Power Community Limited (PCL) is delighted to announce it has welcomed esteemed Directors to its Board.
The Honourable Hieu Van Le AC, Vicky Welgraven AM, Kristen Eckhardt and Kevin Osborn join existing Chair Rob Snowdon and club Chief Executive Matthew Richardson to round out a diverse and experienced board of directors who will provide strategic direction to the successful not-for-profit arm of the Port Adelaide Football Club.
Currently the Chair of the SAHMRI Board, and previous Governor of South Australia, The Hon. Hieu Van Le was appointed to PCL’s board in June 2022.
Mr. Le was appointed Lieutenant Governor of South Australia in 2007 before succeeding the Hon. Kevin Scarce as the state’s Governor. He brings a wealth of experience in government relations and supporting PCL’s strategic agenda.
Vicky Welgraven AM is a proud Adnyamathanha woman from the Northern Flinders Ranges SA and is an advocate and champion for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, ensuring their interests are represented and their voices are heard.
In 2022, Mrs. Welgraven was honoured in the ‘Australia Day 2022 Honours List’ and appointed as a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia for ‘Significant Service to Women through Social Welfare Organisations, and to Indigenous Health’.
Kristen Eckhardt is the newly appointed Chief Marketing Officer at the Port Adelaide Football Club. A graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and non-executive director on Australian Dance Theatre, Mrs. Eckhardt boasts an impressive resume with extensive experience in marketing at senior leadership levels.
Mrs. Eckhardt’s experience will add significant value to the strategic and operational direction of PCL’s programs and overarching audience growth.
Kevin Osborn re-joins the PCL board as a Director after previously holding the position of Chair, while continuing his role as a Director of the Port Adelaide Football Club.
After an impressive 20-year global career, Mr. Osborn became a professional non-executive director in 2003. He has since held multiple positions across several large corporations including Bendigo Adelaide Bank, SA Water and Viterra, while his non-executive director career has seen him work on some of Australia’s largest global corporate transactions.
These exciting appointments join PCL’s Chair, experienced football administrator Rob Snowdon. Mr. Snowdon has wide ranging board experience in numerous fields and formerly worked with the Sydney and Port Adelaide Football Clubs in football operations roles. Rob is also a Director of the Port Adelaide Football Club, Chair of the Specialised Assistance School for Youth and a Director of The Paraplegic & Quadriplegic Association of SA.
Mr. Snowdon brings extensive management and operational experience to the PCL board, providing strategic direction for the not-for-profits operations, funding, and growth.
Port Adelaide Chief Executive, Matthew Richardson remains on the PCL Board as a director. Mr. Richardson has been at the club since 2001 starting as the Marketing Manager of the Magpies and then progressing to CEO from 2004 to 2009.
In 2009, Mr. Richardson joined the Power as General Manager of Marketing and Consumer Business and was promoted in 2017 to Executive General Manager before heading up the club’s strategic campaign to unite Port Adelaide as One Club in 2010, bringing the Magpies in the SANFL and Power in the AFL together.
PCL’s General Manager, Jake Battifuoco said he was thrilled to have new additions to finalise board appointments.
“PCL is going through an exciting period of growth as we look to implement our new three-year strategy to further change the lives of more young South Australians,” Mr. Battifuoco said.
“These new additions to our board mean PCL’s operations are now underpinned by a core group of extremely experienced and talented individuals from various industries, who will be critical in providing strategic guidance to our business operations, ensuring our programs grow, develop, and continue to have an incredible impact on young people.
“I’d like to thank them each for their support, dedication and passion for PCL”.
PCL Board:
Rob Snowdon – Chair
Vicki Welgraven AM – Deputy Chair
Kristen Eckhardt – Director
Hon. Hieu Van Le AC – Director
Kevin Osborn – Director
Matthew Richardson – Director
General Manager – Jake Battifuoco