Graeme Bland
State President

Mr G Bland

Graeme joined the Royal Australian Air Force in 1957 as an Aircraft Apprentice and 23 years later resigned as a Warrant Officer Engineer after having served in Malaya, Thailand and Australia. He also went to Italy in 1967 with the Macchi Training Team.

Graeme joined the RAAF Association (WA Division) Inc. in 1991 and was a foundation member of both the Permanent Air Force Branch and the Aviation Museum Branch, taking on the roles of Secretary and Treasurer for 9 and 10 years respectively.

Graeme's contribution as a Museum Volunteer can be seen in many displays, events and activities of the Museum and in the many fundraising and advertising concepts that Graeme, and his wife Judy, established whilst Graeme was still working full time. In 2007 Graeme assumed the role of Museum Librarian.

On his retirement from the workforce Graeme filled a vacancy on the Division Council in 2002. The following year he was elected State Vice President and then State President in 2004, contributing more time to the RAAFA in these appointments. Graeme was elected again to Division Council in October 2008 and State President in 2010 and 2012. For his work within the Division, Graeme was accorded RAAFA Life Membership in 2004.

He and Judy reside on the Air Force Memorial Estate at Bull Creek, and they are both involved in a broad range of ex-service activities.

David Peet
State Vice President

Mr D Peet

David belonged to the RAAF Association 1963-66 and then rejoined in 1998. He and his wife Dianne have lived on RAAFA Estate Merriwa since 2008, and David served as President of the Residents' Branch 2009-12. He was elected State Vice President in October 2012.

David joined the RAAF in 1960 and completed 6 years regular service and 5 years general reserve service. As a Telecommunicaitons Operator he served in Canberra, Darwin, Pearce, Frognall Victoria and with 79 Squadron at Ubon, Thailand.

In 1971 David joined the Western Australia Police and served for 27 years. He worked in Traffic Branch on Crash Patrol and Investigation, and in the Police Communication's Branch as a Training Supervisor and later Operations Manager.

Jim Carruthers
State Secretary

Mr J Carruthers

Jim served in the Royal Air Force for 24 years, with postings in England, Scotland, Egypt, Germany, Maldive Islands, Singapore and Cyprus.

Jim joined the RAAF Association in 1975 as a member of the Victoria Park Branch and served as President of that branch 1976-1980. He transferred to the Australia Pacific Branch in 1982 and was Branch Secretary until 2001.

Jim served on the Division Committee 1976-1983 and 1989-1994, and on the State Executive 1978-1983. He was elected to Division Council in 2000 and has been State Secretary since 2005. He has been a member of several Standing Committees of Division Council and was awarded Life Membership of the RAAF Association in 1998.

Jim and his wife Lynne reside on the Air Force Memorial Estate at Bull Creek.

Carole Bain
Division Councillor

Mrs C Bain MHSM, BScN, RN, GAICD

Carole accepted an appointment as Division Councillor in June 2012 and brings with her a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the Aged, Community and Health sector.

She is the General Manager, Country Services at Silver Chain, one of the largest Community and Health providers in Australia. In this role she is responsible for the leadership and management of all the operational areas in Country WA.

Carole is a qualified Registered Nurse who worked in various clinical roles in Scotland before migrating with her family to Perth in 1989. She worked in the hospital system for a year and then joined Silver Chain where she has undertaken many roles including senior management positions in Home Support Services, Residential Services and Project Management. Carole has undertaken a Master in Health Management, Certificate in Training and Assessment, is an Accredited Aged Care Assessor and is a Graduate of the Company Directors Course.

Carole is also a Director of Aged and Community Services WA, the peak body for aged care and is also on the Board of the South West Medicare Local Alliance.

Ron Onions
Division Councillor

Mr R Onions

Ron joined RAAFA in 1999 and was elected to Division Council in October 2012. He completed his National Service training at Pearce 1955-56.

Ron was employed, by what is now Telstra, for 40 years and retired in 1992 as a Principal Technical Officer serving in many WA country towns. During these years the family successfully ran two newsagencies, a supermarket, licenced post office and liquor store.

Ron, upon retiring in 1992, relocated to Shark Bay where he quickly became a Councillor on the Shire of Shark Bay, was elected a member of the Gascoyne Development Commission, President of the Gascoyne Tourist Committee as well as President of the Shark Bay Tourist Committee.

Ron and his wife Milly reside on Cambrai Village at Merriwa.

On the estate Ron has served as Chairman of the Social Committee, Computer Club and Cambrai village Estate Committee. He also served two terms as President of the Cambrai Residents Branch.

Bill Anderson
Division Councillor

Mr W Anderson

Bill spent two years working on sheep properties in Central Queensland before joing the RAAF in 1959. He served with No 2 Airfield Construction Squadron (ACS) as East Sale, then No 5 ACS in Darwin in 1963. Bill's service also included Base Squadron Butterworth 1966-68 and No 1 Operational Support Unit in South Vietnam 1969-70. In 1972 Bill transferred to the Australian Regular Army and served 15 months at Enoggera in Brisbane.

In civilian life Bill drove for interstate coach companies Grayhound and Deluxe and worked with a number of local tour operators.

