Board of Trustees
The activities of the Commando Welfare Trust are overseen by the Board of Trustees, who collectively bring extensive military and corporate experience to the foundation.
The Board of Trustees operates on a volunteer basis and are not remunerated for their time or associated expenses.
Each Board member is dedicated to fulfilling the Commando Welfare Trust mission to provide emergency and long-term financial support to Special Forces soldiers, veterans and family members where the system cannot.
See the current Patrons & Trustees of the Commando Welfare Trust below.
Patron - Hon. Joel Fitzgibbon
First elected to the House of Representatives in 1996, Joel served as Defence Minister and Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in the Rudd Government. He also served as Chief Government Whip in the Gillard Government.
Over the course of his 26 years in the Parliament, Joel held a number of Shadow Ministerial positions including Assistant Treasury, Financial Services, Defence, Mining, Energy, Agriculture, Small Business, Tourism and Regional Australia. He was also the Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence & Trade.
Joel retired from the House of Representatives in 2022 after 26 years of service.
Joel’s son, Jack Fitzgibbon, is a member of 2nd Commando Regiment who we tragically lost earlier this year in a training accident.
It is a testimony to Joel and his family that they have turned this event into a positive through their work with the Commando Welfare Trust.
We thank the Fitzgibbon family for their ongoing support.
Vale Lance Corporal Jack Fitzgibbon.
Patron - Major General Tim McOwan AO DSC CSM (Retd)
Major General Timothy Joseph McOwan, AO DSC CSM, is a retired senior officer of the Australian Army.
McOwan enlisted in the Australian Army in 1976 and gained his commission via the Royal Military College, Duntroon, in 1980. McOwan served in regimental appointments with the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR) and the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR).
His service with 1RAR included an attachment to the Rifle Company Butterworth in Malaysia while his service with the SAS included a two-year secondment to the headquarters commanding the British Special Air Service and the Special Boat Service.
During his time in SASR, McOwan served as a vehicle-mounted troop commander, a counter-terrorist troop commander, an operations officer and an adjutant. He also commanded the SAS Operations Support Squadron between 1990 and 1991.
In 1992 McOwan attended the Army Command and Staff College at Fort Queenscliff, serving within the Directorate of Operational Support in Army Headquarters.
In 1994 he was appointed Commander Australian Service Contingent Operation Mazurka with the Multinational Force and Observers, Sinaia and Egypt, where he served as the force assistant Chief of Staff.
In 1998 McOwan attended the Joint Services Command and Staff College in the United Kingdom before being deployed to the Persian Gulf on Operation Pollard as a member of the United States Central Command-led Coalition Headquarters.
McOwan assumed command of the SASR in 1999, holding that position until 2001.
During his time as Commanding Officer, McOwan commanded Joint Task Force 504 during Operation Spitfire, the Special Operations Component of International Force for East Timor during Operation Warden, and Joint Task Force 643 during Operation Gold, the Australian Defence Force Counter Terrorism support for the Sydney Olympics. For the former deployment, McOwan was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, while 3 Squadron SASR was granted the Meritorious Unit Citation.
In 2001, McOwan was appointed the Chief Staff Officer Plans in the Joint Operations Command. In this capacity, he was responsible for operational planning for Australia’s commitment to the War On Terror, Operation Slipper in Afghanistan and Operation Falconer in Iraq, as well as numerous other operations.
In 2004 he became the Director of Strategy and international engagement in Army Headquarters before assuming the appointment of deputy Special Operations Commander in Australia.
In January 2006, he was appointed Chief of Defence Force Liaison Officer to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in The Pentagon, Washington, D.C. This appointment saw him responsible to the Chief of the Defence Force for liaison between the US Defence Force and the Australian Defence Force in the areas of operations, strategic plans and intelligence.
McOwan assumed the appointment of Special Operations Commander Australia in February 2008, relinquishing this post in January 2011. He then served as Australian Defence attaché and Head of Australian Defence Staff in Washington, D.C.
In the 2012 Australia Day Honours, McOwan was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia in recognition of his “substantial contribution to the capabilities, operational successes and international reputation of Australia’s Special Forces”.
He retired from the army in 2014.
Chairman - Brigadier Mark Smethurst DSC, AM (Retd)
Mark Smethurst DSC, AM served for 35 years in the Australian Army, with 27 of those years spent as a Special Forces Officer.
Smethurst has commanded up to Squadron level in the Special Air Service Regiment, was the Commandant of the Special Forces Training Centre and Commanded the 2nd Commando Regiment in Sydney during their busiest operational period since inception.
He was the Deputy Commander of the Australian Special Forces Command, Commanded the NATO Special Forces in Afghanistan and was the Deputy Chief of Operations for the US Special Operations Command.
