Marcus Stafford, CEO, MSWA

President Ian, Marcus Stafford, Celia Holdaway, Mal Bennett

As well as being an AIM awardee, Marcus Stafford has also been awarded a Member of the Order of Australia in the General Division.   Marcus is a compassionate CEO and has improved the lives of people living with Multiple Sclerosis and other neurological conditions not only in Western Australia, but nationwide.  He learnt in his lifetime that leadership is flexibility and courage in an uncertain environment, and that the only things that stops CEOs today from making good, confident decisions is lack of courage.  He said that it should all start with values, and that the values of Rotary are beyond reproach.  He believes that those same types of values should actually exist within all organizations, whether they be for profit or not-for-profit organisations – not those things that sit framed on people’s walls and no one really knows what they mean.
 
Under his guidance and leadership, MSWA has been able to extend its various services to people with MS, Motor Neurone Disease, Parkinson’s, Stroke, Huntington’s, Acquired Brain Injury, and the list goes on.  The growth in services provided within the State in the range of  different areas  is one part of what they (MSWA) do.  The second part is their research contribution which is about Three Million Dollars. The combined contributions of New South Wales, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania – when doubled – is still less than the $3M WA contributes to research.  Marcus is very proud of that leadership status, but said that they’d be delighted to give that up if somebody else wanted to step up to that.

It is a long race in finding the cause and the cure of the many neurological conditions.  It is also a long race where their staff are concerned.  Marcus reminds people regularly that the people who work in their organisation are not a commodity to be bought and/or sold on the market, and if you look after them today, they will give you the most amazing returns for the journey you want to take tomorrow.

Pictured here are club president Ian, Marcus, Celia Holdaway, and Mal Bennett, whose birthday was celebrated that night.

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