CEO Update February 2026

Happy 2026 to each of you!

 

I am writing this one month after Christmas and on a high risk fire day that is projected to reach 44 degrees in Victoria.  For me it brings back memories of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires when they came within 3km of our property in Healesville. 

 

It is also a timely reminder that we all work with 'risk' in our daily lives - both personal and professional. Risk is something that we seek to manage as Supervisors, in our practices and in our dealings with others.  Often our  decisions can have a financial risk or a relationship risk - resulting in loss of income or loss of a staff member if not handled properly.

 

Risks are an inherent part of 'doing business' - I can attest to this as a CEO of various NFP's and as a small business owner (hospitality, travel agency, winery). I have found that the best way of minimizing 'downside' risk is to get the planning right - to document the 'whole picture', noting potential outcomes (positive and negative) and then to ensure that any plans made are comprehensive. This means thinking about what could potentially go wrong with a decision, what options are available and who else can I reference to get assistance. 

 

At GPSA we are currently in the process of finalising our next five year strategic plan (in line with the 5 year funding commitment we have received from the Department).  As part of this plan we are wanting to prioritise our support for Supervisors - educational resources, advocacy, research, communication and connection - in order to help you to be informed and to manage the risks you face on a daily basis.  Please reach out to our team if there is any way we can assist. 

 

Bruce Argyle,

Interim CEO