Smethurst retired from the Australian Defence Force in March 2017 and, until March 2019, was the Commissioner of the State Emergency Services (SES) for New South Wales.
Smethurst now runs his own business, assisting in the development/mentorship of boards and senior leadership.
As the Chair of the Commando Welfare Trust, he is committed to supporting current and former members of Special Operations Command and their families in times of need while also recognising their commitment to the Australian Defence Force.
Deputy Chairman - BRIG Marcus Fogarty, DSC and Bar, CSC, DSM
Brigadier Parkes was born in Redcliffe, Queensland. Prior to joining the Army, he attended the Queensland University of Technology and was an accountant, professional athlete and an Australian representative in surf lifesaving.
Brigadier Parkes joined the Australian Army attending the Royal Military College – Duntroon in 1998. Graduating in 1999, he subsequently completed Special Forces reinforcement training in 2002. He has commanded at all ranks from Lieutenant to Brigadier in Special Operations Command including Special Forces Training Centre appointments.
Brigadier Parkes’ staff posting appointment includes serving in Special Operations Command, Forces Command, Headquarters Joint Operations Command, Land Systems Division, Army Headquarters, Military Strategic Commitments Division and an industry out-placement at General Motors (GM).
Brigadier Parkes was the inaugural Commandant of the Defence Special Operations Training and Education Centre for three years raising Army’s newest Training Centre. He subsequently served as the Director Military Art at the Land Combat College and was responsible for overseeing Army’s foundation and combat curriculum. Brigadier Parkes subsequently served as Deputy G7 Army and held authorities and responsibilities on behalf of the Commander Forces Command as the Australian Army’s Executive Training Authority in support of the Land Domain Training System.
Brigadier Parkes’ operational experience includes multiple deployments to East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan. For operational service in Afghanistan, he was awarded a Commendation for Distinguished Service as the Special Operations Task Group Plans Officer and a Distinguished Service Medal for leadership in action commanding a sub-unit on combat operations. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his command and leadership of the Special Operations Task Group mission in Iraq.
Brigadier Parkes holds a Bachelor of Business from QUT and is a graduate of Army Command and Staff College (ACSC) with a Master of Military Studies from the ANU. He is a graduate of the Coalition Joint Forces Special Operations Component Commander Course, the Navy Strategic Leadership Program and the McKinsey Executive Leadership Program.
Brigadier Parkes is currently appointed as the Commander Special Forces Group within Special Operations Command.
Trustee - Bruce Parker OAM
Bruce Parker commenced his career in the automotive industry as an apprentice mechanic and today owns and manages HM Gem Engines and Nason Engine Parts employing in excess of 200 people.
Parker has been dedicated to developing employment opportunities for people with disabilities. The provision of a stimulating environment for these employees has improved their learning, knowledge and skills.
As a result, Parker’s company has been awarded the Prime Minister’s ‘Employer of the Year Award Large Business’ on four occasions.
In 1999 Parker’s company was awarded the Victorian State Premier’s Award for Manufacturing and was also the overall Business Winner for the South East Region. In 2000 Parker was inducted into the Victorian Manufacturers Hall of Fame.
Parker is a past President of both the Victorian and Australian Engine Remanufacturers Association. HM Gem Engines has also won Motor Trades awards in 2016, 2017 and 2019 and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2019.
For more than twenty-five years, Parker has had a personal commitment to the Victorian Police initiative — the ‘Hand Brake Turn’ scheme — where disturbed or troubled young people are refocused and assisted into the workforce.
The Parker family has also established the Michael Parker Foundation to provide education for underprivileged children in Australia, East Timor and Nepal.
He is a past President of the Australian Commando Association Victoria and remains an active member of that organisation.
Parker was directly involved in the Australian Government initiative for the retraining of Falintal guerrillas in East Timor that were deemed unsuitable for their armed forces.
Parker and fellow former Commandos established the Commando Welfare Trust to provide quality education for children of Commandos and supporting troops who have been killed in action or training or have been badly wounded or injured whilst serving their country.
In 2020 Parker was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his service to the community, including the veterans and the automotive industries.
Trustee - Peter Laverick
Peter Laverick has been a professional tax advisor for over 25 years and is a founding Trustee of the Commando Welfare Trust.
Following his university studies, he entered the taxation industry, having spent several years working for the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and then for three international accounting firms as a taxation adviser.
After his transition from advising on tax, Peter’s taxation expertise and experience were quickly recognised in the legal industry, which saw him appointed as a partner to two Sydney law firms.
The combination of an ATO background, commercial accounting firm experience and legal knowledge means Laverick’s clients were always able to get the best commercial outcome with regard to all relevant factors.
After establishing Laverick Legal in 2011, Peter now works for a diverse range of clients, including accounting practices and law firms that do not have their own in-house tax expertise.