In his mid-forties Bill obtained a Diploma in Accounting at TAFE and later a Certificate of Advanced Accounting from the University of New England. Bill was a member of the National Institute of Accounts throughout his accounting career. From 1989-2001 he worked as an Accountant with Frigopol (later Australian Pacific Air Conditioning Manufacturing, a wholly owned subsidiary of Carrier Air Conditioning).

Bill and Grace joined RAAFA in 2007 and since then he has volunteered at the Aviation Heritage Museum. They became residents on Air Force Memorial Estate in March 2011 and he was elected to Division Council in October 2012.

Tim Humphry
Division Councillor

Mr T Humphry, BE (Civil) (Hons), FAICD

Tim was appointed to Division Council in December 2010, and is also on the Planning and Development Committee.

Since 2003 Tim has been a Principal of Evans & Peck, an infrastructure - based advisory company that supports governments and private organisations in the initiation, development and delivery of projects throughout Australia and Asia. Prior to 2003 he had 31 years experience in design, construction, marketing and general management with a major construction company.

Tim's broad and extensive directorship experience includes, Executive Director Clough Engineering Limited 1988-2003, Director PT Petrosea Indonesia 1993-2003, Independent Director Harvey Water 2005-2008, Trustee Clough Superannuation Limited 1988-2003, Councillor and Building Committee Chair Presbyterian Ladies' College, and Deputy Chair Australian Indonesian Business Council.

Tim completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School in 1998, and a Professional Certificates in Arbitration (2004) and Mediation (2006). He is a Regiestered Builder, Fellow of Engineers Australia, Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and an Associate of the Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia.

Tim had had experience in the retirement housing sector through development and operations directorship of the St Louis Estate Claremont, between 1987 and 2003. He was also recently appointed as a director of Curtin Aged Persons Homes.

Karen O'Neill
Division Councillor

Mrs K O'Neill, MBA, GAICD, ACIS, BCompt

Karen accepted an appointment as a Division Councillor in December 2010 and brings with her a strong compliance background balanced with commercial acumen as a finance and governance professional. Karen has over 20 years experience in a variety of industries including resources, investment banking and professional services and has held senior positions with international companies.

Karen is the General Manager Commercial for one of Australia's largest ASX listed gold producers and explorers. In this role she is responsible for financial support and advice to the operations of the organisation.

Karen’s career began with Ernst & Young where she completed her accounting articles and then moving on to gain invaluable experience in the investment banking sectors in the United Kingdom and Luxembourg. In Australia she was introduced to the Not for Profit sector and held an executive management role with a co-operative based organisation, trading internationally, with purchases through their members of over AUD800 million a year. Next she took on the challenge of being the Commercial Manager in a dual listed mining company which included the commercial stewardship for a US$400M development project in Africa. Since emigrating to Australia Karen has gone on to complete the Graduate Diploma in Corporate Governance with the Chartered Secretaries of Australia; the Company Directors Course with the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Masters of Business Administration with the Australian Graduate School of Management.

Charles Geddes
Division Councillor

Mr C P M Geddes

Charles was elected to Division Council in October 2009. He was born in Edinburgh Scotland, and migrated to Perth with his parents as a 12 year old.

At age 19, he enlisted in the RAAF, Supply Branch. After training at Rathmines NSW and Wagga Wagga NSW, he was posted to No 1 Stores Depot Melbourne for 8 years. He was posted to RAAF Williamtown in NSW for 18 months, before undertaking a 2 1/2 year posting with the Purchasing and Spares Assessing Team for the F111C Aircraft. Postings at Headquarters Support Command, Melbourne and as Base Squadron Supply Warrant Officer at RAAF Williamtown followed, and he retired from the RAAF in 1979.

Charles worked with the NSW Department of Corrective Services for 6 years at a Prison Farm in Cessnock before returning to Perth where he worked as a Factory Manager for 1 year with the Royal Western Australian Institute for the Blind and with People Who Care (Inc) as a Project Officer for 1 year. He was employed then by the R&I Bank / Bankwest as a Bank Officer until he retired from the workforce in 1996.

He has been a volunteer over the past 25 years with several organisations assisting the frail, aged and physically and intellectually disabled. He is currently a volunteer bus driver with RAAFA on the Air Force Memorial Estate. Charles also served as a Supply Officer / Instructor in the WA Squadron Air Training Corps for 6 years, and was a NSW Justice of the Peace 1977 - 2007.

John Murray
CEO

Mr J F Murray RN, B.Bus (Acct), MBL, AACHSM

John took up the role of CEO with the RAAF Association (WA Division) Inc. in May 2013.

John comes with extensive experience in health, aged care and retirement living with senior management experience spanning 25 years. John commenced his career as a Registered Nurse specialising in mental health. His skills in leadership and management are supported by a Bachelor of Business majoring in Accounting and a Masters Degree in Business Leadership.

For the past nine years, John has been the CEO of MYVISTA at an ethnic aged care provider in Balcatta where he developed a retirement village, residential care facilities and community care services.

John currently serves as a Director on the Board of Aged and Community Services WA (ACSWA) and is Chairperson of the Housing and Retirement Living Committee of ACSWA.

Contacting the State Executive and Division Councillors