GENERAL MANAGER - ROBERT LAY

In ten years of athletic competition, Bob held numerous Australian and state titles and records, including a world record in the 4x100m relay and an Australian and Commonwealth record in the 100yds (9.2 secs) that still stands.

Bob played first grade rugby over three seasons, for the Sydney Randwick Club winning a premiership flag. He represented New South Wales twice.

He represented Australia in 1962 in Perth at the British Empire and Commonwealth Games, reaching the semi-finals in both the 100m and 200m and the 4x100m relay.

At the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games Bob reached the semi-final in the 100m.

A former Adidas executive, Bob retired as Executive Director of the Victorian Olympic Council (1991 - 2001) with the honour of life member. He was President of the Olympians Club of Victoria for four years and was on the Committee for 27 years.

For the past 12 years he has been President of Athletics International and in 2000 was awarded the Australian Centenary Sports Medal for outstanding service to sports administration.

OPERATIONS MANAGER - TANIA SULLIVAN (Jan 30, 2012)

Tania commenced her employment in the Sports industry in 1984, joining the WA Basketball Federation following her retirement as an elite level Gymnast (Australian Senior & Junior Squad Member & Medallist 1982 -1984).

Driven by the disappointment of not achieving her personal aspiration of Olympic representation in 1984, Tania has spent the past 28 years working tirelessly to help elite athletes achieve their Olympic dream and to inspire the broader community with the stories of elite athletes through many legacy programs.

Following her role at Basketball, Tania joined the WA Gymnastic Association in 1986 as State Technical Director for Women's Artistic Gymnastics and Event Manager of the 1987 Australian Gymnastic Championships.  In 1988 Tania joined the WA Institute of Sport where for the next 7 years she played a diverse and significant role in its growth.  She worked closely with the sports programs, coaches and athletes as they prepared for the 1988, 1992 1994 and 1996 Olympiads.

In 1995 Tania established "The Sports Administration Service of WA (SASWA) where she managed the Gymnastic component of the 1996 Pacific School Games and then worked with the Western Australian Olympic Council (WAOC) in the lead up to the Atlanta Games.

In 1997, Tania commenced a 15 year career with the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC), working within the joint office of the WAOC and the Australian Commonwealth Games Association / WA Division (ACGA/WA), firstly as Event Co-ordinator, and then as Executive Director, following her return from the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, where she was part of the AOC's "Out of Village" Team. 

During her tenure, Tania played a major role in driving significant organisational change which resulted in increased growth and profile for the Olympic & Commonwealth Games Movements in WA.  She was instrumental in managing and delivering to the National Olympic & Commonwealth Games Team Appeals over $2.5 million in fundraising revenue.  Further she created and delivered many successful programs and activities within the program areas of “Heritage and Legacy”, “Olympic Alumni”, “Education”,  “Community Celebrations”,  ”Team/ Athlete Promotion” and the highly successful ” WA ISOC Mentoring Program”.

Following her departure from the AOC in mid 2011, Tania finalised a permanent relocation to Melbourne and concentrated on growing her consultancy TANacious Rox Management, a business focused on music, artist and event management which has operated concurrent to her full-time roles since 2002.  

In late 2011, and just prior to joining SAHOF, Tania completed a contract with Hockey Australia as Project Manager to deliver the Lanco International Super Series Hockey 9’s.  The event was an an incredibly successful FIH approved world-first international marquee tournament, featuring 7 international teams  including inaugural winners - the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos, which utilised innovative and modified rules to make the game faster, more exciting and broadcast friendly.  This event not only enhanced and grew the brand image and media profile of hockey domestically and internationally, it also created a successful consumer franchise through integrity based sport commercialisation.

AWARDS / RECOGNITION

2006   WA Business News “40 Under 40” Award Nominee
2003   West Australian Sports Star or the Year – “May Campbell Service to Sport Award” Nominee 
2000   Inducted into the “Walk of Fame” (Sorrento Quay) for “Services to Sport”
2000   Member of the Australian Olympic “Out of Village” Team
2000   One of only 1100 West Australians publicly selected to participate in the Sydney 2000 Olympic                  Torch Relay in recognition of “Services to Sport