Ron Banks Tasmanias company director of the year AICD review

A prominent businessman who was instrumental in establishing Tasmania’s annual AICD award has been named this year’s recipient. 

Ron Banks, former chairman and managing director of the Banks Paton Australia Group of Companies, received the 2001 AICD (Tasmania Division) Gold Medal at a special presentation dinner at the Hotel Grand Chancellor recently.

Banks, who has a long association with AICD and is one of only two Tasmanian life members, said he was honoured to be named Tasmanian Company Director of the Year. "When I was involved in bringing the Gold Medal awards to Tasmania from Queensland in 1994, I never imagined that eight years later I would be chosen to receive one," he said. "It's a great thrill and privilege to be seen as deserving of such an honour from my peers and an organisation that has made such a valuable contribution to the business community and which has grown to include about 700 members from a range of industries." Originally from Victoria, Banks has lived in Tasmania for more than 40 years, and during this time has been a director of numerous publicly-listed and private companies, including the Printing Authority of Tasmania, Rondon Pty Ltd (a retail business he established with his wife, Chris) and Fairfield Horticultural Products Ltd.

He is perhaps most well known in Tasmania for his involvement in the advertising and marketing industry through Banks Paton. In 1997 the company became part of the Clemenger Group and Banks remained with the company as consultant until January 2000. He is actively involved in numerous Tasmanian companies and community organisations. Currently he chairs Tasmanian Global Investments Pty Ltd (an offshore investment company), is deputy chairman of Perpetual Trustees Tasmania, and managing director of Vision Market Research. He is also a director of the H&S Group and Nocton Park Developments, a diversified rural property project. The AICD Gold Medal is presented to a person acknowledged as having contributed to the community in a number of areas. These include business, charitable works and employment creation. The award also recognises outstanding effort as a company director and citizen in Tasmania. Like his predecessors, including Andrew Kemp in 1999 and Michael Vertigan in 2000, Banks has dedicated a considerable amount of his time to community development.

He is chairman of the Domain Athletic Centre Management Committee, Narryna Heritage Museum and the Royal Society of Tasmania Foundation, emeritus Trustee of the Committee for the Economic Development of Australia, a director of the Australian Business Arts Foundation Ltd and the 7th Junior Men's World Hockey Championship Board of Management. In addition he is a member of the National Council for the Centenary of Federation and the Salvation Army Advisory Council. His previous community involvements have included inaugural chairman of the Art Foundation of Tasmania, president of the Hobart Chamber of Commerce and Honorary Consul-General of the Philippines (1984-1998). A keen sportsman, he is a member of the Royal Hobart Golf Club, the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania and Tasmanian Racing Club. He was made a member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2000 and received an Australian Sports Medal in 2001. Tasmanian Division president Val Smith said Banks was a worthy recipient of the Gold Medal. "Mr Banks has shown dedication and commitment to Tasmania's economic development, both as a businessman and community member," he said.

"His list of business, community and sporting involvements is considerable and there are few in Tasmania who could match it."

Disclaimer

The purpose of this database is to provide a full-text record of all articles that have appeared in the CDJ since February 1997. It is aimed to assist in the research and reference process. The database has a full-text index and will enable articles to be easily retrieved.It should be noted that information contained in this database is in pre-publication format only - IT IS NOT THE FINAL PRINTED VERSION OF THE CDJ - therefore there might be slight discrepancies between the contents of this database and the printed CDJ.