I am honoured to have been appointed Acting CEO of the Trust in Victoria whilst the Board recruits a permanent CEO to replace Martin Purslow. That recruitment process has been started by the Board.
Martin achieved an incredible amount in his ten years heading the Trust, revitalising the organisation, breathing life into the Trust’s properties, achieving record levels of engagement, visitation, investment, expansion of education programs and reinvigorating our role as the leading advocate for heritage in Victoria. 60 fully funded major projects were delivered in those ten years. For the first time in decades the Trust achieved a profit for two consecutive years and the financial sustainability of the Trust is the best for decades. I personally thank Martin and wish him well in his adventures in the UK breathing life back into other heritage organisations.
My own journey has seen me working in heritage in Victoria since 1998, when I volunteered and subsequently worked for the National Trust at the Old Melbourne Gaol. Since then I spent ten years at Heritage Victoria and then returned to the Trust as Conservation Manager in 2009.
This year the Trust celebrates its 60th anniversary in Victoria. Underpinned by the work of more than 145 dedicated staff of across more than 30 sites, and with record levels of activation and engagement at key sites, and a growing membership and the invaluable support of more than 600 ongoing volunteers, including an additional 2,000 corporate/program volunteers, we remain committed to delivering an incredible year in pursuit of the Trust’s mission to inspire the community to appreciate, conserve and celebrate its natural, cultural and indigenous heritage.
Paul Roser
Acting Chief Executive Officer