Trustee - Ian Breedon
Ian Breedon is an experienced Director and Trustee as well as a trusted and respected advisor across a range of industries.
Breedon was previously a senior Partner at Deloitte, where he led the Property and Real Estate sector and was a member of the Deloitte Global Property Executive until he retired from Deloitte in 2014.
Breedon has been a Trustee of the Commando Welfare Trust since 2014 and is currently Chairman of its Audit and Risk Committee.
Breedon is also director and Chair of Better That as well as director and Chair of The Foundation and Friends of the Botanic Gardens, where he is also a member of the Audit and Risk Committee and the Nominations and Remuneration Committee.
Breedon is also an International Patron of the Australian World Orchestra.
During his audit career, Breedon led the external audit of ASX-listed and private companies, including the Westfield Group, the Lowy Family Group of companies and Terrace Tower Group (Saunders family) and GPG Australia.
As the leader of the Deloitte Real Estate Group, Breedon spearheaded global advisory services to major listed Australian property companies, including Westfield, Stockland, Lendlease, Mirvac and GPT. Over several years, these projects included all sectors of the property and construction industry; funds management, construction, development and property management.
In his previous role as Trustee and Audit Chair of Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens and Centennial Parklands, Breedon contributed to the repurposing, commercial development and activation of their significant assets and related maintenance programs. The value of the combined Gardens and Parklands property assets base is approximately $2 billion.
As a past Chairman of the Urban Growth Development Corporation’s governance committee, Breedon contributed to the oversight of some of Australia’s largest infrastructure and urban renewal projects, including Sydney Fish Markets, Everleigh Precinct, Bays West and North Parramatta historic precinct.
Throughout his career, Breedon has been focused on the delivery of strong commercial performance through excellence in leadership, management and stakeholder engagement.
As the leader of Deloitte’s Real Estate Group, over a five-year period, Breedon drove annual revenue from A$10M to A$105M by 2014. This period of exceptional growth was secured through Ian’s leadership, strategy and planning, relationship management with clients and prospects as well as inspiring a talented executive team.
As Chairman of the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, Breedon led the Board and management in the successful delivery of a leading world-class cancer hospital to the NSW community. Ian’s role included oversight of the strategic direction and planning through the design and construction phases of a $250M CAPEX budget, as well as all aspects of risk management, service delivery and funding compliance.
Complex stakeholder engagement included financial negotiations and agreements with the NSW Department of Health, Minister and Secretary, the NSW Premier, as well as budget agreements with the Australian Federal Government and two Prime Ministers.
Breedon mentored the Chief Executive Officer and members of the senior management team. He successfully led a diverse Board representing varied community interests.
Trustee - Steve Grace
Steve Grace is the founder of multiple businesses including The Nudge Group, Curious Media, and The Pillars, ventures that span media, podcasts, technology, recruitment and a private members club in the heart of Sydney’s CBD.
He launched The Nudge Group in 2019 to help start-ups and scale-ups grow by connecting them with world-class talent. Operating globally across APAC, the UK, Europe, and North America, The Nudge Group also includes Nudge Productions—a production company that helps companies tell their stories through video content.
He is also the co-Founder of Curious Media, a podcast network that creates original content crafted by and for motivated individuals who crave depth, yet appreciate simplicity. Their podcasts communicate hard-to-grasp ideas in easy-to-digest ways with a commitment to entertain, educate and engage.
In 2024, he co-founded The Pillars, Australia’s first private members club for business leaders, entrepreneurs, and global professionals. Located in a restored heritage building in Sydney’s CBD, The Pillars is a space for meaningful connection, collaboration, and community.
Trustee - Idris Jama
Idris Jama has 25 years of experience in corporate leadership, primarily within the Lion Nathan Group, where today he is the Chief Brewer for the Lion Global Supply Chain covering all Lion breweries in Australia with a staff of approximately 540 people.
Idris has worked all over Australia and New Zealand, gaining experience in leadership, business planning, transformational management, and corporate governance.
Holding an Honours Science degree in Brewing and Distilling, Idris also is a Diploma Member of the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
In his spare time, Idris is a soccer Coach at the West Pymble Football Club, a volunteer at Kick Start for Kids and a lead fundraiser for the Black Dog Institute and Ride for Richter.
Idris joined the Board of the Commando Welfare Trust in April 2022.
Trustee - Susan Wynne
Susan Wynne is a highly experienced and respected leader with a career spanning listed companies, private enterprises, corporate organisations, and the political sector.
She was appointed to the Board of Litigation Lending Services Ltd (LLS) in 2022, contributing to capital strategy and corporate growth, before being appointed Chief Executive Officer in November 2023. As CEO, she brings a strong record of governance, vision, and execution to the leadership of the organization.