Our Board
President
Neil Comrie AO, APM
Neil was appointed President on 30 June 2010.
A career police officer, Neil joined Victoria Police in 1967 and, after serving initially in uniformed and then specialist roles, in 1990 was appointed Assistant Commissioner, Queensland Police Service.
In 1993, Neil returned to Victoria when he was appointed as the 18th Chief Commissioner of the Victoria Police Force. He retired in 2001 after 8 years in this position.
Neil is currently the Independent Monitor for the implementation of the recommendations of the Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission and he was also appointed as Chair, Review of the 2010-2011 Flood Warning and Response - Victoria Floods Review.
He has also undertaken a range of sensitive and significant inquiries and projects on behalf of the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments and internationally. As such, Neil brings to MFB significant emergency services experience.
Deputy President
Ken King BForSc (Hons), DipFor (Creswick)
Ken was appointed Deputy President on 1 July 2011.
He was appointed to the Board in July 2008, and was appointed to the Board of the Country Fire Authority in 2003. His appointment helps maintain our important relationship with the CFA. Ken retired recently from a long and very successful career in the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) and its predecessor departments.
Ken has held senior positions in land management, forestry and bushfire management, including as the DSE’s Regional Manager for the northwest of Victoria, South Gippsland and the Port Phillip area which covers metropolitan Melbourne. Ken has also been on the Board of Parks Victoria since 2005 and is on the Boards of the Natural Resources Conservation League, the Bjarne K Dahl Trust and the Habitat Melbourne Trust.
Ken brings to the Board extensive experience in government and with statutory authorities
Board Member
Jay Bonnington B.Com. MBA, FCPA, FAICD
Jay was appointed to the MFB Board in July 2006. Jay started her career as an accountant and worked in the UK, USA, Europe and South Africa. She worked in the construction, engineering and manufacturing, electricity and financial services sectors in Australia, and was CEO of the Make-A-Wish Foundation Australia until 2005.
Jay now serves as a non-executive company director on a number of boards, including HESTA Superannuation, Port of Melbourne Corporation, St. John of God Healthcare Group and Agriculture Services Victoria. She is also on the board of the Lord Mayors Charitable Foundation, Prince Henry’s Medical Institute and on Deakin University Council.
Board Member
Alfred Long
Alf was appointed to the Board on 14 September 2010.
Alf had an impressive 44-year career with Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA). Within eight years of starting as a cadet, Alf was appointed Branch Manager and in 1987 he moved to Queensland as State General Manager, where he undertook a restructure of the organisation and rejuvenated its market position.
Four years later he returned to Victoria as General Manager, to implement the merger of CBA and State Bank Victoria, a major exercise. In 1997 he became the Head of Customer Service across Australia, managing approximately 28,000 employees.
Alf retired from the bank in July 2000. His capacity to draw people together and to develop the resolution of complex organisational issues complements the skills already present on the MFB Board.
Board Member
John Lord, AM FAICD
John was appointed to the Board on 23 July 2011.
John has had high profile careers in the Australian Navy, the Commonwealth and State public sectors, and private enterprise. In recent years he has provided strategic planning advice and corporate governance to the commercial sector specialising in international relations, government business and the maritime industries.
He served with the Royal Australian Navy for over 36 years and retired with the rank of Rear Admiral. He is a former Chief Executive and Director of the Marine Board of Victoria where he initiated several State and National maritime programs, and a member of the Australian Maritime Group and the National Plan Committee for maritime emergency responses around Australia.
John is presently Chairman of DMS Maritime Services Pty Ltd and a member of the Victorian Government’s Defence Council and the Minister for Corrections Ministerial Community Advisory Committee. John is also Captain and Chairman of Huntingdale Golf Club in Melbourne.
Board Member
David Purchase OAM LLB
David Purchase was reappointed to the Board on 12 July 2011.
David Purchase joined the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce (VACC) as Executive Director in 1997.
After graduating from law at Melbourne University in 1972, he spent 15 years at the Victorian Employers Federation, where he became Deputy Executive Director.
In 1986 David was appointed as Executive Director of the Life Insurance Federation of Australia, the representative body for all the life insurance companies operating in Australia.
In 1994 he joined Norwich Union Financial Services Limited as Group Company Secretary and in 1995 became General Manager of Lifescreen Australia Pty Ltd (a subsidiary Company of the Norwich Group).
David is also a Member of the Board of Australian Overseas Foundation Inc, Director of MotorTradeCard Pty Ltd, Director, Motor Industry Holdings Limited, Director, Motor Industry House Pty Limited, Panel Member of Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Committee.
David is a former Member of the Board of CARE Superannuation Fund.