Capability Element Manager and the Commanding Officer HMAS CERBERUS.

During this period he has been actively involved in both Officers and Sailors personnel and welfare issues and has brought to the Board of Directors an appreciation of these issues as well as a strong understanding of financial/resource management considerations. He is dedicated to continuing to shape the range and quality of financial services available to all ADCU members. He is a Graduate of the RAN Staff College and has a Masters of Management in Operations and Logistics from the Macquarie Graduate School of Management. He has previously been the Chairman of the RAN Relief Trust Fund for over 4 years, and remains the President of the RAN Australian Football Association. He has also been recently appointed as the chairman of the RAN Central Canteens Board.

He is a Member of the Australasian Mutuals Institute and is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Member of the Risk Management Institute of Australasia.

He is married to Helen, has two children and lives in Canberra. He enjoys all sports, but particularly motorbike riding and bushwalking these days.

Graham Weber, Director

Graham Weber was appointed as a director in August 2008.

Graham is a Certified Practising Account with a Bachelor of Commerce degree, majoring in accounting.

He is currently a Senior Executive Officer within the Defence Material Organisation, responsible for budget and treasury cash management, performance reporting and product costing, located within Russell Offices in Canberra.

Graham initially joined the Department of Defence in 2001 in the position of Assistant Secretary Accounting Policy and Practises, whereby he had responsibility for the preparation of the consolidated Defence financial statements and Defence accounting policy.

Since joining the DMO in January 2005 Graham has undertaken the responsibilities of Director General Materiel Accounting and Policies, responsible for managing monthly and annual financial reporting responsibilities, accounting policy, Fraud Control Planning, and reporting implications for the establishment of DMO as a prescribed agency. In September 2006 Graham moved to the position of Director General Finance and Business Services (FBS), responsible for the management of financial aspects of the relationship between DMO and Defence including the provision of a range of financial functions and services in support of DMO Divisions.

Graham has an extensive career of approximately 13 years in the Public Sector, working also for local ACT Government and the Department of Transport and Regional Services, where he had responsibility for preparation of the Departmental financial statements for review by audit as well as the establishment of periodic performance reporting throughout the Department.

Graham has had experience in private business services within KPMG as a taxation accountant and business advisory services.

More Information

• The ADCU Difference
• Safe and Secure
• History
• Benefits of Membership
• Board of Directors
• Executive Management Team
• It All Comes Back to You
• Publications
• Governance
• Disclosure Documents

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