Our People

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service is an autonomous organisation that has a team of crewman and rescue crew, pilots, engineers and staff that provide administration and marketing support under a Board of Directors.

Board

There are 11 voluntary members of the Board of Directors who represent the local community.

Cliff Marsh OAM – Chairman of Board

Cliff represents Hunter Branch of Surf Life Saving Association and has been a director since 1991, and Chairman from 1992. Cliff also chairs the Finance Committee, is a member of the Audit Committee and the Tamworth Advisory Committee. He was President of the Newcastle Branch SLSA (as it was then known) in 1974 and a member of the committee which investigated, and then, recommended that a Helicopter Rescue Service be formed by the Branch using volunteer life savers as crew. He is now retired and is still an active member of Swansea-Belmont SLSC, having achieved considerable success in recent years as coach of their Senior R&R Teams at State and National level.

Peter Kilmurray

Peter represents Hunter Branch of Surf Life Saving Association and has been a director since 1996, and is a member of the Finance Committee. He is a former President of Cooks Hill SLSC and is the senior partner of Trisley Kilmurray Lawyers in Newcastle.

Kyle Loades

Kyle represents Hunter Branch of Surf Life Saving Association and has been a director since 1998 and is Chair of the Marketing Committee. He is a former President of Nobbys SLSC and is a Director of the NRMA Motoring Group representing the Central Coast and Hunter regions of NSW, Director of Thrifty and the Hunter Business Chamber. He is the Managing Director Auto Advantage Pty Ltd.

Michael Slater

Mike also represents Hunter Branch of Surf Life Saving Association and has been a director since 1996, is a member of the Finance Committee and chairs the Audit Committee. Mike has held executive management positions, and is currently Chairman of Newcastle Permanent Building Society and is a director of NIB Health Funds, CIBIS Pty Ltd, Dennis Veitch & Associates and the University of Newcastle Foundation.

Cr Tim Crackanthorp

Tim represents the City of Newcastle and has been a Councillor of Newcastle City Council since September 2008.  Prior to this Tim has been actively involved in community organisations and was chairman of the Merewether-Bar Beach-The Junction Community Forum as well as the Throsby Community Forum. Tim has a Business Degree, a Masters of International Studies and is currently employed as a Senior Policy Officer in Occupational Health and Safety for the NSW Mine Safety Advisory Council.  Tim has been an active member of a number of surf clubs and is keen to make a real contribution to the Service.

Ross Taggart

Ross Taggart is a local accountant and Managing Director of Taggart Partners. He is a Director of and represents the Hunter Business Chamber and joined the Board in 2010. Ross is also the President of Merewether Surf Club and sits on the Public Practice Committee of CPA.

Katie Brassil GAICD

Katie represents the Hunter Business Chamber where she has been a Director since 2009.  Since 2006, Katie has been Centennial Coals General Manager External Affairs.  Katie has extensive experience accross all three levels of government and specialist skills in economic development, public and government relations.

Cr Geoffrey Slack

Cr Geoffrey Slack represents Hunter Councils and has been a Councillor of Gloucester Council since 2004. He is a member of several Council Committees and has extensive experience in community organisations within the Gloucester region. Geoff has a great appreciation of the importance of the Rescue Helicopter to the people of smaller rural towns in the Hunter Valley, having been transported in 1997 by the Service as a result of an accident at his remotely located cattle farm. He is a solicitor and is a past President of Gloucester Rotary Club.

Peter Jordan

Peter represents the United Mineworkers Federation of Australia an organisation which has been one the longest and most valued supporters of the Service since it began. He has been an independent non-executive director since 2007. He has more than 25 years experience in the Coal Mining Industry as a Union Official involved extensively in dispute settlement of legal and industrial matters and direct negotiations of Workplace Agreements. He has been the President of the Northern District Branch of the United Mineworkers Federation of Australia since 2009.

Noel O'Brien OAM

Noel has been an independant director for 10 years and has extensive experience in mining and training industries.  Noel was instrumental in gaining widespread community support for the establishment of the comany's New England North West service in 2000.  Noel is also the former Mayor of Gunnedah Shire Council.

Kevin Ratcliffe

Kevin is the Elected Staff Representative Director and came to the Service in 2002, as a casual Helicopter Pilot whilst working for Australian Helicopters as a Marine Pilot transfer.  He became a full time Line Pilot with the Service in 2005.  Kevin retired from The Royal Navy as a Commander, having served as an Air Engineer Officer.  Kevin is currently in his second term as staff elected director.

In the New England – North West an Advisory Committee was established to assist the organisation and the Board.

  • Tony Windsor MP (Chair) (Member for New England)
  • Max Cathcart (representing Tamworth Chamber of Commerce)
  • Kevin Anderson MP (Member for Tamworth)
  • Sharon Grellman (Support Group Chair - Wee Waa)
  • Richard Jones (General Manager Hunter Region SLSA Helicopter Rescue Service)
  • Hamish McLaren (Walcha)
  • Cliff Marsh (representing Board of Directors)
  • Lindsay Maybury (Quirindi)
  • Noel O'Brien (representing Gunnedah)
  • Mike Peoples (representing Westpac)
  • Richard Torbay MP (Member for Armidale)
  • Cr Colin Murray (representing City of Tamworth)
  • Ross Whittaker (Gunnedah - United Mineworkers Federation)

Senior Management Team

The Service is managed by a team of people representing the organisation.

  • Richard Jones (General Manager)
  • Peter Alcock (Company Secretary)
  • Kieron O'Toole (Business Manager)
  • Michael De Winton (Chief Pilot Bell 412SP, BK117)
  • Peter Cummings (Crew Chief)
  • David Oswald (Chief Engineer)
  • John Candy (Accountant)
  • Robert Jenkins (Safety Manager)