On Friday 20 February, Wollongong Hawks Captain Mat Campbell announced to a small crowd of 400 at the 2008/09 End of Season Dinner that he would lead the charge to Save the Hawks and help see the club continue to compete in the new national basketball competition.
Our website www.savethehawks.com was launched and we started to accept pledges for Foundation Membership at $5,000 to assist in raising the $500,000 capital required to commence the new organisation, along with accepting pledges for Hawks Memberships and Season tickets.
To this date we have $420,000 pledged in working capital with that amount now being converted into dollars, in addition to the 1300 Hawks Memberships/Season tickets pledged on our website.
The Save the Hawks campaign received tremendous support and none better than the confirmation that proud naming rights sponsor Australian Health Management will continue their investment and involvement with the new organisation.
As Mat Campbell continued the push to generate the support in the community to Save the Hawks, the campaign hit a road block as part of the new financial requirements of competing in the new competition was to provide a $1 million bank guarantee.
An open letter was sent out to the public, major businesses and politicians in the region asking for an organisation or interested party to come forward and support the 31 year foundation club by providing a $1 million bank guarantee. That open letter prompted Indian mining magnate Arun Jagatramka, chairman of Gujarat NRE to come to the rescue.
Mr Jagatramka has heavily invested into the community of the Illawarra in recent times and would not let the Illawarra lose its last remaining National sporting team. The passion and support the community had shown to Save the Hawks led to Gujarat NRE providing the $1 million bank guarantee which would ensure the Wollongong Hawks a place into the new national competition.
The Save the Hawks campaign would like to thank the local Illawarra media outlets for their continued support and assistance in spreading the word and getting the entire community behind the movement.
The new Wollongong Hawks will be operated as a not for profit organisation founded on the support of the community and those Foundation Members who invested into the initial working capital of the new organisation.
Wollongong Hawks Basketball Limited has made a number of key announcements including the signing of Hawks legend Gordie McLeod as Head Coach, Wayne Morris as Chief Executive Officer and the announcement of the Interim Board of Directors.
The following is a small summary on the Wollongong ahm Hawks Interim Board of Directors;
Hawks Chairman
Peter Bahlmann (Partner, Bahlmann Burke Lawyers) Peter is a Solicitor and Barrister with specialised areas of legal practice in business & commercial, property law, wills and estates. A former Director at Illawarra Basketball Association, Peter has a strong passion for the sport and the Illawarra region. Peter's legal expertise and previous community involvement in sport is a valuable asset to the interim Board of Directors.
Directors
Bill Dowson (CEO, Permian Self Storage & Permian Document Logistics & Illawarra Basketball Association Director)
A current Illawarra Basketball Association Director, Bill has continued to be recognised as a key contributor to Illawarra sport, he brings great experience from the small business sector and provides a tangible link to junior sport. He also holds the current positions of Treasurer & Community Board Member of the Illawarra Academy of Sport and the Residential Appeal Chairman of the Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal.
Canio Fierravanti (Group Public Affairs Manager, University of Wollongong/ITC Group)
Canio brings great expertise in media management & communication, government relations & advocacy and stakeholder engagement. He is currently a Director at the Recreation and Aquatic Centre, University of Wollongong and has been instrumental in recent years in developing extensive links for the ITC Group with federal and state Governments and implementing an effective stakeholder strategy centred on focused profiling and strategic stakeholder engagement.
Kylie-Ann Haynes (Managing Director, Bluejuice Events formerly Activate Event Producers)
Kylie-Ann is one of Australia's leading sport, promotion and event producers/directors. She has delivered events and promotions for over 15 years in a career that has spanned media and sport. She is regarded as one of the true experts in her field. Kylie-ann brings a great range expertise and knowledge in events and promotions. She is also integral part of the Illawarra International Women's Day Committee as well as the St George Illawarra Dragons Women in League Committee.
Arun Jagatramka (Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Gujarat NRE Limited)
He is a qualified chartered accountant with all India 1st rank and gold medal and has experience of more than 15 years in consultancy and merchant banking. Under his leadership, the production capacity of Gujarat NRE Coke Limited has expanded five times in the last eight years to make it the largest non-captive metallurgical coke manufacturer in India as well as the first Indian company to own and operate coal mines in Australia. Gujarat NRE Limited are the proud guarantor of the Wollongong ahm Hawks.
Geoff McQueen (Managing Director, Internetrix)
Geoff is the founder and Managing Director of Internetrix, winner of the 2007 Integral Energy Business of the Year award. Internetrix was selected by Google to join their prestigious Authorised Consultant program in early 2007, and then went onto become only one of six companies globally to be recognised by Google as a technology partner in 2008. Geoff is also a founding member of the Illawarra ICT Cluster. His expertise and knowledge in technology will be a great asset to the Wollongong ahm Hawks.
Andrew Newhouse (Principal, HLB Newhouse Accountants)
With over 25 years experience in a wide range of businesses, in providing audit, business and taxation advice to clients, Andrew brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the new organisation.. His areas of specialisation include business restructuring, structuring of assets acquisition and disposals, business setups, company secretarial matters and general business management support. Andrew is also a member and past president of the Illawarra Sunrise Rotary and has a strong passion for sport in the region.
Over the coming weeks the new organisation will be finalising our new office location, front office staff and work towards building the coaching staff for the upcoming season.
Mission
We exist to provide our community a quality professional basketball team that is successful on and off the court and to provide exceptional service and a sense of belonging to our members and the community.
Vision
We will be recognised as a sustainable not for profit organisation whose networks and relationships strengthen the community through the promotion and development of basketball.
Values
- Community - To be actively involved in the community.
- Excellence - To provide a top level team on and off the court.
- Respect - To earn the respect of the community as a sustainable not for profit community based organisation.
- Professional - Professionalism and integrity in all aspects of our operation.
- Entertain - To delight each and every person who attends our events and games.