General News
15 July, 2022
Simon Grant becomes Apex National President
SIMON Grant will lead one of Australia’s biggest community organisations over the next 12 months after being sworn in as the new Apex National President.
SIMON Grant will lead one of Australia’s biggest community organisations over the next 12 months after being sworn in as the new Apex National President.
Mr Grant, who joined the Beaufort Apex Club in 2010 and has served on the national board since 2020, becomes the first Beaufort member and resident to be appointed in the role which oversees around 140 clubs around Australia.
“It has [sunk in] to some extent,” he said.
“I’ve had experience operating at that level and seen the day-to-day operations of the association at that level but being the national president itself hasn’t sunk in yet.
“I haven’t had the chance to think about it. My second day of the job had me in Toowoomba preparing the budget for this financial year and attending an annual handover over there presenting a life membership.”
With “the right people” around him at board level, including fellow Beaufort Apexian Ben Curnow, Mr Grant hopes his year in the role can lay the foundations for restoring Apex to its former glory and fulfil its potential at a national level.
Once a powerhouse of service groups around Australia, with 20,000 members nationwide at its peak, Apex’s numbers have fallen to just over 1,000.
Founded in 1931, Apex has led several initiatives helping communities and families in need, with two of its Sydney members being the catalysts in developing the Children’s Cancer Institute.
Looking to inspire his new board, one of Mr Grant’s first acts as president was taking his team to Apex’s Shack in Shoalhaven – a facility which has provided respite for families with sick children for over 30 years.
“It was nice to visit there and learn about the history of that place and learn about how it’s helped people going through some tough times,” Mr Grant said.
“I took my board there for a few reasons. One was to get together and kick the year off strongly and on the right foot, but to also remind them of what Apexians in the past have achieved.
“If that was to be measured in dollar terms for accommodation, it’s the order of $40 million. There’s no reason why we can’t do something like that today.”
It was a longing to make a greater impact and a frustration at the organisation’s governance which prompted Mr Grant to apply for a position the national board a few years ago.
Helping identify and rectify several “compliance issues” at board level over the last two years, Mr Grant is ready to begin the rebuild as president.
While Apex National Presidents only serve a one-year term, which Mr Grant believes may have contributed to a “tunnel vision” approach in the past, the new president is confident the board and his successors will carry on this vision of reinvigorating the organisation.
“My goal is to be the national president that helped turn things around,” he said.
“There’s so much potential and I’ve got the right people around me, so there’s no excuse.
“We need to construct three-to-five year plans and look into the future to ensure the continued success of apex and that’s the way I’m managing this board.
“Whatever work that starts in my year is going to be carried over. I’m confident whatever I do isn’t going to be shelved but act as the foundation for some great things in the future.
“My real challenge is to get the governance right but implement programs which assist programs to grow within their communities and represent them at national and international apex events.”
Despite only officially stepping into the role at the beginning of July, the national presidency has taken Mr Grant across two states in his first two weeks, with more travel, including an Apex international trip to Malaysia, to come over the next year.
“I’m going to be really busy for the next 12 months. My wife Bronwyn and my children Harrison, Matilda and Charlotte have been really supportive,” Mr Grant said.
At a local level, Mr Grant also looks forward to continuing his work with Beaufort’s Apex Club.
“The club in Beaufort has been really good for me I’ve really enjoyed the service to the community but also the mateship and friendship formed over time.
“At a local level we donate $10,000-12,000 a year to the Beaufort community which is remarkable.”